Roundabout Close Call

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
The Mechanic
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Roundabout Close Call

Post by The Mechanic »

Nearly got taken out on a roundabout in Kirkintilloch on Sunday. I was doing a 180 around the roundabout and a guy in a Freelander just came storming onto the roundabout. He screeched to a halt about 6 inches from my back wheel and proceeded to give me a right mouthful. I am not sure what version of the highway code he had but I a fairly sure it must be different from mine. Naturally I made a few helpful comments on how he might improve his driving skills.
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Vantage
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by Vantage »

I was taken out on a roundabout (the Beehive in Horwich for anyone local) about 12 years ago.
They still scare the living daylights out of me.
Bill


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Bicycler
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by Bicycler »

I've always understood that 180 is straight on and 360 is all the way round, effectively a U-turn... If I'm doing the latter and it is an unusual manoeuver for the roundabout in question then I am always conscious that others may not be expecting me to be continuing round. This is particularly the case on smaller and (especially) mini-roundabouts. It doesn't change the responsibility of the driver to give way, but it's best to be wary that they might not.
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BSRU
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by BSRU »

Bicycler wrote:I've always understood that 180 is straight on and 360 is all the way round, effectively a U-turn... If I'm doing the latter and it is an unusual manoeuver for the roundabout in question then I am always conscious that others may not be expecting me to be continuing round. This is particularly the case on smaller and (especially) mini-roundabouts. It doesn't change the responsibility of the driver to give way, but it's best to be wary that they might not.


Surely 0 would be straight on, whereas 180 would mean facing the opposite way, therefore a 360 would mean you'd end up facing the way you were originally facing.
Bicycler
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by Bicycler »

Yep, okay. I'd always thought of it as 90 Left turn, 180 straight on, 270 right turn, 360 U-turn but I see why that makes more sense. So we're definitely talking about a U-turn?
Interestingly the HC actually tells you not to do so on a mini-roundabout (not saying that the OP was on a mini-roundabout):
188: Avoid making U-turns at mini-roundabouts. Beware of others doing this.
Mark1978
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by Mark1978 »

It's not specifically a bike thing, drivers just don't expect people to be u-turning on a roundabout.
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feefee8
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by feefee8 »

Except when that's the only way to get to your house coming from the south.....! No choice, thoughtful road planners.
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Mick F
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by Mick F »

Bicycler wrote:I've always understood that 180 is straight on and 360 is all the way round, effectively a U-turn.
Yep.

90deg to the left, 270deg to the right, 360deg is a U turn.

We have a roundabout in Tavistock that many people do a 360 on, and it's an accepted normal thing, this is due to a road nearby that is a left turn only. I actually think this is a good thing, because drivers are ready for the "unusual".

It's when it's unexpected and unusual that problems occur on roundabouts.
Mick F. Cornwall
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Trigger
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by Trigger »

The roundabout at the end of our street intersects with a dual carriageway, a busy industrial estate and a shopping centre.

When coming home I need to make a right turn and I can pretty much guarantee that the traffic coming from the shopping centre direction always end up throwing the anchors on, or as one did the other day, nearly run into the side of me.

I hate that roundabout, but I am always very wary at most of them that cyclists seem to be low priority for the mandatory give way.
WMarkLancs
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by WMarkLancs »

The only two accidents I've had were on roundabouts.

One occurred when a taxi driver overtook me as I was turning right and he was going straight on.
The other was when a driver pulled out without looking. Turned out to be an insurance salesman too!

When I was complaining about the last one a relative 'defended' it by suggesting that cars have a blind spot behind the screen pillar. Sure they do, and if this is in the direction of oncoming traffic then a driver should move their head!
MikeF
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by MikeF »

This http://goo.gl/maps/VtY2h junction, with a "no right turn" sign, requires all vehicles to proceed to the r/a just beyond, continue all the way round the r/a, and then turn left.
However doing a "U" turn at a r/a is an unusual and therefore unexpected manoeuvre wherever it is, and as a result requires caution by those doing it.

But if you are using a mobile phone it appears you just continue driving round and round until you receive the message of which exit you need! :evil: Or so it seems. :evil:
"It takes a genius to spot the obvious" - my old physics master.
I don't peddle bikes.
ian s
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by ian s »

I always think of the angle of the roundabout that one is doing, have done, etc. In other words, assuming that the roads are at right angles, to turn left one does 90 degrees of the roundabout, straight on is 180 degreees of it it and so on. For better or for worse I do not think of a U turn as doing 180 degrees, but I can understand that some do. As stated previously, there are some roundabout where a full turn is required by design, and many where such an action is unusual enough that caution is required
kwackers
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by kwackers »

If you go straight on you haven't turned at all...

So -90 for left, 0 for straight on, +90 for right, 180 for a U. :wink:
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Mick F
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by Mick F »

kwackers wrote:If you go straight on you haven't turned at all...
At a crossroads, yes.

At a roundabout, the clue is in the name. :wink:
Mick F. Cornwall
kwackers
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by kwackers »

Mick F wrote:
kwackers wrote:If you go straight on you haven't turned at all...
At a crossroads, yes.

At a roundabout, the clue is in the name. :wink:

Not at all. I can on a bicycle go straight over lots of roundabouts without deviating from a straight line so I haven't turned.

In any description of movement doing a 180 will take you back in the direction you were going. Why are roundabouts a special case?
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