Thread: How to use a roundabout.....

Originally Posted by THE BOOGER

I only give way to people already on the round about or on the right if they are going faster than me

That's the problem with roundabouts, people still give way to the right, Give Way to the Right went out decades ago when Give Way signs and Terminating intersections were introduced. Anyone approaching a roundabout is required to slow down, I believe the speed limit in a roundabout is 40klm/h, but who obeys that and the main reason is that drivers believe if they are on your right they have right of way, it's about time the cops enforced the rules and book these drivers that plough on, at speed through a roundabout believing they have right of way, Regards Frank.

Originally Posted by Tank

That's the problem with roundabouts, people still give way to the right, Give Way to the Right went out decades ago when Give Way signs and Terminating intersections were introduced. Anyone approaching a roundabout is required to slow down, I believe the speed limit in a roundabout is 40klm/h, but who obeys that and the main reason is that drivers believe if they are on your right they have right of way, it's about time the cops enforced the rules and book these drivers that plough on, at speed through a roundabout believing they have right of way, Regards Frank.

I think you are understating the problem. The rule to give way to traffic already on the roundabout is effectively a "give way on the right" rule since all traffic on your right is on the roundabout. Where this becomes a problem is in those intersections with a very small roundabout, where, if you are stopped (to give way to previous traffic) at the entrance to a roundabout, a car entering from the next entrance to your right, will be in conflict with you because, not having to stop, he will be at your entrance before you have fully entered the roundabout. You have no safe alternative but to wait for him. How small a "small" roundabout is in this context depends on how fast the traffic entering is going, but even for traffic doing well under 40kph, it will apply to those roundabouts simply put in a pre-existing crossroads, such as the ones all over Dubbo.

John

Tank's correct, John and Geof have nailed it with what people think is the rule.

If someone is entering a roundabout slowly and someone is speeding in from the right, although not yet across the roundabout threshold, the speeder will still take his "right of way" even though he doesn't have it and if they bingle the coppers will charge the slow driver not the driver who didn't give way to the car on his left but already on the roundabout.

It's not only roundabouts that confuse WA motorists, it's all roads and all rules.
Dim witted doesn't begin to describe most of them.
AlanH.

From the Victorian road rules:

Rule 114
Giving way when entering or driving in a roundabout
(1) A driver entering a roundabout must give way to—
(a) any vehicle in the roundabout; and
(b) a tram that is entering or approaching the roundabout.
Penalty: 5 penalty units.
Note 1 Tram is defined in the dictionary.
Note 2 For this rule, give way means the driver must slow down and, if necessary,
stop to avoid a collision—see the definition in the dictionary.
(2) A driver driving in a roundabout must give way to a tram that is in, entering or
approaching the roundabout.
Penalty: 5 penalty units.
(3) In this rule—
tram includes a bus travelling along tram tracks.
Note 1 Travelling along tram tracks is defined in the dictionary.
Note 2 For the give way rules applying to a driver moving from one marked lane or
line of traffic to another marked lane or line of traffic, see rule 148.

What is really interesting is the definition of a roundabout:

Rule 109
What is a roundabout
A roundabout is an intersection with—
(a) one or more marked lanes, or lines of traffic, all of which are for the use
of vehicles travelling in the same direction around a central traffic
island; and
(b) a roundabout sign at each entrance.
Note 1 Intersection, marked lane, traffic and traffic island are defined in the
dictionary.
Note 2 Rule 322(3) and (4) deal with the meaning of a traffic sign at a place.

So, a roundabout is an intersection and an intersection is:

intersection means the area where 2 or more roads (except any road related area)
meet, and includes—
(a) any area of the roads where vehicles travelling on different roads might
collide; and
(b) the area of any slip lane where the roads meet—
but does not include any road related area.
Note Road is defined in rule 12, road related area is defined in rule 13, slip lane is defined in this dictionary, and vehicle is defined in rule 15.

slip lane means an area of road for vehicles turning left that is separated, at some
point, from other parts of the road by a painted island or traffic island.
Note Painted island and traffic island are defined in this dictionary, and vehicle is defined in rule 15.

