How To Use A Mini-Roundabout | Highway Code | BlackBeltBarrister

Many have asked questions related to How To Use A Mini-Roundabout – here is my overview of the many things people get confused with at mini-roundabouts, double mini-roundabouts, multi mini-roundabouts, priority at mini-roundabouts, etc.
Also see my other videos on the Highway Code, below:
#miniroundabouts
Are You Allowed to Undertake?

Who Has Right of Way When Merging?

Why Is There a Gap in The Roundabout Sign?

15 Road Signs and Symbols You Might Not Know!

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[AUBigwozza]

In Australia, we don't have indicators on our vehicles, instead, we have confirmicators. These are used almost exclusively to confirm the maneuver we have just completed.

[reginaldcrudstump]

I'm a member of the IAM and I consider myself a reasonably good driver, but I am learning a lot from your videos. Keep them coming.

[themadscotsman]

The mini roundabout near my house, many drivers when they want to turn right, they just turn immediate right without going around the roundabout or even making half an attempt to go around it exiting on the wrong side of the road.

Besides that, it is a 4 way mini roundabout and on the main thoroughfare, they don't even slow down or look to see if any traffic is coming from the side roads, which one cannot see until at the roundabout. I'm surprised there hasn't been a serious accident yet, I've certainly startled a few drivers who have come racing up thinking they won't have to give way, and then they stamp on the brakes when they see me drive out of the side road onto the roundabout.

The state of driving standard is going down the pan in this country.

[isobellickes]

As a IAM member I feel these videos are great reminders. Thanks for your work.

[clivewilliams]

I worked for Peterborough Development Corporation in 1970's who were one of the first Authorities to install mini-roundabouts and I had the opportunity to discuss their use with PDC's senior highway engineers. They stated that the roundabouts were designed to define priority at the junctions and the painted disc in the centre was of no other use than to reinforce the principle, it should not be considered an obstacle around which to manoeuvre. A very high proportion of mini-roundabouts are laid out such that to treat them as an obstacle for even short wheelbase vehicles would result in a tortuous manoeuvre that limits vehicle control and scrubs tyres unnecessarily and wastes fuel. Driving over the mini-roundabout, observing the priority does not in anyway make the manoeuvre any more dangerous and could be said to be safer given that the vehicle is under better control. Look at the drone footage and you will see that the blue van, whose wheelbase is similar to a cars, and a car turning right both naturally drive over the central disc

[FAS]

Thank you for all your advice, and I wish common sense was not such a rare commodity. When I was driving my van, registered as an HGV motorcaravan, and bigger than many lorries, I often had to straddle the white line approaching junctions, including mini roundabouts, because I knew how far the back of my van moved in the opposite direction to the way I was turning. Unfortunately, many drivers appear to be unaware of this, and I often had cars coming up beside me despite their having to cross the middle of the road to do so, and leaving me no room to turn. The Highway Code is very good, but there should be more emphasis on allowing enough room for large vehicles, because too many drivers seem to believe that a rigid vehicle can bend in the middle to make room for them. I also found that some mini roundabouts were extremely tight, especially when turning right and I occasionally had to do a three-point turn to clear cars waiting to enter the roundabout from my exit route.

[drumcdoo]

Great video showing that COMMON SENSE ~ which sadly isn't always that common is the best way to avoid accidents along with approaching with caution AND looking at the driver to observe his body language. At the 'Magic Roundabout' in Hemel Hemstead (multiple mini-roundabouts around one huge one in the middle), caution, indication and eye contact are essential making it one of the best roundabouts ever to clear thousands of cars every hour. Very few accidents occur because each motorist has to drive slowly and closely observe others to avoid collision in the event of error.

[jerry]

One difference from standard roundabouts is that at a mini-roundabout there isn’t time to signal usefully as you pass the exit before the one you are taking. Consequently, you need to be more fastidious in signalling your intentions as you approach the mini-roundabout.

