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Roundabouts: exiting in the right hand lane or alternative?

Every so often when I'm on a roundabout and going right, I'll have some idiot on my left so when I try to move over to go into the left hand lane to exit the roundabout, I can't as I would run into that person.

So, is it better to exit in the right hand lane, hold back and let that driver pass you and then move over, or go round the roundabout again?

Which would be best in a test?

Reply 1

orka

Remember the right hand lane is for over taking. You should be signalling to get over in that left hand lane on the roundabout before your exit. Since you're still learning the best thing to do is to go around again as you're already in the right hand lane. If you're going to go in the right hand lane then put your foot down as it's the overtaking lane. Trust me you don't want to end up in the right hand lane going slow and letting people overtake.

Reply 2

cole-slaw

Original post by AlecRobertson

If there is a guy to your left, should he not be leaving at the exit before you, thus giving you more than adequate time to drift left before exiting?

Reply 3

Dez

Original post by cole-slaw

If there is a guy to your left, should he not be leaving at the exit before you, thus giving you more than adequate time to drift left before exiting?

Not necessarily. They might have entered from your first exit, so from their point of view they're going straight ahead, hence they're in the left lane.

Reply 4

LavenderBlueSky88

I don't see what the big deal is I'd just stay in the right and move over when I could? Nothing is going to happen surely?

Reply 5

It's****ingWOODY

Original post by LavenderBlueSky88

I don't see what the big deal is I'd just stay in the right and move over when I could? Nothing is going to happen surely?

After you've passed, for sure, do what you like. If you exit in the right lane during a test though and then someone overtakes you on your left, that's a serious fault and an instant fail.

Reply 6

LavenderBlueSky88

Original post by WoodyMKC

After you've passed, for sure, do what you like. If you exit in the right lane during a test though and then someone overtakes you on your left, that's a serious fault and an instant fail.

Oh wow I didn't know that...! I'm just thinking of the roundabout I go round on my way to work and I'm pretty sure there is a dashed line section between the right and left lanes as you come off? So you're forced to leave in the right.

Reply 7

It's****ingWOODY

Original post by LavenderBlueSky88

Yeah, you get some that have their own rules, makes you wonder why sometimes haha. In general though, if there's a tricky one in your area that's on the test routes then any good instructor should teach their pupils how to deal with it. I also often see if as safer to come off in the right lane if you're already in the right lane of a roundabout, rather than trying to move over to the left as you come off and potentially encountering some bellend that decided to join you on your left as you passed the last exit.

But yeah, during a test my instructor when I was always said that you should always come off in the left lane (following a quick mirror check to make sure it's okay to move over) otherwise if you're undertaken you'll get a Serious for obstructing the flow of traffic. Worst case scenario, someone would have joined you on your left, you can't move over, so you'd better speed up as you take your exit to avoid being undertaken and move into the left lane before the other car speeds up, might still get a serious fault if not done correctly but stopping on a roundabout is also a serious fault. So in other words, if you're on your test you'd better hope you don't get into this situation as it's a tricky one to handle :lol: