Peter W : Don't do it if there is a "Heavy Plant Crossing" sign as you don't want a 12 tonne Daffodil crossing the road smashing your car to bits (with you in it) !
But if everyone gives way to vehicles from the right and people on the roundabout let other people on the roundabout complete, where are the dash cam channels going to get their content? Got to think about the bigger picture, here..
@@Rawwhhh The amount of dash cam videos I’ve seen where someone speeds up into a situation just so they can slam their brakes on to get some content for TH-cam.
Just to add another roundabout tip: Watch the wheels not the indicators. Someone might indicate right (or not at all) but be exiting. Or indicate left and continue around. Saved my backside a few times.
In New Zealand most people appear not to know the indicator rules, and that “most” includes the police. For the record, we have one indicator rule in NZ which is use your left indicator to show when you are leaving the roundabout. Right hand indication is optional and often wrong. The most confusing is those (including police) who put on the right hand indicator and proceed straight through the roundabout with the indicator on throughout, effectively using a right indicator to indicate a left turn. Eejits.
@@jeremyashford2145 So true - I trust no-one's indication (or lack thereof) when it comes to roundabouts here. BTW, the copy of the Road Code I have says to indicate right (no "optional") if you're going "more than halfway" around the roundabout, whatever that means (distance? time? topology?). Personally I think they should just make it "indicate left when about to leave" and leave it at that - you often can't see traffic more than one entry ahead because of the centre plantings anyway.
As a truck driver roundabouts in busy area's are a nightmare, what car drivers need to understand is that all modern trucks are automatic boxes and the vast majority have a very slow response time. We are talking from putting your foot flat on the floor there can be easily 3 seconds before that truck starts to move! Even then if you are fully loaded the it can take another 3-4 seconds before you are doing 10 mph! Car drivers see a truck start to emerge onto the roundabout and then aggressively accelerate to try and force the truck to give way, happens literally daily!! Not all truck drivers are angel's for sure but people need to drive with courtesy towards other road users
I always make allowances & try to give HGV drivers the benefit of the doubt, but I've met my fair share of aggressive asshole lorry drivers, as an experienced forklift driver I also can say some of them are just self entitled abusive assholes who think because they have a HGV licence they should be loaded or unloaded first because they're running late & think it's all the forklift drivers fault because there was a traffic jam on the M6.
As a HGV driver, I just wish a lot of the people on the roundabout thought about signalling.. when they go left and there is no indication that just means I have to sit and wait longer, in turn causing a huge tailback. Also.. why do so many people Indicate right on roundabouts when they're going straight over?
Since currently the shops are half empty due a lack of available lorry drivers perhaps trucks will get more respect in the near future. Doubt it but we can hope.
@@CycolacFan well I hope you do too, it was the forklift drivers & HGVs who played a large part in keeping this country going all through lockdown, it was us who kept the shelves full in the shops, yet we received very little to no appreciation at all, couldn't even get no food or shopping hardly due to all the greedy sods who emptied the shelves without a thought or slightest bit of consideration for others who were working day & night!
@@superfreak19891 you are bang on, there are many HGV drivers who think they have a god given right because they drive large vehicles but there's also a lot of forkies who are just obnoxious and go out of their way to make you wait to get tipped or refuse to unload because you turned up 10 mins before they finish! Ask any driver if they have had to spend the night in a piss smelling layby because a forklift driver refused to unload and you will find a few for sure! Personally I go out of my way to get on first name terms with the places I drop at and do what I can to make life easier but as with any profession you always meet a few who don't!
The phrase "right of way", or priority, is taken by many people to mean that the onus is on other drivers, and not them, to take care while proceeding. This applies to all manner of situations, not just roundabouts. You only have to watch any of the DashCam channels to see this. It's amazing how many contributions are from people who specifically don't slow down when they see another driver do "something wrong". This is usually followed up with an angry horn blast.
The most common problem on roundabouts isn't excessive speed but lack of awareness, looking too late, not timing their approach to find a gap and stopping unnecessarily. It causes congestion.
That goes for many junctions, some people will just pull out regardless if they think you can brake enough to avoid an accident as they know that's what you will do. The bigger the vehicle, the more prevalent it is, not meaning lorries etc, more large SUV and vans.
Yeah I’m not quite sure I fully followed Ashley today. I usually do 100% honest. But in my mind too many drivers use excess speed to simplify their life as every time others need to give way to them. Of course that’s unless they meet themselves in which case it’s hospital time!
@@wallace-bv4rl I agree ! It didn't seem that clear. If I am at the roundabout and can get on it well before a car approaching from the right can, then, IMO, it's his/her duty to slow down when approaching the rundabout otherwise he'll/she'll rear end me. I don't think enough emphasis was placed on all cars approaching a roundabout should slow down when approching in readiness for having to stop... as a car may also be approaching from _their_ right.
"Causes a race to get there", it is quite scary that a number of people think, when it comes to mini roundabouts, priority goes to whoever gets there first.
True... but likewise people gun it because they also think coming from the right gives them absolute priority - even if someone to their left is already in the roundabout.
We all have a responsibility to give way if it avoids an incident regardless of priorities. The only real way to approach driving on roundabouts is to totally Zen it - people will always make mistakes and misjudge things so just don't make a fuss about it. The alternative is to have strictly regulated traffic light junctions and four-way stops everywhere and you only have to see how Americans deal with that to see that we don't want those kind of fatality rates. Our road system accords us quite a lot of discretion and respect but there's always some who abuse that privilege.
As a HGV Driver myself when fully loaded at 44ton with a 45ft trailer on,busy roundabouts can be a royal pain in the ass,doesn't matter if its big or small there a nightmare. You can not sit there all day waiting for everyone to go home and you can't just barge your way out either and use the I'm bigger than you argument! As a professional driver it's hard to look professional when dealing with busy roundabouts. I personally approach these situations with great care. Bare in mind that you can't sit there all day blocking a road,I wait until there is a gap big enough to enter the roundabout but without causing traffic coming from the right to do any emergency breaking,there is no getting away from the fact your gap isn't big enough without causing vehicles on the roundabout to slow down. In this instance you can say your making other vehicles give way to you which isn't correct.
Well said. The thing a lot of people forget is, a lorry doesn't accelerate like a car and takes longer to stop. Also, if it's a tanker-lorry full of liquids, the weight of all liquid is massively heavy and difficult to control when tackling a corner / bend like a roundabout and easy to roll over - you can't strap down liquids and they will want to keep going in the original direction. The boy-racer mindset needs to change to one of consideration - but, then again, that would only happen in a utopian world.
Anyone with an ounce of sense knows a truck is big and slow, and makes allowances. I’m not the most patient driver, but am more than happy to let trucks do their thing, and carry on with my journey.
@Fanfeck key word to this comment was "sense" or lack of it with many road users. When I did my cars test many moons ago I never remember the instructor explaining about the slow speed and strange roads positions HGV and busses may take while going about there business. I guess these issues will continue like they always have until vehicles become completely automated and controlled by a computer taking away the human factor. How roundabouts will be negotiated with a computer controlled car is beyond me,if I had these answers I would be driving a truck🤣 I know it's not fair to tar everyone with the same brush but I personally drive and ride my motorbike like every other road user is a complete idiot and wants to crash in to me or knock me off. I know this is unfair as there are many skilled drivers both professional and non professional who do there best while out on the roads. No matter what happens as long as the human factor remains at 100% control of the vehicle there will always bad irritating,irresponsible and dangerous drivers.
@@philiproberts6947 , computers will probably handle driving better than any human, as they’ll all be communicating with each other. It’s careless humans that cause mayhem.
I hate roundabouts with limited visibility where you pull out when there are no vehicles visible coming from the right. You have to commit and you are decisive and quick. Yet, in that brief moment some knob does come into view from the right, barrelling towards you with the attitude that they have the right of way and honk, flash, gesture at you etc. I mean, if I had X-ray vision I might have seen their Audi though a brick wall or trees but they can’t comprehend that fact because they have right of way, period.
Absolutely.. probably 99% true. Just down to a, 'me/myself and I' proportion of people I.e Inconsiderstion being biggest culprit in sparking Road Rage IMO
Some of the confusion probably comes from the UK Government legislation website "The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016" Which states (for mini roundabouts) "Vehicular traffic approaching a roundabout with a small central island or approaching a junction indicated by the marking shown in item 5 of this sign table should give way at, or immediately beyond, the line to traffic circulating on the carriageway of the roundabout" This is confusing as it appears to be different to the wording for other roundabouts which states "a vehicle entering the junction must give priority to vehicles coming from the right". The above is obviously extracts from the legislation and omits the associated diagrams but it shows how confusing it can be. I try to remember Ashley's comment "It's better to be safe than right".
That’s the problem on the road. People have too much of a ‘I have the right of way’ attitude to not pay attention to people who might make a mistake. Isn’t it better to expect somebody to be a dickhead and be aware of any scenario that may happen so you can slow down in time… rather than just behave like you own the road. Too many people would rather cause a scene out of spite 🤦🏼♀️ I was driving with somebody in the passenger seat once, the cars were over taking parked vehicles on the opposite side coming into my lane forcing me to stop. They said ‘you’ve got the right of way there go!’ I was like, yeah I know but but I’d crash so no thanks.
@@mdx7460 I would say that's more than just on the road, but in all walks of life. Too much focus on what rights one has, and not enough on what responsibilities one has.
I think a more succinct summary of the correct way to use roundabouts is "don't be a dick". A lot of people see "give way to the right" as a rule in isolation, instead of applying it in the context of the rest of the HC. The "give way to the right" rule is taken to heart by that tool who enters every roundabout at maximum attack, hoping to honk their horn at someone, and often ignoring the "give way to traffic from the right" line on their own entrance. Same people who go over mini roundabouts instead of around them.
I dont know what has caused it but in the last 5 years or so all roundabout etiquette has seemed to gone out of the window causing many near misses that i have seen.
It down to people being more selfish and thinking they're the most important thing in the universe. The 'I want this so I'm taking this' mentallity moving into road use. My life is more important than anyone elses, so anything I'm doing is more important, so just let me do want I want. Very rarely do I drive anywhere at the moment without having someone either driving way to close to me or seeing someone do something really stupid to me or another road user.
My pet hate is people who on approach to a roundabout just bully their way straight onto it treating it as a continuous piece of road regardless of who maybe around at the time.
@@TheDantheman12121 No one is say you shouldn't give way and no one is saying anyone is in the wrong. Re-read my comment without adding your own narrative.
I believe Ashley is saying you really shouldn't crash into them because they've forced their way out. He's saying anticipate their poor emerge and deal with them accordingly, like the silver car he was no doubt waiting for, and which he knew one of would be along shortly. There's no way he didn't see him coming by his approach speed and have an expectation that they might go even before they barreled out. But no shock, no horn, no fuss.
The amount of people commenting on dashcam compilation videos whom are adamant that "I got to the roundabout first therefore I have priority" is astounding. I was always taught to give way to the right when APPROACHING roundabouts just like in the video. But I would always get shut down when I try and correct them
it's a recipe for disaster, isn't it? If such a thing were true it would just encourage speeding up on approach to the roundabout in order to enter first. But you can't explain this to some people; they just don't get it!
In essence, fix others mistakes but don't make those mistakes :) * try not to make mistakes, we all will sometimes but of couse the goal should be to do things properly
Ok so this really helps. I was left confused by this video. But your comment sums it up nicely - so if I enter the roundabout safely and someone enters impeding my progress, I then do not have right of way? So I need to, in that situation, give way to them essentially. Ideally they would have given way to me, but they didn't (or they mis-timed it) and I should give way to them (fix their mistake)?
@@gonnahavemesomefun - the rule is that traffic entering the roundabout has to give priority to traffic from the right (almost certainly traffic on the roundabout). - another rule is that you can't take, force or assume priority, just because the rules say you should have priority. so if someone doesn't give you priority, do your best to keep it as safe as possible. In that same way, driving through red is illegal, but drivers should be expected to look out for red light jumpers (within reason) and give way to them. Your insurance costs will go up if you end up in an accident that was, by the giveway rules, not on your side but you could have avoided with defensive driving. Everyone will make mistakes, but if the traffic around accomodates then it's no big deal.
As a (apparently very little read) bit of the Highway code states: "This section should be read by all drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders. The rules in The Highway Code do not give you the right of way in any circumstance, but they advise you when you should give way to others. Always give way if it can help to avoid an incident." Introduction to General rules, techniques and advice for all drivers and riders.
A big problem I’ve noticed with this scenario is people emerging far too fast so firstly they don’t have enough space to slow down and stop for oncoming vehicles and secondly if it’s a roundabout with poor visibility and they have come racing on, vehicles about to emerge are given the blow of the horn like they are in the wrong
The poor visibility is a key statement. I have been on roundabouts where you enter slowly to enable you to see better to the right, yet those from the right will not slow down on entry and cause near misses or actual accidents and they then put all the blame on you.
It also helps massively if you ACTUALLY indicate when leaving the roundabout and indicate correctly. Please don’t indicate to turn right and leave it on when you exit to your left.
I think the only thing worse would be beginning to indicate left to exit, then continuing round. At least with the perennial right-indicators it's likely to only cause a missed opportunity and not an actual collision.
Maybe the idea was spread from other countrys. Where I live (Austria) there is a give way sign at every entrance of a roundabout, actually making it so that people on the roundabout have priority. It's the same in Germany.
But we have dotted lines on our roads which indicate the same thing so there’s really no difference. To be honest my impression of driving the miles I do is that far too many people pay little to no attention/have no understanding of road markings and concern themselves only with road signs. See that sort of thing constantly.
