Mini roundabouts and idiots.

[Wafer]

I remain suspicious of people at mini roundabouts when in my car, let alone on my bike! Had several close calls using both forms of transport. I don't drive/cycle 'around' mini roundabouts though as I was taught they were about right of way, not going around the blob.

 

[benb]

I remain suspicious of people at mini roundabouts when in my car, let alone on my bike! Had several close calls using both forms of transport. I don't drive/cycle 'around' mini roundabouts though as I was taught they were about right of way, not going around the blob.

Incorrect. If a police officer sees you making no attempt to go around a roundabout you may well find yourself the recipient of a Fixed Penalty.
You are allowed to cut across it only if you are in a vehicle too large to be able to go round it.

188
Mini-roundabouts. Approach these in the same way as normal roundabouts. All vehicles MUST pass round the central markings except large vehicles which are physically incapable of doing so. ...
Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10(1) & 16(1)

 

[Beebo]

I had a mini roundabout incident today, I was going straight on, the car besides me was indicating right, the car opposite was indicating right too.
So I followed the car onto the roundabout, thinking that both cars would drive behind each other, leaving me shielded by the cart turning right. But for some unknown reason the cars decided to pass infront of each other!, not behind, which left me with a car heading straight for me.

 

[benb]

[QUOTE 3267884, member: 259"]So it's OK if I'm driving a massive 4x4, but not OK if I'm in a mini? Seems a bit unfair.[/QUOTE]

Mini roundabouts are designed so most cars will be able to negotiate them without problems, albeit slowly.
It's really only HGVs or trailers that should need to cut across them.

 

[Drago]

Indeed Ben. Firstly, there is no such thing as 'right of way', only 'priority', and this is something one gives to other road users, not takes.

Secondly, ride the wrong way round a mini roundabout and have a smack and you're in the same legal sticky wicket as if you'd gone round a regular roundabout the wrong way.

The fact that one is a physical roundabout and the other is a blob of paint is neither here nor there -their status is identical.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I have two mini roundabouts on my commute, one of them is a double roundabout, if I'm going to have problems with a driver its most likely to be on one of those two, for some strange reason they confuse people.

 

[mustang1]

My fav is when a T-junction is converted I to a mini roundabout and the drivers on the "main" road continue driving as if the roundabout doesn't exist. Then they get hugely annoyed when I pull out from the "side" road coz they think they have right of way (even though there are give way signs at the entrance of the roundabout).

 

[sidevalve]

To be fair, people who passed their driving test many years ago, never once looked at a Highway Code since then and are completely out of touch with new signs and traffic regulations, let alone roundabouts. I am a strong advocate of compulsory driving assessment every 10 years for all motorists, it would certainly improve safety on the roads. There is one tip I always give my pupils for roundabouts and that is to look at the front wheels of the vehicle and the driver's face as they will always be pointing to where they want to go.

To also be fair that is one more test than ANY cyclist has had to pass

 

[Deleted member 1258]

My fav is when a T-junction is converted I to a mini roundabout and the drivers on the "main" road continue driving as if the roundabout doesn't exist. Then they get hugely annoyed when I pull out from the "side" road coz they think they have right of way (even though there are give way signs at the entrance of the roundabout).

I have one of those on my commute

http://goo.gl/maps/2PAma

I'm turning right into Donnithorne Avenue.

 

[Archie_tect]

Even more drastic when the side turn is on a dual carriageway, which they convert to a roundabout... cue avoiding action.

 

[wajc]

My fav is when a T-junction is converted I to a mini roundabout and the drivers on the "main" road continue driving as if the roundabout doesn't exist. Then they get hugely annoyed when I pull out from the "side" road coz they think they have right of way (even though there are give way signs at the entrance of the roundabout).

I know some in my local area that have been removed because of this - safer left as a T-Junction.

The other case that seems to lead to confusion is a mini rbt with only a blob of paint in the middle with 4 approach roads - all at 90 deg to each other and equally spaced

The issue I have with this is that you are supposed to give way to the traffic approaching from the right as on any normal rbt. However if traffic is at opposing sides of the mini rbt and both vehicles want to effectively turn right - both of you are to each other right by the same amount - who has right of way?

I also don't like turning right at one of these with a vehicle coming in exactly the opposite direction is going straight on. I'm never sure that they will stop.

 

[Wafer]

Incorrect. If a police officer sees you making no attempt to go around a roundabout you may well find yourself the recipient of a Fixed Penalty.
You are allowed to cut across it only if you are in a vehicle too large to be able to go round it.

188
Mini-roundabouts. Approach these in the same way as normal roundabouts. All vehicles MUST pass round the central markings except large vehicles which are physically incapable of doing so. ...
Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10(1) & 16(1)

In which case, driving instructors need better checks on what they are teaching as well.

 

[400bhp]

Really don't enjoy cycling around roundabouts. I'd say they are the most dangerous "obstacle" when on a bicycle. Perhaps the closest I have come to being wiped out was at a certain roundabout at the end of the Mancunian Way when a taxi entered the roundabout at perhaps 40mph without looking properly.

Would be interesting if they broke down the stats to see how many cycling accidents occur on them,

 

[classic33]

To also be fair that is one more test than ANY cyclist has had to pass

Why should a cyclist have to take a driving test?

 

[benb]

Would be interesting if they broke down the stats to see how many cycling accidents occur on them,

Fill your boots: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...ported-road-casualties-gb-index-of-tables.xls
In particular: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/239721/ras20006.xls shows 2,846 cyclists involved in a reportable collision at a roundabout, out of 19,708 total in 2012. So 14% which does intuitively seem high. Data for 2010 and 2011 are on that same file.