May have made an error on the road today

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Was coming out of a side road onto a round about, saw a moped coming out of the other entrance to the roundabout behind me and heading for the the inside lane, so I pulled out into the outside lane of the round about and took the first left hand turn.

Some bugger came up behind me tooting, came right beside me, turning into me horn blaring.

I didn't see him before I turned but he must of been going quite fast to have to brake like that. What freaked me out is he was beside me tooting and actually swerved into me, before he sped off. I take it he had right of way?
 

gaz

Cycle Camera TV
Location
South Croydon
From what you said, you went to the outside lane of the roundabout, and took the first left.
Then someone came up behind you, horn on, they then came next to you, and turned into you?

i can't see what you did wrong apart from being in the wrong lane at the roundabout.
perhaps a google map image of what happened and more detail would help clear up what happened.
 

downfader

extimus uero philosophus
Location
'ampsheeeer
Riverman said:
Was coming out of a side road onto a round about, saw a moped coming out of the other entrance to the roundabout behind me and heading for the the inside lane, so I pulled out into the outside lane of the round about and took the first left hand turn.

Some bugger came up behind me tooting, came right beside me, turning into me horn blaring.

I didn't see him before I turned but he must of been going quite fast to have to brake like that. What freaked me out is he was beside me tooting and actually swerved into me, before he sped off. I take it he had right of way?

Having a bit of trouble understanding that. I agree with Gaz perhaps a still off googlemaps and some drawing on it would clear it up.

If, from what you've tried to say, you were taking the left lane and the next exit, and nothing was on your right or the RAB as you entered then you'd have done nothing wrong
 

martint235

Dog on a bike
Location
Welling
He's only got right of way if he was on the roundabout before you but as Gaz says a bit more detail and a picture would help.

Even if he did have right of way he sounds like a t****r. Did you get his reg?

M
 
Location
Herts
Riverman said:
Was coming out of a side road onto a round about, ... I pulled out into the outside lane of the round about and took the first left hand turn ... I take it he had right of way?

If you entered the roundabout from a side road and he was already on the roundabout then - Yes, you should have given way to traffic from your right.

If you entered the roundabout from a side road and he wasn't already on the roundabout then - NO, he should have joined after you and followed you round the roundaboyt.
 
OP
OP
Riverman

Riverman

Guru
User3143 said:
Sounds to me like you cut the car up by turning left from the outside lane. Unless I'm reading it wrong.

Sorry, I came onto the round about and stayed on the outside lane (the lane next the curb), then took the first left. He was behind me, tooting, and took the same left hand turn. As he made this turn, he came along side me and veered toward me.

I'm pretty sure he wasn't on the roundabout when I entered it. Even if he was and he had right of way, I still think going at that speed and forcing the turn so that he risked hitting me, was OTT. There were no cars in front of me, so if he was going too fast and couldn't brake, he could have gone around the round about instead.

Thing is I was pretty close to the curb, so he should have been able to pass me anyway without too much difficulty.
 
It's an 'attack'

Seems to me there are two issues here:

1. Your judgment in entering the roundabout

2. The motorist's subsequent reaction.

1. Choosing the moment to enter a roundabout is always going to be a matter of judgement. How far away are any vehicles approaching from the right, how fast etc. A driver who chooses to take a roundabout at high speed could well be still in their approach road, behind the give way line, as you pull out into the apparently clear roundabout, catching up with you as you go round.

2. Whether your judgment was good or faulty is, I would suggest, entirely irrelevant to issue number 2. What you describe as subsequently happening was basically an attack, or at the very least 'threatening behaviour'. This is completely unacceptable, and suggests a driver with an irresponsible attitude to put it mildly.
 
OP
OP
Riverman

Riverman

Guru
Thanks.

One thing which I find disturbing about the road he entered the roundabout from (Woodside Avenue) is how It almost links onto the round about in a straight line, like a slip road. I guess, that means that I should have greater awareness as my turn out of Knowle Hill into the next road left, turns into a sharp bend.

The way the round about is set up almost encourages a vehicle going very fast to hit vehicle going slow.
 
I've just had a look at the aerial photo. I can see no earthly reason why you should not be perfectly within your rights to make that turn. Dammit, you'd scarcely be on the roundabout for more than seconds! Not only that, the carriageways seem good and wide, even if you had pulled out in front of a car coming from your right, it shouldn't have caused much of a problem (although obviously not the right thing to do). Certainly you would not be expected to go all the way round the circle!

I also note the roundabout is quite big. Easy for a speeding motorist to be on the other side of the circle as you set off, but to subsequently catch up with you especially if you are slow in accelerating. That doesn't necessarily put you in the wrong. It does put them in the wrong if they make such a petulant and dangerous show of impatience on finding the other side of the roundabout already occupied by a slower moving vehicle.

Seems more and more likely to me that you encountered a 'nutter'.
 
Riverman said:
One thing which I find disturbing about the road he entered the roundabout from (Woodside Avenue) is how It almost links onto the round about in a straight line, like a slip road. I guess, that means that I should have greater awareness as my turn out of Knowle Hill into the next road left, turns into a sharp bend.

The way the round about is set up almost encourages a vehicle going very fast to hit vehicle going slow.

I see what you mean, and I agree, that looks like a road to be very wary of. Sounds more and more like a motorist hoping to take the roundabout at speed, having no proper respect for the 'give way' line, and perhaps only paying attention to traffic on his/her right, and not worrying about what might be on the roundabout already to their left, and moving slower than them. Lucky for them you weren't a tractor or a road roller!
 

Matthames

Über Member
Location
East Sussex
The way I see it, traffic would be crossing the rab at speed. You were in the correct lane for the manoeuvre. However, you may of been better off taking a more dominant position on this rab than near the curb. This would force any traffic to consider you and would give you space to allow for emergency situations.
 

downfader

extimus uero philosophus
Location
'ampsheeeer
Sorry missed these replies.

Riverman - you are indeed allowed to take the left as you'd intended, though I would have been between 30-60cms from the curbing to allow motorists the opportunity to see me, and as I take the turn I would shoulder check (possibly over my left shoulder as it might be easier here) to warn me of any approaching/speeding vehicles.

I really dont think you did anything wrong here tbh, it very much sounds to me as if the driver was going too fast for the conditions (perhaps a behaviour trait he or she is used to on the rab in question, and you being there suddenly makes them realise its not always clear to just flash over at speed)

If he had been driving at a reasonable speed and taking into account potential hazards he would have seen you ALREADY on the rab some distance of 15 feet away from the give way line imo.
 
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