The Student Room Group

Roundabout confusion - 2 lanes in, 1 lane out

Hi all,
I was always told that on roundabouts, you went in the left lane to go left / straight on, and the right lane for anything else.
Today I came up to a roundabout, I was in the left lane, and there were no road markings on either lane. A guy pulls up beside me in the right lane, and we wait until we can go.
He pulls out, so I pull out too, we get to the exit which goes straight on from where we started, but this exit turns out to be one lane. Obviously only one car could then fit in the exit, so I go into it and he blasts his horn as he goes round the roundabout again.

Who was correct here, and how can I prevent that from happening again?
Thanks.

Reply 1

If you were in the outside lane and there were no road markings you were in the right. Not alot you can do about it really...

Reply 2

i assume it wasnt a round about that only had 2 exits ie left and straight ahead? because in that case most people use the right lane for going straight ahead because obviously there is nowhere else to go in that lane.

Reply 3

Generally, from what you've said, I'd agree with t'others, not much more you could have done. If there aren't any markings, you're left with the body language and road positioning of the other driver, assuming there was no indication being given.
Having said that, left lane is for going left or straight on, so the other driver was probably in the wrong, unless as ellie said, there were only two exits. To prevent it, like I said there's positioning but not much else you can really do.

Reply 4

Well I know of a roundabout which you can go in the right lane to go straight on as well as the left, but the exit is obviously two lanes, and this one has road markings showing you this. So I think the guy should have been in the left lane to go straight on and so he was in the wrong.

Reply 5

Yeah, if the exit was like a bottleneck going into the single lane you're kinda obliged to let the driver on your right go before you. But as I think you gathered, you're better off using the left hand lane in, as you'll definitely be able to get off then whereas joining on the right may leave you blocked off if people don't let you in... ****ty explanation I know..

Reply 6

Thanks for the info everyone =).