The priority to the right rule (priority to the left in Europe etc) was devised by Frank Blackmore of the UK Transport Research Lab so the idea spread from the UK.
Also if you are on a roundabout in heavy traffic, do not block the roundabout up and prevent people from joining who want to take a different exit to you. Leave a gap to let them through to keep traffic flowing where you can.
My pet hate on roundabouts (apart from people not indicating) is when you and a person on your right both arrive at the same time, slow (they might even stop) so you start to cross the give way, then they nail it on a Grand Prix style start and make out it’s your fault
Going a little further on lorries, sometimes the 'good opportunity' just never comes and we have to pull out when the chance arises even when we know its going to bring traffic to a stop waiting for us to cross. You can't sit forever and hold traffic behind you after all. Especially true for trucks hauling things like steel or slow moving vehicles like mobile cranes. When approaching a roundabout from a higher speed dual carriageway, don't just zoom across if you can see a gap. You can see you have a gap, but can the person emerging from your left see you coming down the carriageway if its obscured by vegetation? Does your speed give them time to notice you? Speaking of speed and vegetation, if you get to one of those daft roundabouts with trees and bushes that block line of sight, don't fly around it. If you can't see the other side, the other side can't see you. Go around at a speed that gives you time to see someone who mistakenly pulls out (or decides to be an ass).
HGV's always get a little extra courtesy from me at roundabouts. They're long & can't accelerate very fast and are also carrying the stuff we all buy, so letting them get to where they are going is more important than me losing 5 seconds on my less important journey.
@@madisntit6547 there are several roundabouts near me that have shutters on the approach that obstruct visibility. Primarily these are the first roundabouts after leaving 70-limit dual carriageways or motorways, so I can see the logic due to speed perception being affected following a period at motorway speeds.
@@madisntit6547 & yeah, the story of my life..... I seem to live my life amongst idiots. Tbh I'd much rather be one of the idiots; the stupid don't know they are stupid, it must be blissful, whilst the rest of us bear the burden of their stupidity.
I once read advice for driving in Taiwan where the standard of driving is rather more variable than in the UK: "Drive as though you are responsible for anything that happens in front of you". Actually, it's good advice for very many driving situations regardless of location - giving others space, being tolerant to others, and keeping a sensible distance. It worked well for me in Taiwan too.
As a viewer of certain other dash cam channels, it seems a common situation is the driver approaching a mini "overabout" at speed who honks and raves at someone who emerges in front of them. Had the cammer driven at a more considerate speed, and had they taken a path around rather than over the circle, both cars could have negotiated the roundabout without conflict.
But it is irrelevant how they got there or how fast they got there: if you "emerge in front of them", then you are in the wrong as you must give way to them.
One of my pet hates is the habit of people have, and it seems local to area where I live, of not observing the traffic on the approach to an island. They don't start looking until they very close to the junction. The result is they don't adjust their speed to merge seamlessly and often have to stop unnecessarily. I'm not suggesting that you should approach without slowing, but by looking on the approach you can adjust your speed to merge without the need to stop or apply the brakes sharply.
I’m surprised you didn’t mention speed on the roundabout. How many people drive too fast, so that they come in conflict with someone who started to emerge before they were visible to the driver emerging.
Exactly, well said. A massive problem near me, mini roundabout in a built up area that used to be a T junction. People approach so fast from the direction where there is only straight on or left so they can see no entrance from the right and those meeting them not signalling. You stop at the line check its clear proceed and a car appears at 45 with its horn going. It had been approaching with no intention of ever slowing down so even if you have exited doing a left turn and making good progress to 30 it is on your tail.
I had exactly this when I was young and not so smart, so nearly hit someone emerging onto a roundabout as the roundabout was quite small but with high walls. They could not see me. If we had have collided it would have been 100% my fault as I was going too fast. Same time I did an emergency stop without shoes on.... Never, ever again, mega painful.
It's weird, I do the exact opposite. I deliberately go round at a fairly low speed, not stupid slow, just lower, especially as I'm exiting to give the traffic attempting to get on a chance to get out
@@dutchgray86 Thank you for that! I have thought the exact same thing for the longest time. The challenge is actually getting drivers to abide by that. Even if it was law, it would be widely ignored.
The problem with this approach is mini roundabouts. People hoon toward them at speed because they can see there's no one on the right but the driver emerging on their left may have limited visibility due to the smaller size and speed of the approaching vehicle. I really think mini roundabouts should have priority for anyone on it. People should slow when approaching these
I was going to say exact same thing. It's that old nugget "entitlement" again. I've been driving since 1982 and back then I'm sure priority was to traffic on the roundabout and not approaching. Driving standards were far better then and this video implies the HWC is pandering to the impatient culture.
Yes agree, demonstrated perfectly. To be honest I haven’t ever really thought about the second part of the rule, I have always just given way to the right and tried to operate with common sense on the roundabout. We do seem to see a lot of cammers sending in clips where they are speeding up so they can justify beeping at an emerging car. My wife has always said, the problem with common sense is that it isn’t very common.
The car executed his/her joining of the roundabout perfectly, no need to slow down and didn't cause a problem at all, it's a shame that not everyone understands the concept of keeping with the flow of the traffic and crawls out in front of people with no intention of acceleration to keep with the flow
@@sillybait1329 I don’t disagree with your general argument, but I am under the impression that you have mis-read this particular circumstance. I think Ashley implied that he did indeed have to respond to the vehicle’s emergence by slowing down, so in terms of giving way to the right the emerging car failed to satisfy best practice at the very least. (I’m remembering here that dash cam’s tend to make things seem further away than in real life). It was perhaps marginal though and this is what made a good example of not making an over-reliance on the “second rule” and use it to get all bent out of shape if this happens, just slow down, protecting yourself and others, and allow the traffic to flow. Which is, as you allude to, the primary purpose of a roundabout.
it's like any emerge, if you pull out in front of other cars and cause them to brake then you're doing it wrong. Having said that, if you are approaching a roundabout fast and straight line through it then all of this goes out the window. If someone then pulls out in front of you and causes you to brake then that's your fault since the timing would have been there for good flow if you had entered the roundabout properly and followed the lanes correctly
There is a tiny problem with the wording in the highway code. I believe it should be rewritten so it does say you only have to give way to people on the roundabout. I drive a large heavy goods vehicle. If I were to drive the way the Highway Code stated while attempting to come on to a roundabout during busy periods, I would never get on to it. Secondly, I can't see the vehicles on the inside of the roundabout because the local councils decide to make the roundabouts look pretty. I pretty much have to wing it every time. It could take me a good 5 seconds (from stationery) just to get my lorry half way onto the roundabout. I can't predict the future; I have to rely on People slowing down for me when I'm coming onto the roundabout. If somebody wanted to, they could easily crash into the side of me and I would have no defence. It's only through the grace of God most people are just trying to get to work without crashing so they have to slow down for me.
I've found myself grumpily slowing to allow a lorry to pull out that I've felt didn't have a suitable opportunity, but I hadn't really considered how much more time-consuming it is for a lorry to manage it. I'll try to account for that in my driving if I can see lorries looking to enter to my left in future and slow down a bit to give them a better opportunity.
I think its mini roundabouts where the confusion mostly lies and people emerging from the left thinking they have right of way because their front wheels were on the roundabout first, even though the car comming from their right has now had to slam on
I agree. I've seen many arguments on dashcam channels about this (and some on my own videos) where the car that should give way to someone approaching from the right doesn't give way. You always get at least one person say "But they were on the roundabout before you." Doesn't matter. I give up explaining myself in the end because there's no cure for stupid.
@@shm5547 No not at all...mini roundabouts can be so small that you could be almost on top of someone comming from the left but they will still pull out, you don't have to be going fast to have to slam on
There was a serious crash in the Midlands resulting in serious injury where someone 'racing' hit someone emerging onto a roundabout. Some of the local boy racers tried to claim online that car on roundabout had right of way.... How wrong. The 'racing' car was totally unsighted to the person emerging as it was overtaking just before entering the roundabout, and was traveling at crazy speeds. Due Care and Attention applies... Driver who was 'racing' got prosecuted.
Here in mainland Europe we have the same problem of hurrying motorists approaching a roundabout thinking they can take priority over someone on their right, If I'm approaching at the same time I'll give way. But, I take exception when I get flashed or beeped at by a car that's 50 or even more metres from their entrance and I'm emerging already. Here you only indicate when you intend to leave the roundabout so it's a bit of a guessing game.
It does boil down to that "right of way" attitude again (do we notice a theme here?) If everyone is stopped at a roundabout and pulls away steadily at the same speed then everyone should be able to emerge and fit into a gap with no real drama. This is the basic premise of a roundabout, keeping traffic flowing. The problem is when people don't slow on approach and actually accelerate across the roundabout. Sometimes overtaking and sometimes undertaking other traffic on the roundabout. This reduces the gaps that would naturally be created otherwise. This is when traffic from smaller roads or from roads with less visibility often suffer from not being able to emerge, or being accused of a bad emerge, by someone who came barrelling into view at the last minute, accelerating across the roundabout because their view was clear and unimpaired.
But you aren't meant to stop for a roundabout. Most people do because they cannot judge the speed of other vehicles to their right and because traffic is much heavier. When the RAB is at the end of a fast section of road it test the skill of drivers. When sight lines are restricted by unmown verges or hedging or by the putting up of fencing it is often to discourage higher speed entries. But the vast differences in performance and driver ability mean that most people watching this channel/interested in vehicle handling may well wonder why advanced driving instruction and retesting isn't compulsory.
@@robi4387 Exactly. You aren't meant to stop at a roundabout. You should slow and maintain a steady speed. People undertake and accelerate aggressively around roundabouts, or just don't slow at all. There is definitely no consideration for what others might be able to see, or the speed they are travelling at. Testing the skill of drivers will unfortunately leave many people in an unfortunate predicament. Testing the common sense of drivers also. It remains for the sensible minority to try and maintain the status quo.
@@initialyze I sort of agree but most people drive sensibly most of the time. TH-cam selects clickbait clips of the worst driving etc. Watching Ashley is like inoculating myself to avoid catching bad habits / reduce the risk unknown craziness killing me.
The amount of comments on videos I see where people say "well the Highway Code says give way to the right, but it also says to give way to those on the roundabout" as a way of excusing terrible driving... so frustrating. Does the same principle apply to traffic calming where one lane has priority? Because, again, I see so many comments saying "well he was already established in the traffic calming so he had priority", despite the car approaching in the lane that does have priority having to brake and often come to a complete stop? I always look for approaching traffic at priority signs and give way if my going through will cause them to brake. Finally, has anyone else noticed the seemingly growing trend of drivers taking the 3rd and final exit on a roundabout and not indicating right, but then indicating left before they've past exit 2? So frustrating, so dangerous - and I'm sure all of these drivers will be thinking "well I indicate at roundabouts so I'm not the problem". ARGH
Examiner failed my class 1 driving test at a roundabout. Ahead traffic obscured by trees/overgrowth etc yet completely clear to the right so pulls out, gets half way in emergence, car comes flying round - examiner deeming this a failure on my part - all my fault🙄🙄.
Sorry to learn that! Problem is, life would be easier (and safer) if you could see right across roundabouts and assess ALL the traffic on them, but nowadays most roundabouts have a nature reserve in the centre, leading to the situation you've described. I'm a retired C+E driver, and another problem I always had was with car drivers approaching roundabouts at very high speeds, making it almost impossible to pull away safely, exacerbated on those roundabouts where the entrances are curved roads.
@@gospelman7222 haha.. it was like an Eden Project of an Island on test😅 though pleased in reading your experienced understandings. Didn't help the fact trailer fully laden - L plate markings everywhere and the fact you learn very little from it other than realising your £250 (effectively £500) out of pocket as per test fee.. ☺😫
Following that logic your examiner would expect you to never join the roundabout, just in case someone is driving too fast. Seriously, what are you meant to do, use the force?
@@gospelman7222 Not saying this was the case in the OP's example, but I'm sure some roundabout junctions have been designed to worsen visibility until you're virtually at the give way lines. Something about slowing drivers down so they have to check carefully before emerging.
You are absolutely right, a lot of people takes for granted that they have "right of way" and they do not realize that right of way has to be given and cannot be taken for granted. Once I got hit on a (mini) roundabout by a car coming from the right. The impact was so hard that my car rotated 180 degrees and I was looking the other way. I did not see the car coming from the right because he was speeding in narrow roads without the lights on at dusk. The insurance assigned liability to the other driver.
Have you ever done a video of mini roundabouts with two entry lanes where it’s way too small for two cars though? I would love a guide to that, if you have one.
In my experience of those roundabouts, the LH lane is exclusively for taking the first exit, but the problem comes from people applying what they think they were taught about LH lane for 12 oclock.
@@Strider9655 it’s first entrance, or left and straight, with the right lane being exclusively right, you just stay away from the centre and domt obviously go on the hub of the roundabout itself
He has: they aren't too small for 2 wheelers. Then there's many more roundabouts like that if you drive a bus or lorry. Stay in lane if you can - it shows your intent to others with or without a signal. If you can't, consider dominating both lanes so others don't enter the space you need to negotiate it safely.
Problem is 2 lanes entering a mini roundabout but only 1 lane exiting at 12 o'clock - 2 into 1 do not go. Often the whole carriageway width (diameter) of the mini-roundabout is too small for 2 cars to rotate anyway no matter which exit they chose.
A roundabout is just that, round. Everyone joining is therefore to everyones right. At what point is the emerging car now coming from the right, especially on a mini roundabout? Is it when they are 25% of the way around, 50%? Or is it 75% when they have now made contact with the car which was approaching the roundabout far to fast to break in time, now emerging from their left? That's why "Give way to those already on the roundabout" works better than what Ashley is discussing.
