Signalling left to go straight on?

[21st Century Man]

I've been driving in France on holidays, road trips etc for about 40 years, but I can't remember this being a thing, at least not like it is now?

I've just returned from a four week 5000km circuit of France and I've noticed that when approaching a regular 4 way roundabout, the majority of drivers going straight on now signal left onto the roundabout and continue to signal left as they proceed and then switch to signaling right just before their (straight on) exit, what's more, they also do this when there are two lanes onto and off the roundabout, so if I'm in the left lane to go straight on and they are in the right lane to go straight on, I have to hold well back just in case they cut across me if they actually are turning left by going all the way around the outside from the right lane, but so far unnecessarily so, as they've all been simply going straight on but signalling left as they go.

Why do seemingly the majority of drivers now signal left to go straight on? It seems bloody stupid to me.

[Expatloon]

You may have only recently noticed it but it's something the French have been doing for years, the Spanish do it also.

Don't know if they're taught that way but if not it would appear that their brains must be hard wired to indicate in the direction they are turning the wheel whatever the reason, so right on entering a roundabout, then left while going round it, then right again to exit - that's if they bother to indicate at all of course which is far from a given!

The other time I've seen this in the Middle East where I know it is a taught behaviour.

Personally I mostly prefer them to not indicate as then I'm at least on guard for whatever they might or might not do and can stay clear while they do it!

[rdjohn]

https://www.frenchlicense.eu/wp-content/uploads/20...

Unfortunately there is no free online French Highway Code, but you can see from the snapshot above that, in theory, there is no difference from the UK, in their approach as to which lane to use. Somehow this stupid negotiating of roundabouts has become commonplace.

I suspect that it started with drivers of large trucks who risk colliding with vehicles to their inside while negotiating a roundabout. Other drivers have observed this behaviour and believe that, if this is what professional drivers do, then that must be right, and so I should follow.

I think that French Highways designers do not flare lanes at roundabouts to accommodate the swept paths of large vehicles. So, if 2-lanes are 7.5m on the approach then the roundabout is also 7.5m wide, marked into 2-lanes.This method of design is very different from the UK. Not flaring means that the speeds that other vehicles can drive through the roundabout is more controlled and therefore, potentially safer.

It took me about 3-years of living there to accept that this was common practise and simply go with the flow. After 18-years, I still have difficulty with French drivers turning left from the nearside lane and, if I am not familiar with a junction, always proceed with extreme caution.

And, yes, Spain is nearly as bad.

[21st Century Man]

rdjohn said:

After 18-years, I still have difficulty with French drivers turning left from the nearside lane

Yes, it's quite rare in the UK and is so clearly wrong and bad driving that a blast of protest on the horn is certainly acceptable, but in France it seems commonplace. I don't mind if they're signalling left to go all the way around, even from the nearside, at least they're signalling their intentions in their error, it's all the false alarm/jeopardy from those who are going straight on but signalling left that irks me.

Nobody in the UK entering a roundabout at 6 to exit straight ahead at 12 would enter signalling right, continue to signal right as they go around and then quickly switch to a left signal just as they exit. It would rightly be considered as a bit of a wtf!? I thought you were turning right? Did you change your mind?

[Cliftonite]

21st Century Man said:

rdjohn said:

After 18-years, I still have difficulty with French drivers turning left from the nearside lane

Yes, it's quite rare in the UK and is so clearly wrong and bad driving that a blast of protest on the horn is certainly acceptable, but in France it seems commonplace. I don't mind if they're signalling left to go all the way around, even from the nearside, at least they're signalling their intentions in their error, it's all the false alarm/jeopardy from those who are going straight on but signalling left that irks me.

Nobody in the UK entering a roundabout at 6 to exit straight ahead at 12 would enter signalling right, continue to signal right as they go around and then quickly switch to a left signal just as they exit. It would rightly be considered as a bit of a wtf!? I thought you were turning right? Did you change your mind?

You need to get out more.

And/or improve your observation skills.

[21st Century Man]

When I say nobody, I mean enmasse and as a matter of course, rather than the odd individual.

As for offset multiple exits, fair enough, but that ain't 6 to 12.

[HTP99]

21st Century Man said:

When I say nobody, I mean enmasse and as a matter of course, rather than the odd individual.

As for offset multiple exits, fair enough, but that ain't 6 to 12.

A while ago I was following a woman driver who did just this at 3 roundabouts, she entered at 6, made a concerted effort to get into the 2nd lane which one would use to exit at 3 or do a full 180 and back on themselves, indicated right but went straight over, indicating left just as she was passing the first exit at 9.

All very strange and once would assume taught to do so.

[RONV]

We travel to France twice a year for years and It is the best way as a lot of UK drivers do not indicate when they approach their exit at a roundabout the truck drivers have been doing it for years in the EU

[21st Century Man]

But I wasn't talking about not signalling before the exit, I was talking about signalling to the contrary to go straight on.

[Sam Aigal]

Ah, the French and roundabouts.



Highlighted is " to go straight on enter without indicating"

Reality is " just cos they're turning doesn't mean they'll indicate, just cos they're indicating doesn't mean they'll turn"

[21st Century Man]

Thank you Sam.

[Pete54]

I live here and yes roundabouts are a bit of a lottery. The priority a droit possibly does not help - the French will push onto a roundabout, particularly if only going around a single exit, unless it is a near certain crash.

Equally 'lane discipline' as practiced in the UK is not a thing. All the way around on the outside - normal practice, inside lane when going right - yep.

Your only choice is to drive defensively and watch the indicators - most French drivers are actually pretty good at indicating which way they are about to turn. Only problem is that it may mean either of the options above. Hence the multiplicity of bodyshops!

[leyorkie]

When stuck behind a lorry I always get excited when they signal left but my bubble is soon burst as they go straight ahead

[Fatt McMissile]

Cliftonite said:

You need to get out more.

And/or improve your observation skills.

Yeah, and google "road rage videos"

[trunnie]

Pretty much sums it up here in France. My Mrs, who learnt to drive here does it and doesn't like it when I don't.

The weirdest general indicator use that I've seen is in Senegal, where they indicate for a bend, even where there is no possibility of anyone being confused by a side road.

[21st Century Man]

It also means that an opportunity to join the roundabout is missed too, as the first time one catches sight of oncoming traffic coming around the roundabout they're signalling left as if to turn left across your path, so one doesn't pull out, then they switch to the right indicator and go straight on and one could've pulled out after all.