Roundabouts, giving way & priority

[DaveCWK]

If you are waiting to join a roundabout, and there is a car approaching from a join to the right that is not yet at or on the roundabout, do you have a right of way/priority if you join (i.e cross the white dashed line) the roundabout before them?

[SkodaIan]

Try reading highway code 185:

"When approaching a roundabout, you should:

• Give priority to traffic approaching from your right....."

[cobra kid]

SkodaIan said:

Try reading highway code 185:

"When approaching a roundabout, you should:

• Give priority to traffic approaching from your right....."

What if it's the only car around and it's half a mile away from the roundabout?

[Martyn76]

DaveCWK said:

If you are waiting to join a roundabout, and there is a car approaching from a join to the right that is not yet at or on the roundabout, do you have a right of way/priority if you join (i.e cross the white dashed line) the roundabout before them?

If it's not about to enter or already on the roundabout then no, crack on, if you sit waiting on vehicles approaching a roundabout you will be there all day?

[mmm-five]

SkodaIan said:

Try reading highway code 185:

"When approaching a roundabout, you should:

• Give priority to traffic approaching from your right....."

...and one of the other parts of that rule is...
"watch out for all other road users already on the roundabout"

But it doesn't say you SHOULD or MUST give way to them

[DaveCWK]

SkodaIan said:

Try reading highway code 185:

"When approaching a roundabout, you should:

• Give priority to traffic approaching from your right....."

yeah I was aware of that, but had it in my head there was also a rule to give way to cars already established on a roundabout, So where is the line drawn between the two?

[leef44]

There's a degree of common sense required here. It's the same as you pull out of a junction onto a main road.

If I can see an approaching vehicle from half a mile away, I can pull out because I will not impede them.

If they are approaching from a closer distance and at quite a pace then I would not pull out because I would impede them.

So same on a roundabout, you check the distance and pace of the approaching vehicle from your right. The mistake often drivers make is that they don't treat a roundabout as a junction so don't slow down on approach. It only takes two approaching drivers to make this mistake to cause a collision or road rage about who was right and who was wrong.

[Cold]

Highway code 185 part c:

When approaching a roundabout from a distance, accelerate hard at anyone who hasn't waited for you while shouting "Wotchoodooin'?" and "Canmruhhh!". This is especially important at mini roundabouts where you should make an effort to have at least two wheels straddling the painted circle.

[CraigyMc]

DaveCWK said:

SkodaIan said:

Try reading highway code 185:

"When approaching a roundabout, you should:

• Give priority to traffic approaching from your right....."

yeah I was aware of that, but had it in my head there was also a rule to give way to cars already established on a roundabout, So where is the line drawn between the two?

There is a social media post floating about on this topic.

It's amusing as it's from Australia where the rule appears to be that being on the roundabout gives you the right of way. UK posters getting very confused by the replies.

[mmm-five]

CraigyMc said:

There is a social media post floating about on this topic.

It's amusing as it's from Australia where the rule appears to be that being on the roundabout gives you the right of way. UK posters getting very confused by the replies.

That's what I assume the rule in the UK is meant to convey...but someone will claim that only the front wheels or bumper over the line doesn't count

[Pica-Pica]

Rule 185
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.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/using...
Go by:
Highway Code
Common sense
Practice
Experience
Local idiosyncrasies

[Deranged Rover]

CraigyMc said:

There is a social media post floating about on this topic.

It's amusing as it's from Australia where the rule appears to be that being on the roundabout gives you the right of way. UK posters getting very confused by the replies.

In Mexico, whether the person already on the roundabout, or the person coming onto the roundabout has right of way depends on the road markings.

That takes a bit of getting used to!

[Mr Whippy]

Jeez how hard is this.

People coming from the right have priority.

Don’t pull out in front of them.


No one has a right of way, you can only give way.


And here it’s not even ROW, it’s give priority.

You merge into the flow, if there is flow there, with the right hand traffic being the priority flow.

[Pica-Pica]

Deranged Rover said:

CraigyMc said:

There is a social media post floating about on this topic.

It's amusing as it's from Australia where the rule appears to be that being on the roundabout gives you the right of way. UK posters getting very confused by the replies.

In Mexico, whether the person already on the roundabout, or the person coming onto the roundabout has right of way depends on the road markings.

That takes a bit of getting used to!

In France it is (or used to be) those entering have priority except when ‘vous n’avez pas priorité’ signs are shown on approach.

[Muzzer79]

Mr Whippy said:

Jeez how hard is this.

People coming from the right have priority.

Don’t pull out in front of them.


No one has a right of way, you can only give way.


And here it’s not even ROW, it’s give priority.

You merge into the flow, if there is flow there, with the right hand traffic being the priority flow.

This.

Mystifies me how people manage to complicate roundabouts.

[Pica-Pica]

Muzzer79 said:

This.

Mystifies me how people manage to complicate roundabouts.

Easy. When our local bus company had a set of diesel-hybrid buses, they would pull into the roundabout on electric, then a pause in power as the buses (Volvo) switched to diesel. Not exactly useful to others entering from the right. A lot can go wrong for those who approach in the wrong gear (or have poor autobox).

[Short Grain]

Especially on mini r/abouts! Had a slight 3 way (ooer missus) impasse on Monday thanks to an elderly duffer who'd arrived first on my left and had priority over a truck who had arrived to my right, so he had priority over me. Truck driver stares at old duffer expecting him to go, I look at truck thinking he might go as duffer just sits there, I set off, truck sets off just after me so no drama there, duffer doesn't move, even after I'd gone! Watching in my mirrors as 2 cars passed me going to the r/about got round it before duffer moved!
Common sense prevails at roundabouts!

[James6112]

QBee said:

The rule is actually gender specific.

If you're a bloke driving, then if the gap is big enough to get into without actually causing anyone else to have to slam on, you go.
If you're a female driving, if you can see any other vehicle moving anywhere, even a mile away, you stay right were you are.

Correct

[Ankh87]

If you don't know how to use a roundabout or who has priority or what to in a certian situation, then should you actually be driving?

You should have covered this in your theory and practical. This shouldn't even be a discussion unless you've never driven in the UK ever.

[mat205125]

DaveCWK said:

If you are waiting to join a roundabout, and there is a car approaching from a join to the right that is not yet at or on the roundabout, do you have a right of way/priority if you join (i.e cross the white dashed line) the roundabout before them?

Are you one of those that pulls onto a roundabout and blocks it for everyone whilst you queue for your exit??