I agree, if we all aim to match our speed and merge between the cars circulating the roundabout, the traffic would flow more efficiently and no one would approach thinking that they have some kind of super-priority because they can't see anyone approaching from their right.
Have a nightmare little roundabout near me where 2 of the parallel entrances to it are hidden by a garden fence at the end of a road. So you only get a brief glimpse of anyone from the right who often come charging onto it and also many on the left will do the same almost drag racing the hidden right entry lane.
One in my village which is an absolute pain. Surrounded by high stone walls and narrow roads. I've had to pull up endless times for people not looking and once got road raged by one of these people...not pleasant but I turned the other cheek.
I know several smallish roundabouts that have a lot of shrubs and trees on them. If a vehicle is coming from the opposite direction and turning right, it stays hidden for all but the last second or so. Flat bald roundabouts are not as pretty, but safer.
Sorry Ashley I found this video a bit confusing. I interpret the basic rule of roundabouts (HC 185) that you give way to traffic approaching from the right _whether or not they have yet reached the roundabout_ which I think is what you're saying too. But surely this does logically imply that you have the priority over anyone to your left, again regardless of the exact point at which you or they actually reach the roundabout? I don't see how it can mean anything else. I _think_ what you're trying to say with this video is that having priority over vehicles coming from your left doesn't absolve you of your responsibility to drive slowly enough to allow them to make safe emerges that don't foul you, and be ready to react to inevitable poor emerges, but surely that applies in any driving situation? I don't quite see the value in interpreting this as that you don't have the priority, for me that muddies the water. Perhaps I've misunderstood.
In my area, an "interesting" take on roundabout priority is becoming more common lately. Buses slowing, or even stopping, while negotiating roundabouts to allow another bus onto the roundabout. I've seen several near misses caused by this. I've actually been tempted to contact the bus companies in regard to this (what I interpret as...) bad practice. As I understand it, you should only stop on a roundabout 1) if your exit is blocked 2) if there are traffic light controls on the roundabout 3) if there are stop or give way signs/markings on the roundabout What's your take on this, Ashley?
I actually disagree with something you said Ashley. Rule 185 of the Highway code When reaching the roundabout you should give priority to traffic approaching from your right, unless directed otherwise by signs, road markings or traffic lights -> check whether road markings allow you to enter the roundabout without giving way. If so, proceed, but still look to the right before joining watch out for all other road users already on the roundabout; be aware they may not be signalling correctly or at all look forward before moving off to make sure traffic in front has moved off. If the vehicles waiting to enter the roundabout or approaching it have a give way sign... they have to give way to the cars on the roundabout and enter when safe to do so. Rule 172 The approach to a junction may have a ‘Give Way’ sign or a triangle marked on the road. You MUST give way to traffic on the main road when emerging from a junction with broken white lines across the road. Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10(1),16(1) & 25 Now this is my understanding of it and I maybe wrong but In a way it is also a great way to be in terms of being a defensive driver.
I think one of the problems is the way the Highway Code is changed from time to time, sometimes in a subtle way. When I was learning to drive there were 2 rules at roundabouts in the Highway Code - 1. give way to drivers ENTERING the roundabout from your right, and 2. give way to vehicles already on the roundabout. And as someone in a different forum has said, the rule prior to 1961 was that no-one had priority at roundabouts. Now I know we should all keep up to date and buy the latest Highway Code but who does that - we all drive the way we were taught.
Mini roundabouts are much more risky as all the issues are condensed into a 20’ circle. And the speed is still roughly the same. And as they’re often replacing a tee junction, the old main route people just ignore the equalising of priorities and charge through regardless.
Yeah, that scenario is exactly why I was interested in some clarification on roundabouts. I think the rule about including traffic approaching from the right who aren't actually at the roundabout yet in your assessment of whether you can pull out is key; if you aren't having to try to think about whether the traffic on your right is at/on the roundabout yet, and just about whether pulling out would impede them at all, it gets a lot easier.
Roundabouts are a brilliant way of keeping people moving and they really aren't that hard to understand, however you have summed up, very succinctly, why people do struggle so much with them. My new subscription to you has been a massive help, and I'm using your videos to help support my ADI training. Thanks ever so much Ash. You're a diamond and your calm presentation makes me want to do you proud, even though I don't know you.
@@rhythmace1 Because, strictly speaking, priority must be given by some but never assumed by the other. The highway code tells us when to give priority to someone else, but explicitly avoids any suggestion of us enforcing priority over others.
@@sparkycalledmarky I suppose I struggle with this because I already see a difference between knowing I have priority in principle and assuming it will always be respected without error, misjudgement or worse. I feel like I don't need to be given a muddied and illogical message that I don't have priority in a situation where I _know_ the other party is expected to submit in order for me to drive defensively and forgivingly. Oh well, the main thing is I understand the message now!
@@rhythmace1 It's not that you ever have priority in principle because strictly speaking: you don't until you are given it. There are a myriad of circumstances where many people think they have priority, but where the highway code states they should give priority to someone else. eg: queueing cars blocking buses from leaving a stop: cars think they have priority because they're on the main road, bus thinks it has priority because rule 223. eg 2: turning into a side road while a pedestrian is waiting to cross said side road: the vehicle turning should wait for the pedestrian to cross first, but they never do and I don't fancy getting run over by taking priority as that pedestrian. If everyone just assumed they have priority because others should be giving it, then the roads would be an absolute wreck. You may have the right mindset in defensive driving and accommodating others mistakes, but many people (sadly) do not (not forgetting the bullies who know they're going against the advice, but they're gonna do it anyway and everyone else had better stay clear).
@@rhythmace1 If you have a parked car on your side of the road you need to give way, but if both you and oncoming traffic have a parked car obstructing your progress both of you technically need to give way and neither have priority as a result. One of you needs to go otherwise you'll be sitting there for the rest of your lives, but that means one of you needs to give way without the other person having priority over the person who gives way. You could give way one day to say your neighbour, but the next day the exact same situation plays out and they give way to you. You didn't gain any sort of priority the second day, they just gave way 'first', or were the most persistent to give way, and you simple gave in to them giving way to then go through the gap between those parked cars first.
People tend to fly into roundabouts and if there is no traffic to their right, use excessive speed as they emerge. This often causes problems for others emerging as they have so little time to judge the oncoming traffic for their emerge.
What annoys me is when someone speeds around the roundabout. Then end up the backside of another driver then make out they where the ones impeded. Like someone entering at 80+ in a 30 zone is something anyone can predict.
hang on.. i'm confused..can i emerge or join a roundabout if there is a car on roundabout to the right? sometimes i have a safe distance to emerge before the other vehicle gets round to my junction...
I lived for many years in Basingstoke, notorious for so many roundabouts. The big problem is people getting onto a roundabout and then driving fast with a "right of way" attitude. You end up with a big roundabout with only four cars on it and lots of cars waiting to get on. If everyone drove slowly on the roundabout then like at the end of the clip the poor merge would be acceptable, with people just slotting in gaps and filling the roundabout up.
I agree with you there, many times I’ve seen cars racing to roundabouts narrowly missing cars already on it trying to intimidate the driver. I also live in Basingstoke and by far the worst roundabout situation in my opinion is where the A339 meets that A340. The road has adverse camber but drivers to left coming hammering it down the dual carriageway and have to slam on the brakes. Some idiot in a white BMW nearly hit me from the left recently, he was approaching far to fast. Dash cam footage downloaded
Different here in Germany. Drivers already on the roundabout have priority. _"Er kommt am häufigsten vor und wird durch die Schilderkombination "Vorfahrt gewähren" und "Kreisverkehr" gekennzeichnet. Deshalb gilt: Die Fahrzeuge im Kreisel haben Vorfahrt"_
The point is, whether you have priority or not, if someone makes a mistake and starts pulling into the roundabout in front of you, whether you have right of way or not, don’t smash into the side of them, or be so unprepared for this to happen that you have to emergency stop. Anticipate that it might happen and if/when it does, be cool and calm enough that you can let them go without drama.
@@PippetWhippet totally agree. That's how we deal with it here, (I just break hard, avoid the collision (I don't want to drive a repaired car even if I was not at fault), think my bit about him/her and carry on. However in the event of an unavoidable crash the driver on the roundabout over here wins the case as he/she had right of way. I know what you mean however and have observed the dramatic increase in the UK for people to feel the urge to "teach others a lesson" by going on a confrontational course (near miss etc.). Fortunately we are spared that attitude to the greater extent over here. No idea where such aggression in the UK in recent years has come from. edited: typos corrected.
Thanks Ashley. I’m really enjoying your channel. I drive professionally, and I take it very seriously, but even though I’ve been driving for 30+ years, I don’t imagine for one moment that I know it all. People always tell me that I’m a good driver, but I never allow myself to become complacent. I doubt anyone ever “masters” driving, it’s far too complex. You are clearly an excellent driver. I’m going to keep on watching your videos and honing my skills. Keep safe Sandy
Makes so much sense what are you explaining. I am driving in London and a lot of people are merging poorly. Until now, I was approaching this problem by "forgive them", but I never thought that is my responsibility to somehow to make everyone safe around me. Thank you!
Thank you, Ashley! I've never understood the "once I'm on the roundabout, I have priority" brigade in the comments. I wasn't even sure what they meant, to be honest, as I was taught and drive to the "give way to traffic approaching from the right" mindset. Anything else makes no sense and is just dangerous.
But if you give way to traffic to the right, then logically traffic to your left should give way to you, and once you are on the roundabout everyone is to your left, so I don't see how these are incompatible statements. The fact that having priority doesn't mean you can barrel on and off of roundabouts at unsafe speeds and just expect those you have priority over to just get out of your way seems a separate issue to me.
@@rhythmace1 It's the people that use it to justify pulling out in front of traffic approaching from the right because they got to the roundabout first, so traffic from the right should give way to them, or, as you say, barrelling onto a roundabout unsafely because they have right of way regardless of what people joining could reasonably expect.
the issue is with the phrase "*approaching* from the right" at what point is "approaching" too far away? Example; If I'm at the give way line of a RB and a car is "approaching" from the right, but 50+ meters away, am I expected to sit there and wait til the other car arrives? Especially when the car "approaching" from the right accelerates to beyond the speed limit, say 30mph and straight lines the RB? At what point are they the problem?
@@RichO1701e It should be no different to any junction; if you are at the give way line of a T-junction waiting to pull out onto a fast A road there's no threshold line painted on the major road telling you whether you're "allowed" to pull out in front of any approaching traffic, you just have to make a judgement about whether it would be safe and courteous based mainly just on their distance and closing speed. And while nobody should be approaching you at well over the speed limit, if they are you would take that into account and allow them more space by waiting, as annoying as it is to have to do that. It's actually easier to just look at what's approaching and how fast and make a judgement based on that than to try to _also_ judge the exact moment it will cross the line onto the roundabout and try to think about how that might change your relative priorities.
I always love this attitude. Try not to make poor decisions, recognise that sometimes poor decisions get made (either by your or others, we're only human), adjust your driving to ensure even if a mistake happens or someone makes a poor decision, we react to it in the safest manner possible and keep the road safe. Anti-conflict driving.
I was taught that whatever maneuver one makes should not cause any other road user(s) to change direction or speed. If your maneuver does cause other road users to change their direction or speed then it is a poor maneuver. I was also taught to show necessary courtesy and consideration to other road users (like the HGV entering a roundabout example made in the video), to facilitate their progress, maybe by using accelerator intelligence to offer them more space for their difficult maneuver, lack of acceleration, etc. clearly indication ones intentions early, etc.
On a similar matter, although I'm an experienced driver, I sometimes have difficulty positioning my vehicle when going straight on or turning right on a large roundabout with two or more lanes. A video on this would be helpful.
@@tom282 Thanks. Do you have a link? The ones that concern me are the large ones with several lanes, such as those at the intersections of dual carriageways.
@@RockyDave Some of the big signalised ones are awful. You are turning right so know you need to enter the roundabout in the rightmost lane but will need to move to the left by the last set of signals, but it is unclear where and how is the correct way to do this. Going from the anti-clockwise M25 to the north bound A1(M) being one example.
@@trickygoose2 Yes. Seems that I'm not the only one struggling with them. And any indecision is met by impatience and aggression on the part of other drivers.
In the early 60s, when there were no mini roundabouts, there were adverts on the telly saying" give way to traffic already on the roundabout. The problem with small roundabouts and the give way to the right rules is people entering the roundabout at speed when it's clear to their right regardless. If you arrive at the roundabout before someone approaching on your right you should be allowed to enter the roundabout in front of them.
Love your videos, I was taught by traffic police and a former racing driver and I think that has made a massive difference to me over the last 37 years. Can you clarify the following? In my advanced driving test, I was told I would fail if I used my left indicator when moving from the outer lane of a dual carriageway to the inner lane. I tend to adhere to that on a faster dual carriageway (not exclusively but depending on the circumstances) but feel that on urban ones, other road users and even pedestrians would almost invariably benefit. It is something that has bugged me for decades because I've heard many instructors say that the basic premise is whether someone would benefit from your signal! I can remember being berated for using my left signal on an advanced driving lesson.
I'd love an answer to this one too, because it's abundantly clear in the Highway Code that you indicate when changing lanes on a multi-lane carriageway. The only situation in which I would avoid this (and honestly would probably just stay in the outside lane for longer, since so few people do indicate properly) would be if there is a left exit coming up, in which case the indicator might be misleading to vehicles behind. On a clear stretch of road, I would say it is obvious what the left indicator is for.
