Roundabouts

[TheZHLANE]

Give way to your right, simple!

[Landau Stable]

Here's the thing that gets me, and a lot of people don't seem to understand. I can be in a single lane roundabout, wishing to enter. The car on the right is already in there and goes through. as he is leaving, i creep forward, yet i can have a line of deadbeats keep streaming through on my right, without ever slowing down. I have sometimes crawled through, with my nose clearly in the roundabout, and the morons just keep on ploughing through without ever slowing down, and giving me a funny look. Once my nose is in the roundabout, i have right of way. It means i have entered. Not the guy on the right with a car length space between him and the roundabout, who continues ploughing through at 30kay because he thinks he has the right of way just because he is on my right.
i hope my explanation makes sense.

[GreenR]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

My license examiner wanted me to wait until there was no vehicles on my right at the roundabout before I could go

Originally Posted by nitro xr

No wonder there is so much confusion at roundabouts with examiners having their own rules.

Originally Posted by Landau Stable

yet i can have a line of deadbeats keep streaming through on my right, without ever slowing down.
Not the guy on the right with a car length space between him and the roundabout, who continues ploughing through at 30kay

A year ago when my girlfriend at the time had her license test, she was on a 50km/h road and came to a 1 lane roundabout. No cars around so proceeded into the roundabout to continue straight ahead. While this happened another car to her right came speeding up to the roundabout (she reckons they would of been going around 80km/h) didn't slow down and continued straight through the roundabout driving past the back of her as she was exiting the roundabout.

The tester failed her for not giving way.

[Trevor 57]

The roundabout law used to contain the words 'and any vehicle approaching from the right', but when the road rules went national back in 1999 then these words were done away with, so now we just have the words as stated in the first post, which to me seems pretty odd.

I am like many, 'give way to the right' works for me and makes much more sense.

[wrongwaynorris]

Cannot believe this has got 2 Pages worth of oxygen .

[FgNewbie]

Ignoring courteous driving habits (because they are too rare these days)...

imho some people are fixated on giving way to the right when it is not the law. Conversely they might live longer with that fixation.

In a similar vein, some people believe vehicles entering from a slip lane or merging lane must yield to traffic on the right in all circumstances.

Twist this around the other way (not the people that give way to the right but the people that believe it is their given right & might) and you get bullheaded heros forcing what they believe is their right of way. Eventually they come undone.

I predict in years to come, the pen pushers will mandate a speed on approach or use even more speed humps to test our suspension.

/rant


edit: May as well repost this
http://www.nrma.com.au/about-us/medi...081029-a.shtml

29/10/2008
More than one in four* NSW drivers do not understand basic roundabout rules, according to new research from NRMA Insurance.

The insurer, which last financial year paid out more than 5000 claims** for roundabout collisions, said the biggest misconception seemed to be that drivers should give way to their right. More than 70 per cent answered correctly – giving right of way to cars already on the roundabout.

Of most concern were drivers aged 16 to 24, with almost one in two (47 per cent) answering incorrectly.

Have the stats changed?

[FgNewbie]

As traffic lights go out, many people follow the give way to right rule and that's probably the safest way of doing things.

Bobman the pen pushers get it right some times.
It's actually the law in NSW unless there is a special stop sign.
I haven't looked nationally.

if you are curious, start at # 63 on the left
http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/ma...t.4-div.2+0+N/

[FocusLX06]

Not sure about NSW, but in QLD you are permitted to change lanes while on a round-about. So even if you are just turning left, you have to give way to both lanes of traffic. This rule caught me out. You have to give way to ALL TRAFFIC on the round-about, both lanes.

Last paragraph on this page:
http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/75...ide_part06.pdf

[Levarre]

The system works well in NSW. Here are a couple of links for those interested. The only problem is with drivers that don't keep up with current road rules. Yes, there are idiots that blast through roundabouts but overall the system gets traffic moving better and so long as people indicate in and out every one seems to cope, and there is allot LESS glass and car parts on roundabouts than there used to be.
Still as my old dad used to say "It is better to Alive wrong than Dead right!"
so slow down and take care as we all like to have your input on the forums.

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/rulesregul...outs_guide.pdf
http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/rulesregul...ts.html?tlid=4

[jaskel]

Originally Posted by STANI

Give way to your right, simple!

EXACTLY! A shame my DVR thread got ruined by wanna be cops...

If everyone gave way to their right then it would make a happy day!

