Which Lane to Exit a Roundabout?

When you have turned right at a roundabout in the UK should you exit into Lane 1 to Lane 2? In this video I explore the pros and cons of each.

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#driving #roundabout #education

[ibs]

One thing to add: If you are going to exit in Lane 2, make sure you are actually fully in Lane 2 and not cut partially over into Lane 1 as well, especially if another car is in Lane 1. I see this happen many times.

[jamesabbott]

In early enough that you might see this, just want to say cheers for the videos, been watching for around a month and have seen my driving improve week on week since. Better control of speed, less ego and anticipating issues have all become much more important parts of my every day driving. Keep up the great work :D

[PedroConejo]

Thank you so much for detailing a commonly held fallacy about exiting roundabouts when turning right. At about 1:30 you do exactly as I was taught and practise, but I have found more recently that drivers entering the roundabout _after_ me, will accelerate quickly as if to pass me on my left and try to prevent me making that 'slide across'. This happens to me into exits where two lanes immediately merge into one, there's not the option of taking a later right turn, and the move is ends up like one of those situations where people block merge-in-turn traffic. Part of the problem I think is that too many people view roundabouts (and all roads) as race tracks and even vehicles on the roundabout already are viewed as legitimate targets for overtaking. Not safe, not legal, not necessary.

[TimRsn]

Most of the near misses I see on roundabouts are caused when drivers try to use the roundabout as an overtaking opportunity.
It just creates unessecary increased risk.

[christopheratkinson]

When I was training as a pdi for BSM I gave my pupil a direction " at the roundabout I would like you to turn right" my pupil did so OK but turned right straight into oncoming instead of going around with me frantically pulling on the steering wheel. Taught me a big lesson on how I deliver my instruction that day

[garyknight]

100% agree with you. On a slight tangent to this video I have to say that I particularly hate 2 lane roundabout exits that immediately merge down to a single lane. This road design seems to provoke really poor and aggressive driving.

[robc]

In my job I often find myself in places I’m not familiar with, yesterday I had to go to Norwich from the NE - roundabouts can be difficult where the markings for lanes are on the road and right at the junction, I try and use common sense etc but every now and then one catches you out the classic being left is only for going left and it is so useful when they also put a sign up indicating this as they seem to do on the approach to Norwich but not many other places, it can though catch you out and leave u having to make the left and then trying to find somewhere to turn around. Same can apply on right turns and often these are busy intersections and no one will allow for the ‘person who isn’t local’. Not really making a point but saying it can be confusing and allowance should be made.

[A.G.T.A.G.]

I was taught NOT to change lanes on a roundabout (and slide over) but when turning right on a roundabout you should stay in lane two with the option for exiting to lane one ONLY after ensuring it was clear to do so by checking for traffic in or entering lane one. This enabled people entering the roundabout from my straight-ahead position, i.e. where the lorry was coming from (if it was moving) to turn left as there was no-one in lane one. Having them give way to both lanes can have them sitting there for an unecassary amount of time if there is a constant stream of traffic turning right and all exiting in lane two.

[Mortarion]

My instructor taught me the same way you teach it. Mirrors, indicate as you're passing the exit before yours, shoulder check, slide across into the left lane just before the exit of the roundabout, and then you're ready to rock and roll

[paulamos]

I only found your channel by chance, it is excellent and incredibly informative.
I am going to make a comment which has nothing to do with this video but I've not seen one that looks at the topics covered particularly in main one.

