Avoiding being knocked off at roundabouts?

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

StuartG

slower but further
Location
SE London
I might ruffle a few feathers here - but my approach is when this, or other driver error occurs, treat it as an error by yourself. The basic skill of safe cycling is anticipating other people's errors and hence avoiding a collision.

Its hard blaming yourself rather than the idiot. But that helps you reflect on why you did not spot it was going to happen. The sixth sense is not a mystery. I have a rab near me where, because of the road layout most motorists do not signal their exit correctly. But it is possible to anticipate with a very high degree of accuracy which exit they will take. Its a combination of speed, positioning, driver's body language and much more. Same applies with whether a vehicle is going to stop.

Its a skill that requires experience and humility, it helps if you are a driver too. It also requires eternal vigilance. But it reduces near misses dramatically. And when one occurs it is an antidote to your road rage (which often leads to dangerous riding) as your store yet another nugget of learning for the future.

The key is not to give up (as most novice riders do) after some near misses. Obviously take a safer route if you can. Then if you can't concentrate on reading the road from the driver's viewpoint. It can only get better and your riding safer.
 

compo

Veteran
Location
Harlow
Most roundabouts are not a problem but there are a couple round here that I tend not to ride round. They are too busy and too fast and I now lack the speed to slot in with the traffic. I prefer to just hop off the bike and walk across. Obviously if on the approach I can see the way clear I ride over but I work on the principle that a living coward etc! For those who know them one is the Amwell Roundabout between Hoddesdon and Ware and the other is on the A414 at Harlow Station.
 

Cyclopathic

Veteran
Location
Leicester.
I think some of the answer is much harsher penalties for careless driving and far more effort made to enforce them. This benefits everyone including car drivers if it does improve peoples concentration. Also more effort put into enforcing the laws.

Awareness is absolutely key and I think that it's not outrageous to have the driving test actually include a cycling element and a pedestrian element. If that is unworkable then drivers must have to spend some time as a more vulnerable road user before they are allowed to take a test. They must be made to see the road from the perspective of the cycle, motorcycle and pedestrian.
 

400bhp

Guru
I might ruffle a few feathers here - but my approach is when this, or other driver error occurs, treat it as an error by yourself. The basic skill of safe cycling is anticipating other people's errors and hence avoiding a collision.

Its hard blaming yourself rather than the idiot. But that helps you reflect on why you did not spot it was going to happen. The sixth sense is not a mystery. I have a rab near me where, because of the road layout most motorists do not signal their exit correctly. But it is possible to anticipate with a very high degree of accuracy which exit they will take. Its a combination of speed, positioning, driver's body language and much more. Same applies with whether a vehicle is going to stop.

Its a skill that requires experience and humility, it helps if you are a driver too. It also requires eternal vigilance. But it reduces near misses dramatically. And when one occurs it is an antidote to your road rage (which often leads to dangerous riding) as your store yet another nugget of learning for the future.

The key is not to give up (as most novice riders do) after some near misses. Obviously take a safer route if you can. Then if you can't concentrate on reading the road from the driver's viewpoint. It can only get better and your riding safer.

No feather's ruffled from me. A very sensible post:thumbsup:

Another roundabout tip - stand on the pedals when on the r'about (larger r'abouts)-helps to be noticed.
 

400bhp

Guru
I think some of the answer is much harsher penalties for careless driving and far more effort made to enforce them. This benefits everyone including car drivers if it does improve peoples concentration. Also more effort put into enforcing the laws.

Awareness is absolutely key and I think that it's not outrageous to have the driving test actually include a cycling element and a pedestrian element. If that is unworkable then drivers must have to spend some time as a more vulnerable road user before they are allowed to take a test. They must be made to see the road from the perspective of the cycle, motorcycle and pedestrian.

Harsher penalties will not improve concentration levels - it may make people slow down and take more care though.
 

Teuchter

Über Member
Roundabouts are probably the only part of my ride (20 miles a day, all on road) where I ever feel there's any risk to me from other road users. Problems are still rare but they do happen. Touch wood, my 6th sense, well developed anticipation of the actions of other road users and hightened alertness that comes from the knowledge that most road users have no clue how to handle roundabouts have so far always prevented me actually being knocked off.