When was the last time you entered a roundabout and gave way to someone on your left?? NEVER!!

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by jaskel

EXACTLY! A shame my DVR thread got ruined by wanna be cops...

If everyone gave way to their right then it would make a happy day!

When was the last time you entered a roundabout and gave way to someone on your left?? NEVER!!

C'mon mate, 2 pages of links to RTA sites from various states giving detailed rules for roundabouts and you pick 1 line with no factual evidence and run with it...

Read carefully...YOU ARE W R O N G !

[jaskel]

nah I just whats safer and what I was tought 17 years ago by the instructor, if you always give way to your right then everyone is safe! everyone i know gives way to the right...

I dont care if I am right or wrong, Im ok with what I do so I dont care.

Arguing on the internet is pointless!

[Riksta]

If you approach a two lane roundabout, and don't need to turn right, always approach in the left hand lane.

This way, the car in the right hand lane acts as a shield. Go with him. If there's something coming, it plows them first and you can continue on your merry way.

Please note: Using the car in the right hand lane as a shield on a roundabout is not endorsed by any road safety authority.

[jaskel]

yep im with you Riksta! common sense!

[Fireblade]

Originally Posted by Riksta

If you approach a two lane roundabout, and don't need to turn right, always approach in the left hand lane.

This way, the car in the right hand lane acts as a shield. Go with him. If there's something coming, it plows them first and you can continue on your merry way.

Please note: Using the car in the right hand lane as a shield on a roundabout is not endorsed by any road safety authority.

Exactly what I do Rik lol

[Bobman]

Originally Posted by jaskel

nah I just whats safer and what I was tought 17 years ago by the instructor, if you always give way to your right then everyone is safe! everyone i know gives way to the right...

I agree and I would bet that the majority of people on our roads believe in the "give way to right" idea than the poorly worded road rules would have you think otherwise.

Everytime I approach a roundabout, cars wait for me to pass as I am come towards them from their right, so this will always be the safest option.

Those who think otherwise are probably still exchanging names and addresses with people they collected at roundabouts. Oh, I do the "shield" thing too as Riksta mentioned!

[DanielXR8]

Originally Posted by jaskel

n

I dont care if I am right or wrong, Im ok with what I do so I dont care.

Arguing on the internet is pointless!

Theres your argument for what went wrong with driving when Police got fixated on speeding offences and nothing else right there.

There was a time in Australia when the constabulary would make you care. Sadly now its a free for all, as long as when you collide with someone you were under the magic number on the sign. Shrug and write it off as an "accident" of course.

Dan

[ebxr8240]

Read the rules.. It says slow down and give way "to avoid a collision"...
Or words to the effect...

What gets me is people give way to vehicles 100m up the road..

That and drivers who DON'T know how to merge when entering a high speed main road...

[Bobman]

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

Read the rules.. It says slow down and give way "to avoid a collision"...
Or words to the effect...

Yeah, but if both vehicles are approaching one single roundabout from different directions and both vehicles are approximately 10 metres away from it, who gives way to who and who slows down or who keeps going? This is the issue and the above scenario takes place all the time every day, so the rules don't really help you much there unless you use your own brain and think for the other driver (which is the best solution).

What gets me is people give way to vehicles 100m up the road..

That and drivers who DON'T know how to merge when entering a high speed main road...

Agree with both of those.

[NC1183]

No one would need to give way to anyone "Bobman" as they would enter the round-about at the same time, and travel on there merry way one going left, right or straight through and the other car doing the same, therefore there'd be no chance of collision.

If you wish to see round-about use get stuffed up, come to Moree and watch everyone at the main round-about now that the RTA have decided to incorporate it into the town centre by-pass. It was bad enough before hand, now its just shocking.

[Spudz27]

Well I have always driven by give way to the right. Everyone here seems to do the same and so traffic flows freely through the roundabouts (we have no traffic lights in town at all). My real gripe is with people not understanding how the lanes work.

Eg: 2 lane roundabout, markings indicate left lane can turn left or go straight, right lane can turn right or go straight. So I am in the right lane intending to go straight, moron in left lane decides without even indicating tht they are going to go right. I have had so many near misses due to idiots like this. I watched one do it to a cop car, and so often I can sit there and watch people go right round the rounadbout (this particular one is large, about 50m from one side to other) in the left lane. The stupidest part is that the lanes are clearly marked with arrows and yet they still do it.