A number of years ago I was caught by a mobile maned speed camera doing 53 in a 50 about 400 yds after the 50 sign from 70. I normally am below that before the sign but on this occasion I was retuning from the care home where my mother had just died and wasn't concentrating as much as I should have been.
Luckily I was offered the driver awareness course, at the time it was 39 years after I past my driving test. At the beginning everyone was asked their 1st name, their job if employed and the year they past their test, these were put Infront of each of us. Throughout the course I was staggered at the general attitude of the people who did a lot of driving as part of their job, in that they had to waste an afternoon (3hrs) attending and most were only doing it to save getting 3 points on their licences!
The two biggest eye openers for me were:
1st, the demonstration of speeding on duel carriageways or Motorways. The demonstration vehicle used was a Police Vauxhall Omega 3.6 litre V6 Estate (the same as my vehicle at the time, it being an ex Police one).
On i'th inside lane was parked the stopped vehicle and at a specific distance before it was the hit the breaks (traction control engaged). At 70 mph the Omega stopped just over a car's length short of the stopped car, at 80 mph it stopped with the front of the bonet level with the back of the front seats, at 100 mph i'th Omega was still traveling over 65 mph when it passed the rear of the stopped car! Before this demonstration I always drove quickly and above the speed limit on duel carriageways but always below the limit on roads below the national speed limit, thinking that my vehicle could stop very quickly, it would stand on it's nose when you braked hard. Not any longer, 65 - 70 mph is fine and lesser stressful at the end of the journey or day.
2nd, the total lack of knowledge of even the most basic things in the highway code (I've not read one since passing my test in Jan '82) nobody other than me answered the questions correctly, I even waited until wrong answers were given or nobody put a hand up before raising mine. There we people who had past their tests less than 12 months before and had sat a theory test, I am required to take a mandatory driving awareness test online every 2 years to continue in my job but even without having to do so I keep up with changes that are introduced.
If the driver speed awareness course was run by the Police or DVLA I could see numerous people having to resit a theory test if not a full one on the display exhibited by my fellow course attendees! I would go so far as to say that mandatory 10 year retests when photo licence expires would not be a bad thing. It would be a major inconvenience for most and test centres would need to expand capacity. It would also give those who are probably unfit to drive because of age or general health an easy way to stop voluntarily rather than being told by a Dr or family members. And it would remove a number of terrible drivers from the road until they learn to pass again!
No doubt this will not go down well as an idea with the majority of viewers and I very much doubt that it is something that will happen in what's left of my lifetime and probably most of the viewers too.
Sorry that it's so long!

[drozycoder]

Thanks a lot Ashley. Such an informative video. Amazing that it's also filmed on a roundabout I use on my daily commute!

[davidbryant]

I'm always amazed at the number of people who signal incorrectly if at all. I see so many people not indicating and I think they're going straight on. They then swing round to the right and pass in front of me. I have to brake sharply. I then point to their indicator and mouth, "I don't think your indicators working." They're usually mouthing off at me as if I have done something wrong but if they had indicated I would never have started to pull out.

[captango]

I belive a lot of problems on roundabouts and junctions is down to poor lay out and road markings and don't forget the amount of signs they always seem to put everywhere.

[swolemoth]

Great tip at the start. I managed to pick up a licence without knowing you could use the right lane to go straight on. My otherwise brilliant instructor never said anything about it and never asked me to do it, so I just didn't know!

[funkycowie]

It's good to see you move over well before the exit, so many people cut across and indicate really late which is so very confusing.

[itsbilln]

Another thing to add my earlier two:
1. Being in the left lane when going straight ahead, and actually staying properly within the lane left and following the lane around the roundabout to the exit, seems to cause issues because cars looking to join ahead of you often interpret your positioning as meaning you will be existing left and not going straight. A contributing factor to this is almost certainly the fact that so many people don’t bother to indicate when the they do exit, so cars waiting to are increasingly not bothering to wait to see if an indicator ever appears.

In summary - yes, doing what you say is the correct way, but in reality, is often in practical and perhaps more likely to end in a risky encounters or a collision due to the way so many other people now drive.

[hughraynor]

As an aside to this, if I'm ever, ever unsure with a roundabout layout, I'll take the right most lane and circle around the roundabout however many times I need to make sure I understand the lay of the land. The right lane will never be wrong. Heck, sometimes if traffic is backing up a long way in a queue for the left lane, I'll use the right lane and go the long way around.

[mastergx]

Glad you mentioned that bit at the end. Its amazing how many people don't realise that when entering a roundabout - you MUST give way to ALL traffic already on the roundabout, regardless of what lane they are in or what exit they are taking. I've been cut up by so many people when turning right at a roundabout that think thier lane is clear when in fact - thats where i'm going.

[roopsingh]

A must watch for All, great comments on the Risk creator's dangerous driving. 👍🏼

[brianjohnson]

I have been driving for about 40 years. I am embarrassed to confess that I learn how to be a better driver everytime I watch one of Mr Neal's videos. Who would have thought I would learn how to be safer on roundabouts! Thank you so much.