I always take primary position on approach and hold my position through the roundabout. This doesn't always stop people cutting me up at the last moment but at least it reduces it and gives me somewhere to go if they do.

If someone quickly approaches an entry to the roundabout that I'm passing, I'll prepare to stop. I've had too many people just pull out on me to trust in them.

Hardest is turning right. Don't be afraid to get over to the right hand lane (not always easy if this means crossing lanes of fast moving traffic). The worst thing you can do is try to turn right in a roundabout by cycling around the outside lane - you'll be asking to get knocked off. If you can't manage to ride the roundabout in the correct lane, dismount and tackle the roundabout as a pedestrian.

Drivers make mistakes and they aren't all out to kill you. Position yourself to limit their ability to make these mistakes. I had my next door neighbour (who is also a cyclist) cut me up on approach to a roundabout once. I saw it happening and had plenty of time and space to react so there was no actual risk to me but I shouted a warning at them anyway. They couldn't look me in the eye for months after that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4F

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
What the others said, plus: while riding around the roundabout, make eye contact with any motorist approaching the roundabout. It's tougher for them to pretend they didn't see you, if you've actually looked straight at them and they've looked at you.
+1.

eye contact is very valuable...as I mentioned on another thread I tend to point at drivers who I sense may be trying to ignore my presence.

Doesn't work in the pub though...trust me.
 

Maylian

Veteran
Location
Bristol
+1 to pretty much everything has said. I stand on the pedals alot nowadays as it gives me a better field of vision, makes me more visible myself and allows me to accelerate quickly when I see a spot.

Another thing which I'm slowly learning is that even if you have right of way to not let that cloud your judgement! Sometimes I've had a close call because I have right of way and read the signs correctly but carried on with my actions because I had "right on my side". Fortunately I've got away with it but learning that "right on my side" probably won't help me in a wrestling competition with a car / van. So don't be affraid to break etc because it's a fight you'll lose.
 

Teuchter

Über Member
Reminds me of a poem I first read in some motorcycle magazine 20 odd years ago. A google search threw up a hundred variations of it but the idea is there...

Here lies the body of Johnny O'Day,
Who died maintaining his right of way.
He was right, dead right, as he rode along,
But he's just as dead as if he'd been wrong.
 

pepecat

Well-Known Member
Yup, all the above advice is good. I find making eye contact especially helpful cos then you know they've seen you. I also take the 'I assume they haven't seen me' line, and also try and anticipate what the car drivers are going to do - but i find i do that cycling anyway, not just at roundabouts.
Had a very close call last year going 270 degrees round a roundabout, had gotten pretty much round to 270 degrees and my exit, and the chap started to pull out nearly taking me out sideways. Given i was already on the roundabout (a mini one, so not obscured by anything in the middle of it) and passing the front of his car, how the heck did he not see me?! He did look very apologetic and sheepish after he whacked his breaks on, so i suppose that's something.
 
I might ruffle a few feathers here - but my approach is when this, or other driver error occurs, treat it as an error by yourself. The basic skill of safe cycling is anticipating other people's errors and hence avoiding a collision.

Its hard blaming yourself rather than the idiot. But that helps you reflect on why you did not spot it was going to happen. The sixth sense is not a mystery. I have a rab near me where, because of the road layout most motorists do not signal their exit correctly. But it is possible to anticipate with a very high degree of accuracy which exit they will take. Its a combination of speed, positioning, driver's body language and much more. Same applies with whether a vehicle is going to stop.

Its a skill that requires experience and humility, it helps if you are a driver too. It also requires eternal vigilance. But it reduces near misses dramatically. And when one occurs it is an antidote to your road rage (which often leads to dangerous riding) as your store yet another nugget of learning for the future.

The key is not to give up (as most novice riders do) after some near misses. Obviously take a safer route if you can. Then if you can't concentrate on reading the road from the driver's viewpoint. It can only get better and your riding safer.

My girlfriend is an ambulance driver. This is how they are taught. Always assume the next thing you see will be a dumb move.
She drives around in a million quids worth of bright green flashy lightedness and people still can't see her.

Also a :thumbsup: to Cyclopathic. We need to enforce laws and cause people to think.
 
Top Bottom