The local bus drivers know these rules really well. They'll just pull right out in front of you because they know, if you run into them, you are at fault.
They're interpretation of these rules is you must give way to anything in front of you.

Tell me I'm wrong but them's the rules in black and white.

When my son had his Learner's Permit in 1997-98 his driving instructor stressed the items that were an "instant fail" on the test. One of these was "failure to indicate leaving a roundabout".

Rule 112
Giving a left change of direction signal when entering a roundabout
(1) This rule applies to a driver entering a roundabout if—
(a) the driver is to leave the roundabout at the first exit after entering the
roundabout; and
(b) the exit is less than halfway around the roundabout.
(2) The driver must give a left change of direction signal when the driver is
entering the roundabout.
Penalty: 3 penalty units
Note Left change of direction signal is defined in the dictionary.
(3) The driver must continue to give the change of direction signal until the driver
has left the roundabout.
Penalty: 3 penalty units.
(4) This rule does not apply to a driver if the driver’s vehicle is not fitted with
direction indicator lights.
Note Driver’s vehicle is defined in the dictionary.

Rule 113
Giving a right change of direction signal when entering a roundabout
(1) This rule applies to a driver entering a roundabout if the driver is to leave the
roundabout more than halfway around it.
(2) The driver must give a right change of direction signal when the driver is
entering the roundabout.
Penalty: 3 penalty units.
Note Right change of direction signal is defined in the dictionary.
(3) The driver must continue to give the change of direction signal while the
driver is driving in the roundabout, unless—
(a) the driver is changing marked lanes, or entering another line of traffic;
or
(b) the driver’s vehicle is not fitted with direction indicator lights.
Penalty: 3 penalty units.
Note 1 Driver’s vehicle and marked lane are defined in the dictionary.
Note 2 Rule 117 deals with giving change of direction signals before changing
marked lanes, or entering another line of traffic, in a roundabout.

Although it doesn't say, as there is no rule that states you don't indicate when travelling straight through an intersection, I believe you ar not required to indicate when entering an roundabout when you intend to travel straight or predominately straight, but:

Rule 118
Giving a left change of direction signal when leaving a roundabout
(1) If practicable, a driver driving in a roundabout must give a left change of
direction signal when leaving the roundabout.
Penalty: 3 penalty units.
Note Left change of direction signal is defined in the dictionary.
(2) The driver must stop giving the change of direction signal as soon as the
driver has left the roundabout.
Penalty: 3 penalty units.
(3) This rule does not apply to a driver if the driver’s vehicle is not fitted with
direction indicator lights.
Note 1 Driver’s vehicle is defined in the dictionary.
Note 2 The rules in Part 11 about driving in marked lanes and moving from one
marked lane or line of traffic to another marked lane or line of traffic apply to a
driver leaving a roundabout—see rules 146 to 148.

And because it is also pertinent:

Rule 117
Giving a change of direction signal when changing marked lanes or lines of
traffic in a roundabout
(1) A driver driving in a roundabout must give a left change of direction signal
before the driver changes marked lanes to the left, or enters a line of traffic to
the left, in the roundabout, unless the driver’s vehicle is not fitted with direction
indicator lights.
Penalty: 3 penalty units.
Note Driver’s vehicle and left change of direction signal are defined in the
dictionary.
(2) A driver driving in a roundabout must give a right change of direction signal
before the driver changes marked lanes to the right, or enters a line of traffic
to the right, in the roundabout.
Penalty: 3 penalty units.
Note Right change of direction signal is defined in the dictionary.

With all that wordiness..its no wonder many drivers have no idea of what the rules are.
How much of it relates to Common Sense ?

In WA, its simple. The vehicle already in the roundabout has right of way over a vehicle entering the roundabout.

For the numpties... "First in - Best dressed"

- And the Powers That Be wonder why there's so many prangs !