I think the misconception comes from a re-write of the highway code. (I passed in the late 80's) I may be wrong on this but i am confident that the highway code used to say that vehicles on the roundabout have priority (and nothing about give way to the right). Therefore there was an unwritten rule of give way to the right, but not if the other vehicle was only 'approaching'.
Interesting. This could explain why I thought it was different. Including approaching traffic certainly makes things less ambiguous on mini-roundabouts and probably helps to keep things flowing.
I was a large truck driver...the truck not me...but now retired thank god.....my automatic truck was very slow to take off.....as are many.....to wait for a huge gap at every roundabout is so as not to cause people to slow.....can be almost impossible. Can you imagin the congestion that will follow if I do wait for that huge gap. A bit of give and take is req.....sometimes the normal rules just dont cover everything.
The problem I've noticed is this scenario: I'm turning right so I approach the roundabout in the rh lane. As I proceed around the roundabout towards the exit I start to draw left. But then some plank has come onto the roundabout at the 2nd exit going straight across following the outside lane. He MUST give way otherwise we will collide. Interested on your thoughts on this scenario as it seems to be happening more.
"Start to draw left"? Sounds like a lane change to me. If you change lanes (even on a roundabout), you must give way. Yes, there are people who think they can go right from the left hand lane - you need to be wary of them too.
@@Banglish123 Do whatever is safe. either go back round or stop. Eric's comment is wrong. You have right of way changing lane on a roundabout to exit. The other driver is wrong but you have to protect yourself.
I live next to the worst roundabout in our area, always mentioned on the radio as so many accidents occur pretty much weekly. Trouble is a bypass runs up to it and the traffic has plenty of time to observe the flow and run up to it at speed to continue on, so if I emerge from there left you have to take even the littlest of chances or you can be sitting there for ages. I personally love roundabouts and happily use this one but plenty of people avoid using it. Galleys corner roundabout , have a look at some videos of it.
I know it isn't part of the highway code but something I always remember is give priority to the idiots and everyone will be a lot happier. For instance if I approach a mini roundabout and I see someone approaching from my left doing 40 with no intention of slowing I let them go. Its better for them to find a involuntary parking spot then it is for them to hit me side on.
Failed my LGV licence because the examiner was pressuring me to emerge at a busy roundabout, and saying he was going to mark me down for hesitation if I didn't 'get on with it' (his words). He then gave me 1 serious mark because when I emerged he claimed I slowed down another vehicle. Wanker.
He sounds like plonker lol. I had a similar experience on my test ( normal car test ). He was telling to get on with it,I replied " it's not safe , I'll go when it is" and he passed me with a note about hesitation iirc. I do wonder if they deliberately presure you to see how you handle it?
@@FlyingFun. when I took my test over 20 years ago, the examiner stayed completely silent except to give instructions. These new gobby examiners should be fired.
Not roundabouts, but I’ve noticed recently when drivers get to a junction, it’s a kind of glance and go,they approach junctions at silly speeds ready to pull out, then you see the car braking hard because they have to stop. I think cars have got smarter, but the people driving them have gone worse. The standard of driving these days is quite shocking. Excellent videos, really enjoy watching them.
It seems to be a real British thing the whole 'my right' attitude. I have a big roundabout by me which is traffic light controlled on entrance and at points around it. When I entered my light was green but the light mid way round was red. This caused me and some other cars to slightly block the roundabout for traffic approaching from the right. Admittedly i could have had better awareness and not entered the roundabout as there was a que ahead (having said that though if I'd not entered i would have got a horn from traffic behind as my light was green) but the reaction from one taxi driver was to blare his horn as I was blocking his right of way. You can't win these days.
First off, thank you so much for this. It's a constant and contentious theme in the comments and so many people seem to fastidiously believe the Wrong Thing.
It takes a fully loaded HGV some time to move off from a complete stop. If they move when it’s clear and then a car comes zooming round and thinks the HGV should still be giving way to them they are wrong.
This does make me think of some small but extremely busy roundabouts near me. If you don't put your toe down and kind of force your way onto the roundabout, you'll be sat there for minutes at best causing a massive tailback. This is definitely where common sense and easing off and giving way to people emerging allows things to flow better.
Thanks for making this video Ashley. I've been in many discussions with people, one of whom claimed to be an ex traffic cop about this issue. I have no idea where this interpretation came from but it's pretty clear that instead of taking the HWC on face value people are adding their own rules and caveats to suit how they want the roads to work. I often see the argument used in dashcam videos to combat people who agressively enter roundabouts and get into conflict. While I dont defend agressive driving I also dont see why some people need to misinterpret the HWC to get their point across, especially when the misinterpetation would argubly lead to more conflict by instigating a race over the line attitude. All in all you did a great job summing up what the HWC actually says and clearing up any misconceptions so thanks again.
If someone approaches a roundabout at ridiculous speeds, you can't expect others to incorporate this into their decision whether to emerge or not. To start with, the fast driver may not be visible to the emerging traffic at the time they emerged. But also, speeds are hard to judge when you only have that limited time at approach to judge everything to your right before you come to a stop. So if one enters a roundabout at stupid speeds, they are at fault for not following the highway code where it says to enter roundabouts matching your speed to others and watch out for those already on the roundabout.
@@richardschofield2201 yes, people entering at high speeds could be at least partially at fault due to their speed. Same as someone emerging from a junction in front of a speeding car, the speed will factor into where the fault lies. But that doesn’t impact the rule being discussed in any way.
As I read it. The give way lines mean give way to anyone already on the roundabout :- The highway code also says that (when approaching a roundabout, adjust your speed and position to fit in with other road users. Be aware of the speed and position of ALL the road users around you). So a vehicle doing 30 or 40 mph coming into a roundabout with other vehicles on it travelling at 10 mph would be in breach of those rules. If your wheels are already on the roundabout you are already approaching all other vehicles not yet on the roundabout, from the right, because the roundabout is a circular road. So approaching vehicles must give way and usually there are give way signs. So all drivers not yet on the roundabout MUST give way to anyone already on the roundabout. Even having one wheel over the Give Way line means a vehicle is using the roundabout and has priority over those not yet on the roundabout.
my dad taught my mum to drive in the 1960s and she still remembers him explaining that you observed and and anticipated vehicles coming from any road on your right that joined the roundabout and by doing so you would be a much smoother driver.
When I were training to do HGV driving at my current job I was told "quite often you have to enter a roundabout when its somewhat clear and just hope for the best" mainlky because people treat roundabouts like normal roads and aim for that 30/40/50mph when still on it. The "I have priority" mentality probably plays a lot into this. Also some roundabouts are just far too busy to enter with a truck easily (particularly in the damn Actros with it's awful "hey lets put you in neutral after you start rolling and not pick the next gear for 5 seconds" design flaw).
So question: you are at the give way of a mini roundabout in a 30mph zone, do you give way to a vehicle that's 50 meters away who doesn't even slow on the approach bcos they think their "give way to the right" is clear? Makes Zero sense to me that the person AT the RB has to give way to someone not even at the RB yet. The language used by the DVSA is way too vague
It makes perfect sense to avoid a collision, regardless of who's at fault. There's not much satisfaction in knowing you were right when you're sitting in your crumpled wreck
I've seen several people quote a line from somewhere that says you should give way to traffic already circulating on the roundabout, but I think that quote (if it really exists, as opposed to being something they're sure they heard somewhere) must have come from the days when almost all roundabouts were large and anyone already circulating that you might have to give way to would be on your right. I can see why people who believe that quote might imagine that this means a mini roundabout is a race to get your wheels over the line first, but the obvious danger of that interpretation should make them realise that this isn't the intended meaning.
@@ado543 So it is. That phrasing seems strangely imprecise when applied to a mini roundabout. Someone would be laughed out of court if they tried to use it as a defence, considering that pulling out directly in front of another vehicle requires an utterly bizarre interpretation of "give way".
@@matthewwinn979 It seems my comment got cut off above, but I put another comment on the video anyway. It is weird wording. In the context of a normal roundabout, I think it just about makes sense and could essentially be interpreted to mean "give way to the right" depending on what you think "immediately beyond" means. But yeah, for a mini roundabout, it doesn't make any sense at all. I guess that's why the Highway Code (and the courts) would probably just interpret it as "give way to the right", because taking it literally obviously wouldn't work...
But, we have no choice but to give way to traffic already circulating the roundabout. I actually think this interpretation is safer because it requires everyone joining the roundabout to do so with care, it does not, therefore, encourage racing to get there first.
On a busy large roundabout in heavy traffic bullying always works. It shouldn’t, but it does. Some people accelerate as fast as they can when on the roundabout making safe emerges very difficult.
It is very true that some drivers speed up to get onto roundabouts and while on roundabouts that annoys me. If you are flying on a roundabout then you are not giving others a fair chance to merge on. If everyone used common sense on the roads then they would be a safer place.
I’ve driven articulated lorries. There’s some roundabouts with bushes or obstructions in the middle that pose a problem. Say the lorry is heavily loaded. You wait until it’s visually clear for the right (all you can see is the round about appearing in a curve round the side of the trees in the middle of it). It’s not going to get visually any clearer from the right as far as you can see (limited). You commit and pull out. The gearbox takes a second or two to engage. Heavily loaded it’s a slow process in an artic and you’re 54 foot long so whilst the tractor unit is well clear the tail of the trailer is still entering the roundabout, perhaps still behind the line. Inevitably a car comes racing round at warp 1, races right up face to face with your trailer, followed by hand gestures. Bar x Ray tree vision or some sort of third eye not a lot you could’ve done. Some of these large sweeping roundabouts cars race round like NASCAR. I think a speed limit on the larger ones would calm things down. I’m sure the trees in the middle are meant to calm things down but for vehicles that simply take longer to emerge than the time frame in which a pacing car can appear from behind obstructions and visually cover the (very short) bit of visual road from right - there will always be a massive mathematic disconnect and the giving way from the right will never work without conflict in that scenario.
In Australia there are mixed opinions about traffic light versus roundabouts and equally mixed understanding how they should be used. Generally drivers on the "main street" treat it at a T intersection and thus race up the roundabout not taking heed to the "give way" sign. They will always give way the right but never to the left. So often the traffic on the left are afraid to enter. And then you get the SUV drivers who believe they don't need to go around so they go over the top! (These roundabouts are of a low profile type to allow buses to turn on).
Roundabouts are mini racetracks, I avoid them by driving straight across the flower beds.
One in Sheffield in Firth Park where you can do this!. Its where the old tram lines used to run through the middle 😂
Make sure you're doing at least 100mph, then you miss all the other vehicles on the way over 😉
that made me laugh out loud!
Peter W : Don't do it if there is a "Heavy Plant Crossing" sign as you don't want a 12 tonne Daffodil crossing the road smashing your car to bits (with you in it) !
@@Biggles2498 Yes those signs always makes me chuckle.
But if everyone gives way to vehicles from the right and people on the roundabout let other people on the roundabout complete, where are the dash cam channels going to get their content? Got to think about the bigger picture, here..
Noooo, dashcam compilation videos only have clips of overbouts and never any clips of roundabouts!
@@Rawwhhh The amount of dash cam videos I’ve seen where someone speeds up into a situation just so they can slam their brakes on to get some content for TH-cam.
@@AlmostLastJedi exactly, if everyone toned down the self importance we’d half the amount of accidents over night.
@@Rawwhhh Adding to that, If everyone drove to the standards they were taught by, there would be even less, but I doubt insurance would go down. 😪
Just to add another roundabout tip: Watch the wheels not the indicators. Someone might indicate right (or not at all) but be exiting. Or indicate left and continue around. Saved my backside a few times.
Yep, position speed & wheels are more of an insight than a mistimed indication. I was taught the same thing
In New Zealand most people appear not to know the indicator rules, and that “most” includes the police. For the record, we have one indicator rule in NZ which is use your left indicator to show when you are leaving the roundabout. Right hand indication is optional and often wrong. The most confusing is those (including police) who put on the right hand indicator and proceed straight through the roundabout with the indicator on throughout, effectively using a right indicator to indicate a left turn. Eejits.
@@jeremyashford2145 Same here in Australia.
I was taught the same by my instructor (many years ago) as the indicators are often used wrong.
@@jeremyashford2145 So true - I trust no-one's indication (or lack thereof) when it comes to roundabouts here. BTW, the copy of the Road Code I have says to indicate right (no "optional") if you're going "more than halfway" around the roundabout, whatever that means (distance? time? topology?). Personally I think they should just make it "indicate left when about to leave" and leave it at that - you often can't see traffic more than one entry ahead because of the centre plantings anyway.
As a truck driver roundabouts in busy area's are a nightmare, what car drivers need to understand is that all modern trucks are automatic boxes and the vast majority have a very slow response time. We are talking from putting your foot flat on the floor there can be easily 3 seconds before that truck starts to move! Even then if you are fully loaded the it can take another 3-4 seconds before you are doing 10 mph!
Car drivers see a truck start to emerge onto the roundabout and then aggressively accelerate to try and force the truck to give way, happens literally daily!!
Not all truck drivers are angel's for sure but people need to drive with courtesy towards other road users
I always make allowances & try to give HGV drivers the benefit of the doubt, but I've met my fair share of aggressive asshole lorry drivers, as an experienced forklift driver I also can say some of them are just self entitled abusive assholes who think because they have a HGV licence they should be loaded or unloaded first because they're running late & think it's all the forklift drivers fault because there was a traffic jam on the M6.
As a HGV driver, I just wish a lot of the people on the roundabout thought about signalling.. when they go left and there is no indication that just means I have to sit and wait longer, in turn causing a huge tailback. Also.. why do so many people Indicate right on roundabouts when they're going straight over?
