Spanish roundabouts

[nsa]

I've been going to Benidorm for about ten years and it still amazes me to see drivers entering the roundabout in the right hand lane and cutting across exits while in the right hand lane. They usually keep the left indicator on, but how can you not know this is wrong? I haven't seen an accident yet, but you have to be ultra-careful when entering the roundabout in the left hand lane.

Edited by nsa on Friday 6th November 16:03

[mickrick]

And put the left indicator on to exit the roudabout. What's that all about?
Same here on Fraggle rock!

[so called]

Came across a roundabout in the US recently.
Very entertaining.

[fareaster]

As I understand it the LH lane of a Spanish roundabout is classified as the "overtaking lane". It is quite "correct" to enter the roundabout in the RH lane, go all the way round in that lane and leave, say at the 3rd exit. Learner drivers are taught that way !
As far as I'm concerned it is a ridiculous and dangerous way of negotiating a roundabout (akin to turning left from a RH lane), only left on the rule books for reasons of Spanish pride and a prime example of where the EU should step in and sort it out.
Rant over.

[Kneetrembler]

fareaster said:

As I understand it the LH lane of a Spanish roundabout is classified as the "overtaking lane". It is quite "correct" to enter the roundabout in the RH lane, go all the way round in that lane and leave, say at the 3rd exit. Learner drivers are taught that way !
As far as I'm concerned it is a ridiculous and dangerous way of negotiating a roundabout (akin to turning left from a RH lane), only left on the rule books for reasons of Spanish pride and a prime example of where the EU should step in and sort it out.
Rant over.

Spot on I have lived and worked in Spain for the last 20 years and I am amazed that the EU has done nothing about it.
I have seen some near misses and including myself but haven't seen an accident yet, must only be a matter of time though.

[cabbron]

i have seen a few accidents here on the costa blanca due to this idiotic spanish system.always seemed to involve a brit on holiday using the the super safe brit system and t-boning a spanish driver turning left from the right lane,sounds mad as i type it !!!

[ShinyAndy]

At least it sounds like you can get round them ok, down here they seemed to be used as carparks

[mickrick]

Park where you like, as long as you use "Cloaking" (Hazard lights)

[nsa]

I've seen people parking on the roundabout to take photos of the VERY nice water features in the centre in Benidorm.

The Spanish also seem to have a morbid fascination with car crashes. Nearly every TVE news report has an item about how many car crashes there were over the weekend, and video from a local accident. My wife's family were flicking through the TV channels and there was some NASCAR footage with a guy who was trapped in his car in the centre of the track, and they watched the ambulances gather around the car for about five minutes until the driver clambered out of the car, then they continued flicking channels.

Something else I don't understand is how the Spanish seem not to buy automatic cars. My uncle in law is Spanish and works for Mercedes, and even he has a manual Mercedes E class! What's the point of buying a manual luxury Mercedes? I thought everybody knew that? I heard there's some kind of phobia about autos because they think they are expensive to repair.

I do love the country and the people though. Going back this Christmas. Anybody know where I can get Cuentame Como Paso on DVD with English subtitles? We've been watching it on the iPlayer equivalent and my wife loves it but my Spanish isn't good enough to follow it. I can't find a copy to download anywhere.

[AntonyS]

I have been living in Fuerteventura and many of the taxis over there are autos. Best taxis I've ever used.....They have a lot of Mercedes among the usual people carriers but all are really clean!

[Pete944t]

Kneetrembler said:

fareaster said:

As I understand it the LH lane of a Spanish roundabout is classified as the "overtaking lane". It is quite "correct" to enter the roundabout in the RH lane, go all the way round in that lane and leave, say at the 3rd exit. Learner drivers are taught that way !
As far as I'm concerned it is a ridiculous and dangerous way of negotiating a roundabout (akin to turning left from a RH lane), only left on the rule books for reasons of Spanish pride and a prime example of where the EU should step in and sort it out.
Rant over.

Spot on I have lived and worked in Spain for the last 20 years and I am amazed that the EU has done nothing about it.
I have seen some near misses and including myself but haven't seen an accident yet, must only be a matter of time though.

The left hand lane on a roundabout IS classed as the overtaking lane. When switching from the lefthand lane to the righthand lane (on a roundabout), there isn't any requirement to signal, as you are actually moving 'back' from the overtaking lane into the righthand lane. .... Crazy!

So changinng lanes is OK. But, of course, making any turn from one road to another, without signaling, will get you a fine in Spain. So cuutting from the lefthand lane on a roundabout, across the righthand land, and turning off of the roundabout without signaling is 'illegal'. .... Hey its Spain

Edited by Pete944t on Friday 12th February 07:04

[mickrick]

Not quite on topic concerning roundabouts, but I reversed into a sideroad once, to go back the way I'd came, right in front of a couple of Policia Local.
The guy stopped me, and gave me a bking, as apparently, it's illegal.
When he saw my surprise, he said, "do you do that in your own Country?" I answered that it was actually part of the driving test (Don't know if it is now) He didn't beleive me! But being as I was a Tonto Giddy, he let me off with the bking.
Perfectly O.K. to double park with "cloaking" lights flashing, and go for a coffee though. I love Spain!