How do you tackle big roundabouts?

[Alien8]

Usual thing: be prepared for vehicles pulling out from your left in front of you, or cutting you up from behind. Expect the unexpected - which I guess means it isn't ... unexpected.

 

[Paul_L]

Usual thing: be prepared for vehicles pulling out from your left in front of you, or cutting you up from behind. Expect the unexpected - which I guess means it isn't ... unexpected.

I have this one on the way home. I tackle it from the SE and go straight across (Leeds Ring Road) to the NW exit. It's a bloody nightmare.


It's also on a steep hill as per this view

There's no pedestrian crossing points either so there's no choice apart from getting in the lowest gear, picking a gap in the fast moving traffic coming from the right and going for it spinning like hell up the hill.

 

[shunter]

Seriously though, I find it's best to imagine you're in a car and cycle round it the same way you'd drive it. You need to be positive and confident - claim your lane / line and hold it, and make sure you signal clearly.

I pretend I'm a motorcycle and have 1200cc powered legs.

 

[marzjennings]

I used to take this one on the way to work, best method was a go as fast as possible and hold my lane (as others have said), but I'd also try and find someone going my way to draft and/or use as my blocker. I'd come in from the south west and take the right heading east and if I manged to pick up a draft I'd come off the roundabout at about 35mph down the dual carriage way. Quite the buzz

link

 

[HJ]

You could do worse than get yourself a copy of Cyclecraft, you get diagrams of how to position yourself at a roundabout dependent on left, right or straight ahead.

+1

 

[tmcd35]

Been through this one in Colchester as a passenger in a car -

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...84434,0.932762&spn=0.000752,0.002411&t=h&z=19

I don't think I ever want to drive through it let alone try it on two wheels!

 

[marzjennings]

Been through this one in Colchester as a passenger in a car -

http://maps.google.c...002411&t=h&z=19

I don't think I ever want to drive through it let alone try it on two wheels!

What is that?? I think there's one like what near Heathrow. So if your goal s to head straight across the juntion you can either go clockwise or anti-clockwise to get there. Are they digging a cemetery in the middle to collect all the cyclists who failed to get across.

 

[Peter10]

What is that?? I think there's one like what near Heathrow. So if your goal s to head straight across the juntion you can either go clockwise or anti-clockwise to get there. Are they digging a cemetery in the middle to collect all the cyclists who failed to get across.

Yea that one near Heathrow is awful. I think it is pretty damn dangerous.


When taking a roundabout when on the mountain bike at work I do what a lot of people here say and act like a car/motorbike. I'm pretty aggressive when on roundabouts and signal strongly and make clear, assertive movements so cars know exactly what I am doing & when. I cringe when I see a cyclist trying to fade from the right lane to the left on a roundabout without signalling or move tentatively, I get concerned they may get hit.

 

[slowmotion]

I think as others have said, lane position is king. It maybe a tad scary peddling for your life in the right-hand lane to turn right, but it's not nearly half as scary as poodling along trying to turn right in the left hand lane. You more likely to become a statistic trying to pass the straight ahead exit in the left hand lane than passing it in the right hand lane.

Keep your lane position, make early and meaningful signals and be sure your body langauge is letting drivers know where you intend to go ahead of time and you'll reach your exit safe every time.

Yes! That's what I do too. If you are not taking the first exit, I think you have to get out into the next lane quickly and pretty much block it , while at the same time indicating right and looking over your right shoulder every five seconds. The danger is somebody left hooking you as they switch lanes to make the first exit because they started out in the wrong lane.
If you block your lane, they are much less likely to attempt that hook.

Safe rides, all.

 

[mcshroom]

Been through this one in Colchester as a passenger in a car -

http://maps.google.c...002411&t=h&z=19

I don't think I ever want to drive through it let alone try it on two wheels!

Looks like a spread out version of Swindon's Magic Roundabout: -

 

[slowmotion]

Ho Hum. Road traffic engineers sometimes do get a bit "creative"

Edit: I think they are sometimes "put out to grass" designing cycle lanes....

 

[BentMikey]

Here's a run of mine through Hyde Park Corner one evening after work:


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTnZ18TWeRU

 

[tmcd35]

Looks like a spread out version of Swindon's Magic Roundabout: -

Now that is scary!

 

[GrasB]

Now that is scary!

Never been phased by that... erm... compound roundabout. Just treat each mini roundabout as a separate junction.