Since currently the shops are half empty due a lack of available lorry drivers perhaps trucks will get more respect in the near future. Doubt it but we can hope.
@@CycolacFan well I hope you do too, it was the forklift drivers & HGVs who played a large part in keeping this country going all through lockdown, it was us who kept the shelves full in the shops, yet we received very little to no appreciation at all, couldn't even get no food or shopping hardly due to all the greedy sods who emptied the shelves without a thought or slightest bit of consideration for others who were working day & night!
@@superfreak19891 you are bang on, there are many HGV drivers who think they have a god given right because they drive large vehicles but there's also a lot of forkies who are just obnoxious and go out of their way to make you wait to get tipped or refuse to unload because you turned up 10 mins before they finish!
Ask any driver if they have had to spend the night in a piss smelling layby because a forklift driver refused to unload and you will find a few for sure! Personally I go out of my way to get on first name terms with the places I drop at and do what I can to make life easier but as with any profession you always meet a few who don't!
Roundabouts are designed to keep traffic flowing so you should accommodate your driving and speed to help with the flow.
The phrase "right of way", or priority, is taken by many people to mean that the onus is on other drivers, and not them, to take care while proceeding. This applies to all manner of situations, not just roundabouts. You only have to watch any of the DashCam channels to see this. It's amazing how many contributions are from people who specifically don't slow down when they see another driver do "something wrong". This is usually followed up with an angry horn blast.
The most common problem on roundabouts isn't excessive speed but lack of awareness, looking too late, not timing their approach to find a gap and stopping unnecessarily. It causes congestion.
Too many drivers approach the roundabout far too fast to give way, bullying their way onto the roundabout. No intention of giving way.
Then go under the side of a lorry and blame the lorry driver
That goes for many junctions, some people will just pull out regardless if they think you can brake enough to avoid an accident as they know that's what you will do. The bigger the vehicle, the more prevalent it is, not meaning lorries etc, more large SUV and vans.
Mostly bloody foreigners.
Yeah I’m not quite sure I fully followed Ashley today. I usually do 100% honest. But in my mind too many drivers use excess speed to simplify their life as every time others need to give way to them. Of course that’s unless they meet themselves in which case it’s hospital time!
@@wallace-bv4rl
I agree !
It didn't seem that clear.
If I am at the roundabout and can get on it well before a car approaching from the right can, then, IMO, it's his/her duty to slow down when approaching the rundabout otherwise he'll/she'll rear end me.
I don't think enough emphasis was placed on all cars approaching a roundabout should slow down when approching in readiness for having to stop... as a car may also be approaching from _their_ right.
"Causes a race to get there", it is quite scary that a number of people think, when it comes to mini roundabouts, priority goes to whoever gets there first.
Still sounds like a race.
Haha yerr give way sign = chequered flag to many eyes 🏁🤣🏁
True... but likewise people gun it because they also think coming from the right gives them absolute priority - even if someone to their left is already in the roundabout.
Usually the same people who gun it on roundabouts doing 27+ and blast off at 35+ when exiting.
We all have a responsibility to give way if it avoids an incident regardless of priorities. The only real way to approach driving on roundabouts is to totally Zen it - people will always make mistakes and misjudge things so just don't make a fuss about it. The alternative is to have strictly regulated traffic light junctions and four-way stops everywhere and you only have to see how Americans deal with that to see that we don't want those kind of fatality rates. Our road system accords us quite a lot of discretion and respect but there's always some who abuse that privilege.
As a HGV Driver myself when fully loaded at 44ton with a 45ft trailer on,busy roundabouts can be a royal pain in the ass,doesn't matter if its big or small there a nightmare.
You can not sit there all day waiting for everyone to go home and you can't just barge your way out either and use the I'm bigger than you argument! As a professional driver it's hard to look professional when dealing with busy roundabouts.
I personally approach these situations with great care.
Bare in mind that you can't sit there all day blocking a road,I wait until there is a gap big enough to enter the roundabout but without causing traffic coming from the right to do any emergency breaking,there is no getting away from the fact your gap isn't big enough without causing vehicles on the roundabout to slow down. In this instance you can say your making other vehicles give way to you which isn't correct.
Well said. The thing a lot of people forget is, a lorry doesn't accelerate like a car and takes longer to stop. Also, if it's a tanker-lorry full of liquids, the weight of all liquid is massively heavy and difficult to control when tackling a corner / bend like a roundabout and easy to roll over - you can't strap down liquids and they will want to keep going in the original direction.
The boy-racer mindset needs to change to one of consideration - but, then again, that would only happen in a utopian world.
Anyone with an ounce of sense knows a truck is big and slow, and makes allowances. I’m not the most patient driver, but am more than happy to let trucks do their thing, and carry on with my journey.
@Fanfeck key word to this comment was "sense" or lack of it with many road users.
When I did my cars test many moons ago I never remember the instructor explaining about the slow speed and strange roads positions HGV and busses may take while going about there business.
I guess these issues will continue like they always have until vehicles become completely automated and controlled by a computer taking away the human factor. How roundabouts will be negotiated with a computer controlled car is beyond me,if I had these answers I would be driving a truck🤣
I know it's not fair to tar everyone with the same brush but I personally drive and ride my motorbike like every other road user is a complete idiot and wants to crash in to me or knock me off.
I know this is unfair as there are many skilled drivers both professional and non professional who do there best while out on the roads. No matter what happens as long as the human factor remains at 100% control of the vehicle there will always bad irritating,irresponsible and dangerous drivers.
Is your driving as good as your grammar?
@@philiproberts6947 , computers will probably handle driving better than any human, as they’ll all be communicating with each other. It’s careless humans that cause mayhem.
I hate roundabouts with limited visibility where you pull out when there are no vehicles visible coming from the right. You have to commit and you are decisive and quick. Yet, in that brief moment some knob does come into view from the right, barrelling towards you with the attitude that they have the right of way and honk, flash, gesture at you etc. I mean, if I had X-ray vision I might have seen their Audi though a brick wall or trees but they can’t comprehend that fact because they have right of way, period.
Actually, doesn’t most if not all driving come down to common sense? Explains why there are so many incidents I guess! 🤷🏼♂️
Absolutely.. probably 99% true.
Just down to a, 'me/myself and I' proportion of people I.e Inconsiderstion being biggest culprit in sparking Road Rage IMO
common sense is not very common
Unfortuantely there are many drivers that believe that driving is purely about their journey being more important than everyone else's.
*metalicly
@@banana-dw3ez exactly what I was going to say, common sense ISN’T very common!
My bugbear with some roundabouts is having white lines/lanes disappear/appear when you're halfway round leaving everyone in limboland.
Some of the confusion probably comes from the UK Government legislation website "The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016" Which states (for mini roundabouts) "Vehicular traffic approaching a roundabout with a small central island or approaching a junction indicated by the marking shown in item 5 of this sign table should give way at, or immediately beyond, the line to traffic circulating on the carriageway of the roundabout" This is confusing as it appears to be different to the wording for other roundabouts which states "a vehicle entering the junction must give priority to vehicles coming from the right". The above is obviously extracts from the legislation and omits the associated diagrams but it shows how confusing it can be. I try to remember Ashley's comment "It's better to be safe than right".
You'd think "don't drive into other people" would be enough to explain it, but alas it seems not.
That’s the problem on the road. People have too much of a ‘I have the right of way’ attitude to not pay attention to people who might make a mistake. Isn’t it better to expect somebody to be a dickhead and be aware of any scenario that may happen so you can slow down in time… rather than just behave like you own the road. Too many people would rather cause a scene out of spite 🤦🏼♀️ I was driving with somebody in the passenger seat once, the cars were over taking parked vehicles on the opposite side coming into my lane forcing me to stop. They said ‘you’ve got the right of way there go!’ I was like, yeah I know but but I’d crash so no thanks.
@@mdx7460 I would do the same, an accident even if not your fault is never worth the hassle.
@@mdx7460 I would say that's more than just on the road, but in all walks of life. Too much focus on what rights one has, and not enough on what responsibilities one has.
I think a more succinct summary of the correct way to use roundabouts is "don't be a dick".
A lot of people see "give way to the right" as a rule in isolation, instead of applying it in the context of the rest of the HC.
The "give way to the right" rule is taken to heart by that tool who enters every roundabout at maximum attack, hoping to honk their horn at someone, and often ignoring the "give way to traffic from the right" line on their own entrance. Same people who go over mini roundabouts instead of around them.
I dont know what has caused it but in the last 5 years or so all roundabout etiquette has seemed to gone out of the window causing many near misses that i have seen.
It down to people being more selfish and thinking they're the most important thing in the universe. The 'I want this so I'm taking this' mentallity moving into road use. My life is more important than anyone elses, so anything I'm doing is more important, so just let me do want I want.
Very rarely do I drive anywhere at the moment without having someone either driving way to close to me or seeing someone do something really stupid to me or another road user.
Dashcams. It's dashcams.
I MUST get a video of a near miss to upload to a YT compilation channel
@@RichO1701e i think so. I have a dash cam and dont feel the need to download every incident. Its just there to protect me
@@RichO1701e could actually be part of it... also people paying more attention to things that aren't the road of what's on the roads.
My pet hate is people who on approach to a roundabout just bully their way straight onto it treating it as a continuous piece of road regardless of who maybe around at the time.
Yet Ashley is saying you should give wqy to them and does not say they are in the wrong.
@@TheDantheman12121
No one is say you shouldn't give way and no one is saying anyone is in the wrong.
Re-read my comment without adding your own narrative.
I believe Ashley is saying you really shouldn't crash into them because they've forced their way out.
He's saying anticipate their poor emerge and deal with them accordingly, like the silver car he was no doubt waiting for, and which he knew one of would be along shortly. There's no way he didn't see him coming by his approach speed and have an expectation that they might go even before they barreled out. But no shock, no horn, no fuss.
The amount of people commenting on dashcam compilation videos whom are adamant that "I got to the roundabout first therefore I have priority" is astounding. I was always taught to give way to the right when APPROACHING roundabouts just like in the video. But I would always get shut down when I try and correct them
it's a recipe for disaster, isn't it? If such a thing were true it would just encourage speeding up on approach to the roundabout in order to enter first. But you can't explain this to some people; they just don't get it!
The average commenter on those videos are as undecuated as the people they try to school. It's ironic.
In essence, fix others mistakes but don't make those mistakes :)
* try not to make mistakes, we all will sometimes but of couse the goal should be to do things properly
Very well put.
Ok so this really helps. I was left confused by this video. But your comment sums it up nicely - so if I enter the roundabout safely and someone enters impeding my progress, I then do not have right of way? So I need to, in that situation, give way to them essentially. Ideally they would have given way to me, but they didn't (or they mis-timed it) and I should give way to them (fix their mistake)?
You covered the whole video in one sentence
@@gonnahavemesomefun
- the rule is that traffic entering the roundabout has to give priority to traffic from the right (almost certainly traffic on the roundabout).
- another rule is that you can't take, force or assume priority, just because the rules say you should have priority.
so if someone doesn't give you priority, do your best to keep it as safe as possible.
In that same way, driving through red is illegal, but drivers should be expected to look out for red light jumpers (within reason) and give way to them. Your insurance costs will go up if you end up in an accident that was, by the giveway rules, not on your side but you could have avoided with defensive driving.
Everyone will make mistakes, but if the traffic around accomodates then it's no big deal.
As a (apparently very little read) bit of the Highway code states: "This section should be read by all drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders. The rules in The Highway Code do not give you the right of way in any circumstance, but they advise you when you should give way to others. Always give way if it can help to avoid an incident."
Introduction to General rules, techniques and advice for all drivers and riders.
A big problem I’ve noticed with this scenario is people emerging far too fast so firstly they don’t have enough space to slow down and stop for oncoming vehicles and secondly if it’s a roundabout with poor visibility and they have come racing on, vehicles about to emerge are given the blow of the horn like they are in the wrong
The poor visibility is a key statement. I have been on roundabouts where you enter slowly to enable you to see better to the right, yet those from the right will not slow down on entry and cause near misses or actual accidents and they then put all the blame on you.
It also helps massively if you ACTUALLY indicate when leaving the roundabout and indicate correctly. Please don’t indicate to turn right and leave it on when you exit to your left.
I think the only thing worse would be beginning to indicate left to exit, then continuing round. At least with the perennial right-indicators it's likely to only cause a missed opportunity and not an actual collision.
Maybe the idea was spread from other countrys. Where I live (Austria) there is a give way sign at every entrance of a roundabout, actually making it so that people on the roundabout have priority. It's the same in Germany.
And Australia.
I live in Czech Republic, they need the give way signs as it's natural here to give way to vehicles coming from the right.
But we have dotted lines on our roads which indicate the same thing so there’s really no difference. To be honest my impression of driving the miles I do is that far too many people pay little to no attention/have no understanding of road markings and concern themselves only with road signs. See that sort of thing constantly.
The priority to the right rule (priority to the left in Europe etc) was devised by Frank Blackmore of the UK Transport Research Lab so the idea spread from the UK.
@@garyohara4612 Too many drivers pay no attention to markings OR signs. They another don’t see them or don’t understand them.
Also if you are on a roundabout in heavy traffic, do not block the roundabout up and prevent people from joining who want to take a different exit to you. Leave a gap to let them through to keep traffic flowing where you can.
My pet hate on roundabouts (apart from people not indicating) is when you and a person on your right both arrive at the same time, slow (they might even stop) so you start to cross the give way, then they nail it on a Grand Prix style start and make out it’s your fault
Going a little further on lorries, sometimes the 'good opportunity' just never comes and we have to pull out when the chance arises even when we know its going to bring traffic to a stop waiting for us to cross. You can't sit forever and hold traffic behind you after all. Especially true for trucks hauling things like steel or slow moving vehicles like mobile cranes.