[big_landau]

what really bugs me about roundabouts is the clowns who come onto the roundabout directly opposite you,then indicate right so you stop to give way to them then they indicate left and all they have done is go straight through the roundabout and made you stop becase they have indicated to turn right,that really gets to me.

[mrfordfairmont]

Originally Posted by nitro xr

If the vehicle on the right is still approaching the roundabout, and there is no risk of collision with that vehicle, there should be no reason to give way to it.

The thing that really gets me at two lane roundabouts however, is the many drivers that cut straight across the two lanes, sometimes ignoring other vehicles in the next lane in close proximity. The whole idea of two lanes is so vehicles can transition through the roundabout together, like this (ref Vicroads Driving in Victoria Rules and Responsibilities):

i have has so many idiots close to go under the side of the truck because of the non indication of where they are going. i drive out if they are not inducating they are going across the front of me to the next exit and there has been a lot close to hitting me, including a cop car they stopped and let me through and contuned on their way as they were in the wrong

[FgNewbie]

Originally Posted by jaskel

I dont care if I am right or wrong, Im ok with what I do so I dont care.

After driving today, I agree, some people are so hell bent on ensuring they get what they THINK is their right of way they don't care how stupid or dangerous they are.

At one suburban roundabout I was entering, I noticed & heard a car in the street on my right accelerating as they approached the roadabout.

After reading this thread I decided to stop (which meant half my nose was in the roundabout) rather than floor it to make sure he didn't hit the back of me. The other car didn't slow down and drove over the roundabout to avoid my nose.

A string of 3 cars had sped up behind him to follow him through and over the roundabout too.

By force they made the oncoming traffic opposite me (also in the roundabout) stop which meant the string of cars did not give way to their right nor did they abide by the law.

I hope they end up under a trailer... hang on... the truck driver doesn't need the hassle. I hope they hit each other.

[bafel]

Sounds like the insurance companies have got in and muddled the wording of the rules to help protect them against claims.

Common sense says you give way to the right because that's the direction the traffic comes from. Easy really.

[Auturbo6]

Roundabouts are an engineering marvel, if judged correctly one can come up to a roundabout shoot through and continue on the way with minimal loss of velocity. However, if it's not possible for people (whom have been driving anywhere from one day to 50 years experience) to negotiate a simple highway merge, how can we expect them to understand a slightly more complicated road rule system such as roundabout give way rules. Unfortunatly i don't believe in the saying "Practive makes perfect". If u don't understand the principles behind successful vehicle manipulation, then you have no chance. I was once told that the definition of insane was: Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result each time. Need i say more. Later

[GreenR]

meh. Maybe they will just end up putting traffic lights at every roundabout

[Silver Ghia]

Yep, I'm sure whoever in local council here in Sunbury who has been putting in roundabouts for some years now, and badly designed ones at that, has shares in a local panel beating business.

What gets me also is that they put up barriers and signs on the islands just at the height which makes it more difficult to see what's coming from the right. Not to mention vegetation on the roundabouts themselves so you cant see whats coming around.

With the shielding idea mentioned earlier to protect yourself when getting across the roundabout, you have to be so careful they dont suddenly change into your lane.

[Bobman]

Originally Posted by plarazza

meh. Maybe they will just end up putting traffic lights at every roundabout

They already have in some places. In Melbourne a few roundabouts have been removed and replaced by traffic lights. Two notable ones in the last 20 years were Boundary Road / Lower Dandenong Road and East Boundary Road / Centre Road.

[Keepleft]

Originally Posted by nitro xr

The bottom line is that regardless of who entered the roundabout first, in the event of a collision and telling your insurer, it would be hard for the driver of the vehicle on the left to prove they were in the roundabout before the vehicle on the right.

A lady of about 67 in her car was hit by another car that entered the roundabout to her right, using his commute speed through the roundabout as the gameplay of his assumption of "right-of-way".

Sure, she was fined for 'failing to give way' by Wyong HWP.

She knew the ARR rule and knew she was correct, and elected to proceed at Wyong local court. Local HWP didn't quite get it either, at the time. (After Dec 1, 1999)

Her fine was overturned and the driver that hit her on her right rear quarter instead copped the fine, and costs.


REGARDLESS, most seem to want a give way to the right rule instead, (and drive accordingly), meaning that IF the law changes it would be such that;- when you approach a roundabout and could currently enter it BEFORE "that car" zooming up to the the same roundabout on_your_right - would then have right of way over you instead. You would have to await its arrival AND departure.