[johnspenceley]

Very useful piece will circulate to our local chat rooms,
From my studies when proposing changes to our existing troublesome mini roundabout .
1. Double Mini roundabouts are designed for small residential estates. - ours is on a busy A road and is used by many HGVs.
2. The roundabout is 2 Meters narrower than is allowed in the design handbook.
3. General understanding is that you give way to traffic coming from the right-
e.g Always give priority to the traffic coming from the right, unless you have been directed otherwise by signs, road markings or traffic lights.
- The legislation says give way to traffic from the right in rotation I believe. There should be a change to the Highway code booklet I believe.
4. Mini roundabouts have a designed traffic speed of 20- 24mph.
5. Raised centers of roundabouts cause considerable noise 24x7 when driven over by HGVs at 25mph and above.
6. Implementation designs are very difficult to get changed by cash strapped councils.

[visitor]

Yep! Mini-roundabouts are great when they work well and several vehicles all travel round it safely at he same time. 😁

[zahiraslam]

Bless you, very good video, I am a driving instructor and love your videos. All the best

[Andy-xtmh]

I've always considered them as a priority indicator and as I consider the videos example to be a huge mini roundabout you see an entire flat bed and a entire estate on the roundabout at the same time I consider my car to be a large vehicle on normal mini roundabouts the middle bit is just a speed bump.

[Stuart_George]

I got arrested for driving straight over a mini roundabout.
Worst day out at a model village I ever

[petersmart]

The common problem is that a car enters the roundabout and then another car moving much faster comes on from the first car’s right. This second car believes that the first car should have waited, so giving way to traffic not on the roundabout but intending to bully their way through. If there is a collision it of course now looks as if the first car failed to give way to traffic from the right.

[roncouch]

I had been driving many many years prior to mini roundabouts were introduced. It wasn’t long before theses roundabouts - often placed at quite small T junctions without any other ‘adjustments’ to the approaches - were being used as a means of executing ‘U’ turns especially by the infamous white delivery vans. Minis do not in such tight configurations lend themselves to good positioning as, unlike a full size roundabout which most usually has at least two lanes around it, minis have only one. If going straight on the distance from your exit to the second ( second exit at a ‘T’ intersection) is so short that indicate you are leaving the miniroundabout at the second not the first would, following the rules conceivably confuse a driver waiting to enter the mini from your left into thinking you are about to turn left! I never signal to exit a tiny mini roundabout if I am going straight on for this reason. Only two signals, in these circumstances, are unambiguous: left to turn left and right to execute an extreme right turn, in other words a ‘U’ turn. Which, from a couple of near misses on very small mini roundabout junctions, I personally think should not just be “avoided” per the highway code, they should be banned; except in emergencies and for emergency services where feasible.

[Mark-khny]

Another great video thanks. The most common indicating mistake I see on roundabouts is indicating right to go straight on.
Only seems to be the more ‘senior’ generation that do this.
Not sure if that’s how they were taught back in the day.

[nigelduckworth]

The problem with mini roundabouts is speed. Many set off from the give way line at the same speed as they would set off for one of normal size. This gives little time because of the limited space available for other motorists to take in what is happening and to react accordingly. The Highway Code ought to advise drivers at mini roundabouts to proceed onto the roundabout slowly. There is thus more chance of avoiding a collision if someone makes a mistake or, to use your drone example, if 3 vehicles arrive at the same time. All are reluctant to proceed in case they are in collision, and therefore seemingly at fault, with the vehicle to their right. I have a local mini-mini roundabout in which this problem has arisen many times, leading to a standoff, because each vehicle takes up the whole of one side of the roundabout. This is wholly unsatisfactory unless each proceeds at walking pace. Further, it is impossible at this roundabout for my car, which is 15.5 feet long, to make a 300 degree right turn without encroaching on the centre markings. I don't think they are fit for purpose.

[ArminGrewe]

Many people are scared of the Magic Roundabout in Swindon. But when you think about it, it's actually really simple: You treat each mini roundabout as a single roundabout with the corresponding rules. Suddenly it's not that difficult any more. All you need to know is which exit you need and the rest just falls into place.

[petethewrist]

I am glade you said give way to APROACHING tragic on your right. Because when I hit a roundabout on the move. I do not stop I also do not stop to give way to tragic sat stationary on my right. That would take longer for them and me.

[sugami]

Woop woop shout out to home town of Hemel Hempstead, magic roundabout madness!