When approaching a roundabout from a higher speed dual carriageway, don't just zoom across if you can see a gap. You can see you have a gap, but can the person emerging from your left see you coming down the carriageway if its obscured by vegetation? Does your speed give them time to notice you?
Speaking of speed and vegetation, if you get to one of those daft roundabouts with trees and bushes that block line of sight, don't fly around it. If you can't see the other side, the other side can't see you. Go around at a speed that gives you time to see someone who mistakenly pulls out (or decides to be an ass).
HGV's always get a little extra courtesy from me at roundabouts. They're long & can't accelerate very fast and are also carrying the stuff we all buy, so letting them get to where they are going is more important than me losing 5 seconds on my less important journey.
@@madisntit6547 there are several roundabouts near me that have shutters on the approach that obstruct visibility. Primarily these are the first roundabouts after leaving 70-limit dual carriageways or motorways, so I can see the logic due to speed perception being affected following a period at motorway speeds.
@@madisntit6547 & yeah, the story of my life..... I seem to live my life amongst idiots. Tbh I'd much rather be one of the idiots; the stupid don't know they are stupid, it must be blissful, whilst the rest of us bear the burden of their stupidity.
In Spain every roundabout has a speed limit of 40kph (about 25mph). So much less stress and conflict.
I once read advice for driving in Taiwan where the standard of driving is rather more variable than in the UK: "Drive as though you are responsible for anything that happens in front of you". Actually, it's good advice for very many driving situations regardless of location - giving others space, being tolerant to others, and keeping a sensible distance. It worked well for me in Taiwan too.
I'm sure the advice I've seen given on a well know Advanced driving channel is "Plan to Stop, prepare to Go".
Sums it up nicely. Too many people enter roundabouts at warp factor 4!
As a viewer of certain other dash cam channels, it seems a common situation is the driver approaching a mini "overabout" at speed who honks and raves at someone who emerges in front of them. Had the cammer driven at a more considerate speed, and had they taken a path around rather than over the circle, both cars could have negotiated the roundabout without conflict.
But it is irrelevant how they got there or how fast they got there: if you "emerge in front of them", then you are in the wrong as you must give way to them.
One of my pet hates is the habit of people have, and it seems local to area where I live, of not observing the traffic on the approach to an island. They don't start looking until they very close to the junction. The result is they don't adjust their speed to merge seamlessly and often have to stop unnecessarily. I'm not suggesting that you should approach without slowing, but by looking on the approach you can adjust your speed to merge without the need to stop or apply the brakes sharply.
I’m surprised you didn’t mention speed on the roundabout. How many people drive too fast, so that they come in conflict with someone who started to emerge before they were visible to the driver emerging.
Exactly, well said. A massive problem near me, mini roundabout in a built up area that used to be a T junction. People approach so fast from the direction where there is only straight on or left so they can see no entrance from the right and those meeting them not signalling. You stop at the line check its clear proceed and a car appears at 45 with its horn going. It had been approaching with no intention of ever slowing down so even if you have exited doing a left turn and making good progress to 30 it is on your tail.
I had exactly this when I was young and not so smart, so nearly hit someone emerging onto a roundabout as the roundabout was quite small but with high walls. They could not see me. If we had have collided it would have been 100% my fault as I was going too fast. Same time I did an emergency stop without shoes on.... Never, ever again, mega painful.
I feel most roundabouts would work so much better if all the traffic using them would do 10mph less on average while on them.
It's weird, I do the exact opposite. I deliberately go round at a fairly low speed, not stupid slow, just lower, especially as I'm exiting to give the traffic attempting to get on a chance to get out
@@dutchgray86 Thank you for that! I have thought the exact same thing for the longest time. The challenge is actually getting drivers to abide by that. Even if it was law, it would be widely ignored.
The problem with this approach is mini roundabouts. People hoon toward them at speed because they can see there's no one on the right but the driver emerging on their left may have limited visibility due to the smaller size and speed of the approaching vehicle. I really think mini roundabouts should have priority for anyone on it. People should slow when approaching these
I was going to say exact same thing. It's that old nugget "entitlement" again. I've been driving since 1982 and back then I'm sure priority was to traffic on the roundabout and not approaching. Driving standards were far better then and this video implies the HWC is pandering to the impatient culture.
‘Sort of right, but also massively wrong’, I’m totally stealing that.
Yes I was rather intruiged by that!
One of my favourite sayings is, "I would agree with you but then we'd both be wrong."
Couldn't have asked for a better timed example at the end there.
Yes agree, demonstrated perfectly. To be honest I haven’t ever really thought about the second part of the rule, I have always just given way to the right and tried to operate with common sense on the roundabout. We do seem to see a lot of cammers sending in clips where they are speeding up so they can justify beeping at an emerging car. My wife has always said, the problem with common sense is that it isn’t very common.
The car executed his/her joining of the roundabout perfectly, no need to slow down and didn't cause a problem at all, it's a shame that not everyone understands the concept of keeping with the flow of the traffic and crawls out in front of people with no intention of acceleration to keep with the flow
@@sillybait1329 I don’t disagree with your general argument, but I am under the impression that you have mis-read this particular circumstance. I think Ashley implied that he did indeed have to respond to the vehicle’s emergence by slowing down, so in terms of giving way to the right the emerging car failed to satisfy best practice at the very least. (I’m remembering here that dash cam’s tend to make things seem further away than in real life). It was perhaps marginal though and this is what made a good example of not making an over-reliance on the “second rule” and use it to get all bent out of shape if this happens, just slow down, protecting yourself and others, and allow the traffic to flow. Which is, as you allude to, the primary purpose of a roundabout.
it's like any emerge, if you pull out in front of other cars and cause them to brake then you're doing it wrong.
Having said that, if you are approaching a roundabout fast and straight line through it then all of this goes out the window. If someone then pulls out in front of you and causes you to brake then that's your fault since the timing would have been there for good flow if you had entered the roundabout properly and followed the lanes correctly
I was always taught "Look to go, prepare to stop". Works for me everytime.
"Plan to stop but look to go!" :)
There is a tiny problem with the wording in the highway code. I believe it should be rewritten so it does say you only have to give way to people on the roundabout.
I drive a large heavy goods vehicle. If I were to drive the way the Highway Code stated while attempting to come on to a roundabout during busy periods, I would never get on to it.
Secondly, I can't see the vehicles on the inside of the roundabout because the local councils decide to make the roundabouts look pretty.
I pretty much have to wing it every time.
It could take me a good 5 seconds (from stationery) just to get my lorry half way onto the roundabout. I can't predict the future; I have to rely on People slowing down for me when I'm coming onto the roundabout. If somebody wanted to, they could easily crash into the side of me and I would have no defence.
It's only through the grace of God most people are just trying to get to work without crashing so they have to slow down for me.
I've found myself grumpily slowing to allow a lorry to pull out that I've felt didn't have a suitable opportunity, but I hadn't really considered how much more time-consuming it is for a lorry to manage it. I'll try to account for that in my driving if I can see lorries looking to enter to my left in future and slow down a bit to give them a better opportunity.
I think its mini roundabouts where the confusion mostly lies and people emerging from the left thinking they have right of way because their front wheels were on the roundabout first, even though the car comming from their right has now had to slam on
I agree. I've seen many arguments on dashcam channels about this (and some on my own videos) where the car that should give way to someone approaching from the right doesn't give way. You always get at least one person say "But they were on the roundabout before you." Doesn't matter. I give up explaining myself in the end because there's no cure for stupid.
@@DashcamLeicester Yes its strange and frustrating how some people just don't get it!
If you have to slam on because a car has emerged before you’ve reached the mini-roundabout, it’s your speed that’s the problem!
@@shm5547 I never said I had to slam on. I approach the junctions at a reasonable speed but most of the time others don't seem to do this.
@@shm5547 No not at all...mini roundabouts can be so small that you could be almost on top of someone comming from the left but they will still pull out, you don't have to be going fast to have to slam on
There was a serious crash in the Midlands resulting in serious injury where someone 'racing' hit someone emerging onto a roundabout. Some of the local boy racers tried to claim online that car on roundabout had right of way.... How wrong. The 'racing' car was totally unsighted to the person emerging as it was overtaking just before entering the roundabout, and was traveling at crazy speeds. Due Care and Attention applies... Driver who was 'racing' got prosecuted.
Here in mainland Europe we have the same problem of hurrying motorists approaching a roundabout thinking they can take priority over someone on their right, If I'm approaching at the same time I'll give way. But, I take exception when I get flashed or beeped at by a car that's 50 or even more metres from their entrance and I'm emerging already. Here you only indicate when you intend to leave the roundabout so it's a bit of a guessing game.
It does boil down to that "right of way" attitude again (do we notice a theme here?) If everyone is stopped at a roundabout and pulls away steadily at the same speed then everyone should be able to emerge and fit into a gap with no real drama. This is the basic premise of a roundabout, keeping traffic flowing. The problem is when people don't slow on approach and actually accelerate across the roundabout. Sometimes overtaking and sometimes undertaking other traffic on the roundabout. This reduces the gaps that would naturally be created otherwise. This is when traffic from smaller roads or from roads with less visibility often suffer from not being able to emerge, or being accused of a bad emerge, by someone who came barrelling into view at the last minute, accelerating across the roundabout because their view was clear and unimpaired.
But you aren't meant to stop for a roundabout. Most people do because they cannot judge the speed of other vehicles to their right and because traffic is much heavier.
When the RAB is at the end of a fast section of road it test the skill of drivers. When sight lines are restricted by unmown verges or hedging or by the putting up of fencing it is often to discourage higher speed entries. But the vast differences in performance and driver ability mean that most people watching this channel/interested in vehicle handling may well wonder why advanced driving instruction and retesting isn't compulsory.
@@robi4387 Exactly. You aren't meant to stop at a roundabout. You should slow and maintain a steady speed. People undertake and accelerate aggressively around roundabouts, or just don't slow at all. There is definitely no consideration for what others might be able to see, or the speed they are travelling at. Testing the skill of drivers will unfortunately leave many people in an unfortunate predicament. Testing the common sense of drivers also. It remains for the sensible minority to try and maintain the status quo.
@@initialyze I sort of agree but most people drive sensibly most of the time. TH-cam selects clickbait clips of the worst driving etc. Watching Ashley is like inoculating myself to avoid catching bad habits / reduce the risk unknown craziness killing me.
The amount of comments on videos I see where people say "well the Highway Code says give way to the right, but it also says to give way to those on the roundabout" as a way of excusing terrible driving... so frustrating. Does the same principle apply to traffic calming where one lane has priority? Because, again, I see so many comments saying "well he was already established in the traffic calming so he had priority", despite the car approaching in the lane that does have priority having to brake and often come to a complete stop? I always look for approaching traffic at priority signs and give way if my going through will cause them to brake.
Finally, has anyone else noticed the seemingly growing trend of drivers taking the 3rd and final exit on a roundabout and not indicating right, but then indicating left before they've past exit 2? So frustrating, so dangerous - and I'm sure all of these drivers will be thinking "well I indicate at roundabouts so I'm not the problem". ARGH
The ridiculous thing is, the Highway Code says nothing of the sort.
If someones spouting "established in the lane" nonsense, they're just advocating the ability to bully regardless of the actual rules or circumstances.
What about people going too fast and straight over tha white part and still expecting people to see and give way to them?
they're the ones that quote scream that part of the HWC at everyone else! tossers
Examiner failed my class 1 driving test at a roundabout.
Ahead traffic obscured by trees/overgrowth etc yet completely clear to the right so pulls out, gets half way in emergence, car comes flying round - examiner deeming this a failure on my part - all my fault🙄🙄.
Sorry to learn that! Problem is, life would be easier (and safer) if you could see right across roundabouts and assess ALL the traffic on them, but nowadays most roundabouts have a nature reserve in the centre, leading to the situation you've described. I'm a retired C+E driver, and another problem I always had was with car drivers approaching roundabouts at very high speeds, making it almost impossible to pull away safely, exacerbated on those roundabouts where the entrances are curved roads.
@@gospelman7222 haha.. it was like an Eden Project of an Island on test😅 though pleased in reading your experienced understandings.
Didn't help the fact trailer fully laden - L plate markings everywhere and the fact you learn very little from it other than realising your £250 (effectively £500) out of pocket as per test fee.. ☺😫
Following that logic your examiner would expect you to never join the roundabout, just in case someone is driving too fast. Seriously, what are you meant to do, use the force?
@@gospelman7222 Not saying this was the case in the OP's example, but I'm sure some roundabout junctions have been designed to worsen visibility until you're virtually at the give way lines. Something about slowing drivers down so they have to check carefully before emerging.
You are absolutely right, a lot of people takes for granted that they have "right of way" and they do not realize that right of way has to be given and cannot be taken for granted.
Once I got hit on a (mini) roundabout by a car coming from the right. The impact was so hard that my car rotated 180 degrees and I was looking the other way. I did not see the car coming from the right because he was speeding in narrow roads without the lights on at dusk. The insurance assigned liability to the other driver.
Have you ever done a video of mini roundabouts with two entry lanes where it’s way too small for two cars though? I would love a guide to that, if you have one.
In my experience of those roundabouts, the LH lane is exclusively for taking the first exit, but the problem comes from people applying what they think they were taught about LH lane for 12 oclock.
