Roundabouts and dithering car drivers
Drivers that dither and do not know how to react on roundabouts. I am a car driver and a motorcyclist and I ride or drive approximately 100 miles each day to work, and then another 100 miles back again in the evening. This is quite some distance and I encounter lots of roundabouts on my route and see some quite spectacular and often very scary examples of driving.
They decide to change lanes to gain advantage...
The latest thing I've come across is vehicles sitting on my left waiting to enter the roundabout, and yet they're indicating right. Did they miss that sign back up the road or something - who knows? I usually either race off to get out of their way or sit back to let them pass in front and go around the roundabout - only to find out that they are going straight ahead anyway and not right as they were indicating! What's going on here? Have they indicated to allegedly tell people that they are NOT turning left, or are they halfway round the roundabout when they decide to change lanes to gain advantage over a slower vehicle in front? Either way it's very frustrating.
On most roundabouts these days there are lane markings, but the number of vehicles that feel the need to straddle the entire carriageway is frightening. Then there are the drivers that haven't a clue about lane discipline and hop from one lane to the next going round the roundabout and aren't entirely sure which one they want to be in. Now regarding lanes on roundabouts, most HGVs stick well to the left leaving sufficient room for cars to continue around them on the roundabout. But lots of cars wil not go round a roundabout beside a heavy goods vehicle, despite this. They hang back or they shoot through to get away from the lorry. Why do they do this?
My final gripe about roundabouts. In most town centres there is a bus depot and it is usually accessed via a roundabout. Quite often these buses entering the depot slow or stop on the roundabout, blocking or causing all other traffic to come to an unexpected halt. Why do they do this? Usually because one of their fellow bus drivers wants to enter the roundabout to leave the depot. This is deadly and I believe (although I couldn't say for sure) that it's illegal to stop on or give way on a roundabout. Surely they were designed to keep traffic flowing not hold everyone up on a whim?
By: Southboro
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Yup. I used to throw my dummy out the pram whenever this happened. The bigger problem other non indicating drivers have with me now, are the morons that enter opposite me, do not indicate right, yet carry on right. You can imagine how many idiots I annoy and put at risk when I just pull out.
My philosophy, albeit a stupid one, is that, if someone is NOT indicating when entering the roundabout directly opposite me, then as far as I'm concerned, they are going strait ahead into my road. When I get horn blasts and choice signs, I carry on round and follow them to point out that their car is unroadworthy because the indicators do not work.
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Firstly, the ditherer: the driver who approaches a roundabout which is empty and driving conditions are good, yet they slow down, to either a halt or as good as. Why?
The roundabout is clear. There are no hazards. See an optician and stay off the roads until you can drive with consideration to your fellow motorists.
Secondly, the non-indicator: you're waiting to join a roundabout. A car approaches. You don't know where it is going because it the driver hasn't indicated. They turn into the road you are on. You could have been on your way if they had the courtesy to inform you where they intend to go. Grrr!
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Harsh But Fair - 29-Aug-10 09:37
I've lost count of the times I've watched HGVs waiting at lights to follow the road around to the left. They sometimes straddle part of the right lane because of how tight it is. I still can't believe it when idiots drive up alongside the lorry using part of the opposite side of the road. The lights go green, the lorry pulls off and the car trys to thrash it round causing a blockage when neither vehicle can move forward without damaging one another.
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"HGVs stick well to the left leaving sufficient room for cars to continue around them on the roundabout. But lots of cars wil not go round a roundabout beside a heavy goods vehicle, despite this. They hang back or they shoot through to get away from the lorry. Why do they do this? "
They do this because they are exercising common sense. Lorrys find it incredibly difficult to stay in just one lane when navigating a tight roundabout. It's good practice to give them as much space as possible.
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Joey Deacon (RIP) - 28-Jan-10 10:56
Confused. Do you mean to say you never indicate right when circumnavigating a roundabout?
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moons ago, the bad use of indicators is my gripe,on a rounderbout you giveway to the right before
entering it (not indicate right) you should only need to indicate left when exiting it,with the exception of HGVs&Busses that is how I was taught and survived untill now, I am 73 and not a weekend dawdler like many of my age.
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Thatcham Tony - 18-Oct-09 15:19
Just this afternoon a dithering merk berk was on the motorway in the middle lane about 10 or so yards behind and stayed in this position as I got closer to a car in front.
I was waiting for this berk to pass me so I could pull out and overtake the car in front, but he kept close to my behind.
I was getting closer to the car in front and indicated to pull out to overtake as there was sufficient space in front of the merk berk but merk berk started accelerating in an attempt to box me in instead of remaining in the same position or moving over to the fast lane. He was too late and I pulled out so he had to swerve over into the fast lane but was given adequate warning so why didn't he pass by earlier or let me out when I indicated?
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In the past year since the recession started I have noticed an increase in Merc Berks (MBs) and one such MB was speeding up behind me on a dual carriageway with one lane for going straight ahead as the other lane was for traffic to and from the left with an obstruction to stop motorists from staying in the left lane so there was only one lane to pass and I was in front and not going to break the speed limim. I could see the impatience in him and once safely past the junction I started to move over to the left lane as he started to try to undertake me on the left and he had to brake. He swerved to overtake on the right after flashing me, slowed down as he approached a speed camera and then continued through a red light like a mad man.
This driver was certainly mentally unstable driving like this and trying to stick his bonnet up my rear. If they enjoy this they need to be sectioned under The Mental Health Act.
Perhaps Merks have become cheaper now and are available to more thus losing their status. MBs seem to be the queers of the highway now.
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Action Against Mentally Unstab - 10-Aug-09 08:51
Happy, safe driving/riding to you all.
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I was already going around the roundabout and was ahead of him and on the inside of the roundabout. I clearly indicated that I wanted to leave the roundabout at the next exit which became a single lane off the roundabout. But I could see as I was about to move across lanes he was accelerating trying to undertake me so I accelerated more and so did he so I pushed it to stay in front and was able to pull over in front of him as it was my right of way and so he didn't manage to force his way in by undertaking me and obstructing my path.
Sorry Merk Berk but although you have a more powerful car you haven't got a fast enough brain to think ahead - and especially so with the advantage you had with your car over me you still lost. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link so in spite of having a stronger car you must have a weaker brain.
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Professor Plum from Bridgend - 13-Jun-09 23:53
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Everyone is the same. - 10-May-09 23:07
So we have: one (b) "I've been talking about people who stop when it's clear", and two (c) "zooming ahead of an HGV or WVM if they look like they will cut me up" and "who can do a top speed of only 20mph in town" but no (a)?
And as for a date, rest assured your boyfriend has absolutely nothing to worry about on that point!
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No dates, sorry. My bf wouldn't like it.
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When you say "someone zooming ahead or across a roundabout in front of them" do you mean:
a) vehicles actually on the roundabout and you pull out in front of them
(b) vehicles alongside you about to enter a roundabout and you pull away more quickly from a standing start or,
(c) vehicles entering the roundabout who are ahead of you and you accelerate to pass them as they enter the roundabout or indeed whilst negotiating the turn?
Your comments can be taken to mean any or all of those situations.
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Look around you and be calm, be aware, enjoy life and do not take matters too seriously but try to learn how to drive safely not selfishly or recklessly.
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Midwich Cuckoo - 26-Apr-09 23:18
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