Good point. Especially when the roundabout has multiple exits and the approach lanes have no painted arrows to show which lane is for which exit(s)
@@Strider9655 it’s first entrance, or left and straight, with the right lane being exclusively right, you just stay away from the centre and domt obviously go on the hub of the roundabout itself
He has: they aren't too small for 2 wheelers. Then there's many more roundabouts like that if you drive a bus or lorry. Stay in lane if you can - it shows your intent to others with or without a signal. If you can't, consider dominating both lanes so others don't enter the space you need to negotiate it safely.
Problem is 2 lanes entering a mini roundabout but only 1 lane exiting at 12 o'clock - 2 into 1 do not go.
Often the whole carriageway width (diameter) of the mini-roundabout is too small for 2 cars to rotate anyway no matter which exit they chose.
A roundabout is just that, round. Everyone joining is therefore to everyones right.
At what point is the emerging car now coming from the right, especially on a mini roundabout? Is it when they are 25% of the way around, 50%? Or is it 75% when they have now made contact with the car which was approaching the roundabout far to fast to break in time, now emerging from their left?
That's why "Give way to those already on the roundabout" works better than what Ashley is discussing.
I agree, if we all aim to match our speed and merge between the cars circulating the roundabout, the traffic would flow more efficiently and no one would approach thinking that they have some kind of super-priority because they can't see anyone approaching from their right.
Have a nightmare little roundabout near me where 2 of the parallel entrances to it are hidden by a garden fence at the end of a road. So you only get a brief glimpse of anyone from the right who often come charging onto it and also many on the left will do the same almost drag racing the hidden right entry lane.
One in my village which is an absolute pain. Surrounded by high stone walls and narrow roads. I've had to pull up endless times for people not looking and once got road raged by one of these people...not pleasant but I turned the other cheek.
I know several smallish roundabouts that have a lot of shrubs and trees on them. If a vehicle is coming from the opposite direction and turning right, it stays hidden for all but the last second or so. Flat bald roundabouts are not as pretty, but safer.
Sorry Ashley I found this video a bit confusing. I interpret the basic rule of roundabouts (HC 185) that you give way to traffic approaching from the right _whether or not they have yet reached the roundabout_ which I think is what you're saying too. But surely this does logically imply that you have the priority over anyone to your left, again regardless of the exact point at which you or they actually reach the roundabout? I don't see how it can mean anything else. I _think_ what you're trying to say with this video is that having priority over vehicles coming from your left doesn't absolve you of your responsibility to drive slowly enough to allow them to make safe emerges that don't foul you, and be ready to react to inevitable poor emerges, but surely that applies in any driving situation? I don't quite see the value in interpreting this as that you don't have the priority, for me that muddies the water. Perhaps I've misunderstood.
It is as clear as mud. I got confused watching it.
You cannot have priority, you can only give priority to others over yourself.
In my area, an "interesting" take on roundabout priority is becoming more common lately. Buses slowing, or even stopping, while negotiating roundabouts to allow another bus onto the roundabout. I've seen several near misses caused by this. I've actually been tempted to contact the bus companies in regard to this (what I interpret as...) bad practice.
As I understand it, you should only stop on a roundabout
1) if your exit is blocked
2) if there are traffic light controls on the roundabout
3) if there are stop or give way signs/markings on the roundabout
What's your take on this, Ashley?
Always go by the rules as it’s what everyone expects (sort of!)
I actually disagree with something you said Ashley.
Rule 185 of the Highway code
When reaching the roundabout you should
give priority to traffic approaching from your right, unless directed otherwise by signs, road markings or traffic lights
-> check whether road markings allow you to enter the roundabout without giving way. If so, proceed, but still look to the right before joining
watch out for all other road users already on the roundabout; be aware they may not be signalling correctly or at all
look forward before moving off to make sure traffic in front has moved off.
If the vehicles waiting to enter the roundabout or approaching it have a give way sign... they have to give way to the cars on the roundabout and enter when safe to do so.
Rule 172
The approach to a junction may have a ‘Give Way’ sign or a triangle marked on the road. You MUST give way to traffic on the main road when emerging from a junction with broken white lines across the road.
Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10(1),16(1) & 25
Now this is my understanding of it and I maybe wrong but In a way it is also a great way to be in terms of being a defensive driver.
That's how I see it, a give way line/sign means exactly that regardless of from where the traffic beyond it is approaching.
The biggest cause of issues on roundabouts is where people overtake on a roundabout. As witnessed on so many TH-cam clips.
Don’t overtake
Overtaking on roundabouts would be fine if people had better lane discipline.
Great points made here.
Worst offenders are T shaped mini roundabouts, where people on the straight section of road think they have right of way
I think one of the problems is the way the Highway Code is changed from time to time, sometimes in a subtle way. When I was learning to drive there were 2 rules at roundabouts in the Highway Code - 1. give way to drivers ENTERING the roundabout from your right, and 2. give way to vehicles already on the roundabout. And as someone in a different forum has said, the rule prior to 1961 was that no-one had priority at roundabouts. Now I know we should all keep up to date and buy the latest Highway Code but who does that - we all drive the way we were taught.
Mini roundabouts are much more risky as all the issues are condensed into a 20’ circle. And the speed is still roughly the same. And as they’re often replacing a tee junction, the old main route people just ignore the equalising of priorities and charge through regardless.
Yeah, that scenario is exactly why I was interested in some clarification on roundabouts. I think the rule about including traffic approaching from the right who aren't actually at the roundabout yet in your assessment of whether you can pull out is key; if you aren't having to try to think about whether the traffic on your right is at/on the roundabout yet, and just about whether pulling out would impede them at all, it gets a lot easier.
Roundabouts are a brilliant way of keeping people moving and they really aren't that hard to understand, however you have summed up, very succinctly, why people do struggle so much with them.
My new subscription to you has been a massive help, and I'm using your videos to help support my ADI training.
Thanks ever so much Ash. You're a diamond and your calm presentation makes me want to do you proud, even though I don't know you.
Having to give way to someone, doesn't necessarily mean 'someone has priority'
How can it mean anything else, logically?
@@rhythmace1 Because, strictly speaking, priority must be given by some but never assumed by the other.
The highway code tells us when to give priority to someone else, but explicitly avoids any suggestion of us enforcing priority over others.
@@sparkycalledmarky I suppose I struggle with this because I already see a difference between knowing I have priority in principle and assuming it will always be respected without error, misjudgement or worse. I feel like I don't need to be given a muddied and illogical message that I don't have priority in a situation where I _know_ the other party is expected to submit in order for me to drive defensively and forgivingly. Oh well, the main thing is I understand the message now!
@@rhythmace1 It's not that you ever have priority in principle because strictly speaking: you don't until you are given it.
There are a myriad of circumstances where many people think they have priority, but where the highway code states they should give priority to someone else.
eg: queueing cars blocking buses from leaving a stop: cars think they have priority because they're on the main road, bus thinks it has priority because rule 223.
eg 2: turning into a side road while a pedestrian is waiting to cross said side road: the vehicle turning should wait for the pedestrian to cross first, but they never do and I don't fancy getting run over by taking priority as that pedestrian.
If everyone just assumed they have priority because others should be giving it, then the roads would be an absolute wreck. You may have the right mindset in defensive driving and accommodating others mistakes, but many people (sadly) do not (not forgetting the bullies who know they're going against the advice, but they're gonna do it anyway and everyone else had better stay clear).
@@rhythmace1 If you have a parked car on your side of the road you need to give way, but if both you and oncoming traffic have a parked car obstructing your progress both of you technically need to give way and neither have priority as a result. One of you needs to go otherwise you'll be sitting there for the rest of your lives, but that means one of you needs to give way without the other person having priority over the person who gives way. You could give way one day to say your neighbour, but the next day the exact same situation plays out and they give way to you. You didn't gain any sort of priority the second day, they just gave way 'first', or were the most persistent to give way, and you simple gave in to them giving way to then go through the gap between those parked cars first.
People tend to fly into roundabouts and if there is no traffic to their right, use excessive speed as they emerge. This often causes problems for others emerging as they have so little time to judge the oncoming traffic for their emerge.
What annoys me is when someone speeds around the roundabout. Then end up the backside of another driver then make out they where the ones impeded. Like someone entering at 80+ in a 30 zone is something anyone can predict.
hang on.. i'm confused..can i emerge or join a roundabout if there is a car on roundabout to the right? sometimes i have a safe distance to emerge before the other vehicle gets round to my junction...
Yes you can! As long as you don't make them change speed or direction to accommodate you.
Priority can be given. Priority cannot be taken.
1:56 we caught that white van cutting the roundabout by going on the white lines... Or can you do that though?
I lived for many years in Basingstoke, notorious for so many roundabouts. The big problem is people getting onto a roundabout and then driving fast with a "right of way" attitude. You end up with a big roundabout with only four cars on it and lots of cars waiting to get on.
If everyone drove slowly on the roundabout then like at the end of the clip the poor merge would be acceptable, with people just slotting in gaps and filling the roundabout up.
Hello from Donut City! It's still like that now, sadly.
I agree with you there, many times I’ve seen cars racing to roundabouts narrowly missing cars already on it trying to intimidate the driver. I also live in Basingstoke and by far the worst roundabout situation in my opinion is where the A339 meets that A340. The road has adverse camber but drivers to left coming hammering it down the dual carriageway and have to slam on the brakes. Some idiot in a white BMW nearly hit me from the left recently, he was approaching far to fast. Dash cam footage downloaded
Milton Keynes has more than 500 roundabouts :)
@@dast_uk You lot must get really dizzy.
Different here in Germany. Drivers already on the roundabout have priority.
_"Er kommt am häufigsten vor und wird durch die Schilderkombination "Vorfahrt gewähren" und "Kreisverkehr" gekennzeichnet. Deshalb gilt: Die Fahrzeuge im Kreisel haben Vorfahrt"_
The point is, whether you have priority or not, if someone makes a mistake and starts pulling into the roundabout in front of you, whether you have right of way or not, don’t smash into the side of them, or be so unprepared for this to happen that you have to emergency stop. Anticipate that it might happen and if/when it does, be cool and calm enough that you can let them go without drama.
@@PippetWhippet totally agree. That's how we deal with it here, (I just break hard, avoid the collision (I don't want to drive a repaired car even if I was not at fault), think my bit about him/her and carry on. However in the event of an unavoidable crash the driver on the roundabout over here wins the case as he/she had right of way. I know what you mean however and have observed the dramatic increase in the UK for people to feel the urge to "teach others a lesson" by going on a confrontational course (near miss etc.). Fortunately we are spared that attitude to the greater extent over here. No idea where such aggression in the UK in recent years has come from.
edited: typos corrected.
Thanks Ashley. I’m really enjoying your channel.
I drive professionally, and I take it very seriously, but even though I’ve been driving for 30+ years, I don’t imagine for one moment that I know it all.
People always tell me that I’m a good driver, but I never allow myself to become complacent.
I doubt anyone ever “masters” driving, it’s far too complex.
You are clearly an excellent driver. I’m going to keep on watching your videos and honing my skills.
Keep safe
Sandy
Makes so much sense what are you explaining. I am driving in London and a lot of people are merging poorly. Until now, I was approaching this problem by "forgive them", but I never thought that is my responsibility to somehow to make everyone safe around me. Thank you!
Thank you, Ashley! I've never understood the "once I'm on the roundabout, I have priority" brigade in the comments. I wasn't even sure what they meant, to be honest, as I was taught and drive to the "give way to traffic approaching from the right" mindset. Anything else makes no sense and is just dangerous.
But if you give way to traffic to the right, then logically traffic to your left should give way to you, and once you are on the roundabout everyone is to your left, so I don't see how these are incompatible statements. The fact that having priority doesn't mean you can barrel on and off of roundabouts at unsafe speeds and just expect those you have priority over to just get out of your way seems a separate issue to me.
@@rhythmace1 It's the people that use it to justify pulling out in front of traffic approaching from the right because they got to the roundabout first, so traffic from the right should give way to them, or, as you say, barrelling onto a roundabout unsafely because they have right of way regardless of what people joining could reasonably expect.
@@bri77uk1 Yes, I see what you mean now.
the issue is with the phrase "*approaching* from the right" at what point is "approaching" too far away?
Example; If I'm at the give way line of a RB and a car is "approaching" from the right, but 50+ meters away, am I expected to sit there and wait til the other car arrives?
Especially when the car "approaching" from the right accelerates to beyond the speed limit, say 30mph and straight lines the RB? At what point are they the problem?
@@RichO1701e It should be no different to any junction; if you are at the give way line of a T-junction waiting to pull out onto a fast A road there's no threshold line painted on the major road telling you whether you're "allowed" to pull out in front of any approaching traffic, you just have to make a judgement about whether it would be safe and courteous based mainly just on their distance and closing speed. And while nobody should be approaching you at well over the speed limit, if they are you would take that into account and allow them more space by waiting, as annoying as it is to have to do that.
It's actually easier to just look at what's approaching and how fast and make a judgement based on that than to try to _also_ judge the exact moment it will cross the line onto the roundabout and try to think about how that might change your relative priorities.
I always love this attitude.
Try not to make poor decisions, recognise that sometimes poor decisions get made (either by your or others, we're only human), adjust your driving to ensure even if a mistake happens or someone makes a poor decision, we react to it in the safest manner possible and keep the road safe.
Anti-conflict driving.
I was taught that whatever maneuver one makes should not cause any other road user(s) to change direction or speed. If your maneuver does cause other road users to change their direction or speed then it is a poor maneuver.
I was also taught to show necessary courtesy and consideration to other road users (like the HGV entering a roundabout example made in the video), to facilitate their progress, maybe by using accelerator intelligence to offer them more space for their difficult maneuver, lack of acceleration, etc. clearly indication ones intentions early, etc.
On a similar matter, although I'm an experienced driver, I sometimes have difficulty positioning my vehicle when going straight on or turning right on a large roundabout with two or more lanes. A video on this would be helpful.
Check out world driving roundabouts video 21 minutes long but bear every sort of roundabout layout possible.
@@tom282 Thanks. Do you have a link? The ones that concern me are the large ones with several lanes, such as those at the intersections of dual carriageways.
I know what you mean. Especially when the road markings are very worn.
@@RockyDave Some of the big signalised ones are awful. You are turning right so know you need to enter the roundabout in the rightmost lane but will need to move to the left by the last set of signals, but it is unclear where and how is the correct way to do this. Going from the anti-clockwise M25 to the north bound A1(M) being one example.
@@trickygoose2 Yes. Seems that I'm not the only one struggling with them. And any indecision is met by impatience and aggression on the part of other drivers.
In the early 60s, when there were no mini roundabouts, there were adverts on the telly saying" give way to traffic already on the roundabout. The problem with small roundabouts and the give way to the right rules is people entering the roundabout at speed when it's clear to their right regardless. If you arrive at the roundabout before someone approaching on your right you should be allowed to enter the roundabout in front of them.
Love your videos, I was taught by traffic police and a former racing driver and I think that has made a massive difference to me over the last 37 years. Can you clarify the following? In my advanced driving test, I was told I would fail if I used my left indicator when moving from the outer lane of a dual carriageway to the inner lane. I tend to adhere to that on a faster dual carriageway (not exclusively but depending on the circumstances) but feel that on urban ones, other road users and even pedestrians would almost invariably benefit. It is something that has bugged me for decades because I've heard many instructors say that the basic premise is whether someone would benefit from your signal! I can remember being berated for using my left signal on an advanced driving lesson.
I'd love an answer to this one too, because it's abundantly clear in the Highway Code that you indicate when changing lanes on a multi-lane carriageway. The only situation in which I would avoid this (and honestly would probably just stay in the outside lane for longer, since so few people do indicate properly) would be if there is a left exit coming up, in which case the indicator might be misleading to vehicles behind. On a clear stretch of road, I would say it is obvious what the left indicator is for.
I think the misconception comes from a re-write of the highway code. (I passed in the late 80's) I may be wrong on this but i am confident that the highway code used to say that vehicles on the roundabout have priority (and nothing about give way to the right). Therefore there was an unwritten rule of give way to the right, but not if the other vehicle was only 'approaching'.
Interesting. This could explain why I thought it was different. Including approaching traffic certainly makes things less ambiguous on mini-roundabouts and probably helps to keep things flowing.
@@nuntius1933 Thanks for that info. It is a poorly worded section of the HWC. I mean, how far away is considered "approaching". It's stupid.
I was a large truck driver...the truck not me...but now retired thank god.....my automatic truck was very slow to take off.....as are many.....to wait for a huge gap at every roundabout is so as not to cause people to slow.....can be almost impossible.
Can you imagin the congestion that will follow if I do wait for that huge gap.
A bit of give and take is req.....sometimes the normal rules just dont cover everything.
The problem I've noticed is this scenario: I'm turning right so I approach the roundabout in the rh lane. As I proceed around the roundabout towards the exit I start to draw left. But then some plank has come onto the roundabout at the 2nd exit going straight across following the outside lane. He MUST give way otherwise we will collide. Interested on your thoughts on this scenario as it seems to be happening more.
"Start to draw left"? Sounds like a lane change to me. If you change lanes (even on a roundabout), you must give way. Yes, there are people who think they can go right from the left hand lane - you need to be wary of them too.
@@AnotherDoug you can't leave the roundabout from the inside lane. My point is that basically someone in a quicker vehicle cuts up on the outside
@@Banglish123 Do whatever is safe. either go back round or stop. Eric's comment is wrong. You have right of way changing lane on a roundabout to exit. The other driver is wrong but you have to protect yourself.
I live next to the worst roundabout in our area, always mentioned on the radio as so many accidents occur pretty much weekly. Trouble is a bypass runs up to it and the traffic has plenty of time to observe the flow and run up to it at speed to continue on, so if I emerge from there left you have to take even the littlest of chances or you can be sitting there for ages. I personally love roundabouts and happily use this one but plenty of people avoid using it. Galleys corner roundabout , have a look at some videos of it.
I know it isn't part of the highway code but something I always remember is give priority to the idiots and everyone will be a lot happier. For instance if I approach a mini roundabout and I see someone approaching from my left doing 40 with no intention of slowing I let them go. Its better for them to find a involuntary parking spot then it is for them to hit me side on.
Failed my LGV licence because the examiner was pressuring me to emerge at a busy roundabout, and saying he was going to mark me down for hesitation if I didn't 'get on with it' (his words).
He then gave me 1 serious mark because when I emerged he claimed I slowed down another vehicle.
Wanker.
He sounds like plonker lol.
I had a similar experience on my test ( normal car test ).
He was telling to get on with it,I replied " it's not safe , I'll go when it is" and he passed me with a note about hesitation iirc.
I do wonder if they deliberately presure you to see how you handle it?
@@FlyingFun. when I took my test over 20 years ago, the examiner stayed completely silent except to give instructions. These new gobby examiners should be fired.
Not roundabouts, but I’ve noticed recently when drivers get to a junction, it’s a kind of glance and go,they approach junctions at silly speeds ready to pull out, then you see the car braking hard because they have to stop. I think cars have got smarter, but the people driving them have gone worse. The standard of driving these days is quite shocking. Excellent videos, really enjoy watching them.
It seems to be a real British thing the whole 'my right' attitude. I have a big roundabout by me which is traffic light controlled on entrance and at points around it. When I entered my light was green but the light mid way round was red. This caused me and some other cars to slightly block the roundabout for traffic approaching from the right. Admittedly i could have had better awareness and not entered the roundabout as there was a que ahead (having said that though if I'd not entered i would have got a horn from traffic behind as my light was green) but the reaction from one taxi driver was to blare his horn as I was blocking his right of way. You can't win these days.
If traffic ends up blocking the junction for vehicles on green, the light sequence needs adjustment, I'd say.
First off, thank you so much for this. It's a constant and contentious theme in the comments and so many people seem to fastidiously believe the Wrong Thing.
It takes a fully loaded HGV some time to move off from a complete stop. If they move when it’s clear and then a car comes zooming round and thinks the HGV should still be giving way to them they are wrong.
Yes, a driver cannot give way to that which he or she cannot see!
As you approach a roundabout you may notice 'give way' markings on the road, what are they for?
I am quite surprised this wasn't mentioned in the video. They don't put the markings there for fun.
Weirdly, those lines have no actual meaning according to the TSRGD!
Because that's what you have to do, as per Highway Code rule 185?
This does make me think of some small but extremely busy roundabouts near me. If you don't put your toe down and kind of force your way onto the roundabout, you'll be sat there for minutes at best causing a massive tailback. This is definitely where common sense and easing off and giving way to people emerging allows things to flow better.
Thanks for making this video Ashley. I've been in many discussions with people, one of whom claimed to be an ex traffic cop about this issue. I have no idea where this interpretation came from but it's pretty clear that instead of taking the HWC on face value people are adding their own rules and caveats to suit how they want the roads to work.
I often see the argument used in dashcam videos to combat people who agressively enter roundabouts and get into conflict. While I dont defend agressive driving I also dont see why some people need to misinterpret the HWC to get their point across, especially when the misinterpetation would argubly lead to more conflict by instigating a race over the line attitude.
All in all you did a great job summing up what the HWC actually says and clearing up any misconceptions so thanks again.
If someone approaches a roundabout at ridiculous speeds, you can't expect others to incorporate this into their decision whether to emerge or not.
To start with, the fast driver may not be visible to the emerging traffic at the time they emerged.
But also, speeds are hard to judge when you only have that limited time at approach to judge everything to your right before you come to a stop.
So if one enters a roundabout at stupid speeds, they are at fault for not following the highway code where it says to enter roundabouts matching your speed to others and watch out for those already on the roundabout.
@@richardschofield2201 yes, people entering at high speeds could be at least partially at fault due to their speed. Same as someone emerging from a junction in front of a speeding car, the speed will factor into where the fault lies. But that doesn’t impact the rule being discussed in any way.
As I read it. The give way lines mean give way to anyone already on the roundabout :-
The highway code also says that (when approaching a roundabout, adjust your speed and position to fit in with other road users. Be aware of the speed and position of ALL the road users around you). So a vehicle doing 30 or 40 mph coming into a roundabout with other vehicles on it travelling at 10 mph would be in breach of those rules. If your wheels are already on the roundabout you are already approaching all other vehicles not yet on the roundabout, from the right, because the roundabout is a circular road. So approaching vehicles must give way and usually there are give way signs. So all drivers not yet on the roundabout MUST give way to anyone already on the roundabout. Even having one wheel over the Give Way line means a vehicle is using the roundabout and has priority over those not yet on the roundabout.
my dad taught my mum to drive in the 1960s and she still remembers him explaining that you observed and and anticipated vehicles coming from any road on your right that joined the roundabout and by doing so you would be a much smoother driver.
When I were training to do HGV driving at my current job I was told "quite often you have to enter a roundabout when its somewhat clear and just hope for the best" mainlky because people treat roundabouts like normal roads and aim for that 30/40/50mph when still on it. The "I have priority" mentality probably plays a lot into this. Also some roundabouts are just far too busy to enter with a truck easily (particularly in the damn Actros with it's awful "hey lets put you in neutral after you start rolling and not pick the next gear for 5 seconds" design flaw).
So question:
you are at the give way of a mini roundabout in a 30mph zone, do you give way to a vehicle that's 50 meters away who doesn't even slow on the approach bcos they think their "give way to the right" is clear?
Makes Zero sense to me that the person AT the RB has to give way to someone not even at the RB yet.
The language used by the DVSA is way too vague
It makes perfect sense to avoid a collision, regardless of who's at fault. There's not much satisfaction in knowing you were right when you're sitting in your crumpled wreck
A man that speaks a lot of sense
I've seen several people quote a line from somewhere that says you should give way to traffic already circulating on the roundabout, but I think that quote (if it really exists, as opposed to being something they're sure they heard somewhere) must have come from the days when almost all roundabouts were large and anyone already circulating that you might have to give way to would be on your right. I can see why people who believe that quote might imagine that this means a mini roundabout is a race to get your wheels over the line first, but the obvious danger of that interpretation should make them realise that this isn't the intended meaning.
This quote is actually from the TSRGD, which is the legal document defining the meaning and use of road signs and markings. It says
"Diagram 1003.1
@@ado543 So it is. That phrasing seems strangely imprecise when applied to a mini roundabout. Someone would be laughed out of court if they tried to use it as a defence, considering that pulling out directly in front of another vehicle requires an utterly bizarre interpretation of "give way".
@@matthewwinn979 It seems my comment got cut off above, but I put another comment on the video anyway.
It is weird wording. In the context of a normal roundabout, I think it just about makes sense and could essentially be interpreted to mean "give way to the right" depending on what you think "immediately beyond" means. But yeah, for a mini roundabout, it doesn't make any sense at all. I guess that's why the Highway Code (and the courts) would probably just interpret it as "give way to the right", because taking it literally obviously wouldn't work...
But, we have no choice but to give way to traffic already circulating the roundabout. I actually think this interpretation is safer because it requires everyone joining the roundabout to do so with care, it does not, therefore, encourage racing to get there first.
On a busy large roundabout in heavy traffic bullying always works. It shouldn’t, but it does. Some people accelerate as fast as they can when on the roundabout making safe emerges very difficult.
Don’t forget, common sense is a limited natural resource. Great vid 👍
It is very true that some drivers speed up to get onto roundabouts and while on roundabouts that annoys me. If you are flying on a roundabout then you are not giving others a fair chance to merge on. If everyone used common sense on the roads then they would be a safer place.
The problem with common sense is that it's subjective.
I’ve driven articulated lorries. There’s some roundabouts with bushes or obstructions in the middle that pose a problem. Say the lorry is heavily loaded. You wait until it’s visually clear for the right (all you can see is the round about appearing in a curve round the side of the trees in the middle of it). It’s not going to get visually any clearer from the right as far as you can see (limited).
You commit and pull out. The gearbox takes a second or two to engage. Heavily loaded it’s a slow process in an artic and you’re 54 foot long so whilst the tractor unit is well clear the tail of the trailer is still entering the roundabout, perhaps still behind the line. Inevitably a car comes racing round at warp 1, races right up face to face with your trailer, followed by hand gestures. Bar x Ray tree vision or some sort of third eye not a lot you could’ve done. Some of these large sweeping roundabouts cars race round like NASCAR. I think a speed limit on the larger ones would calm things down.
I’m sure the trees in the middle are meant to calm things down but for vehicles that simply take longer to emerge than the time frame in which a pacing car can appear from behind obstructions and visually cover the (very short) bit of visual road from right - there will always be a massive mathematic disconnect and the giving way from the right will never work without conflict in that scenario.
In Australia there are mixed opinions about traffic light versus roundabouts and equally mixed understanding how they should be used.
Generally drivers on the "main street" treat it at a T intersection and thus race up the roundabout not taking heed to the "give way" sign. They will always give way the right but never to the left. So often the traffic on the left are afraid to enter.
And then you get the SUV drivers who believe they don't need to go around so they go over the top!
(These roundabouts are of a low profile type to allow buses to turn on).
Surely an approach to a roundabout is an approach to a hazard and therefor ALL lanes should slow and be prepared to stop.??
Exactly, as indicated by a give-way line/sign on every approach.
After moving to Asia I miss roundabouts so much. 1-2 minute red lights absolutely everywhere with no cars coming from any direction.