Roundabout Close Call

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
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[XAP]Bob
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Joined: 26 Sep 2008, 4:12pm

Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Norman H wrote:Would someone explain, how is it possible to turn right on a roundabout?

Quite hard NOT to turn right for most of the time you are on the roundabout. Turn left to join, left to depart but right to actually use the roundabout.
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
matt_twam_asi
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Joined: 29 Apr 2008, 10:56am
Location: West Sussex

Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by matt_twam_asi »

A post on road safety turns into two pages of pedantry over the degrees of a roundabout.

Only on the CTC forums, folks. :roll:
Mark1978
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Joined: 17 Jul 2012, 8:47am
Location: Chester-le-Street, County Durham

Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by Mark1978 »

matt_twam_asi wrote:A post on road safety turns into two pages of pedantry over the degrees of a roundabout.

Only on the CTC forums, folks. :roll:


hoho! Try the 'SABRE' forums if you want road pedantry ;)
Norman H
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by Norman H »

[XAP]Bob wins the prize.

He wrote

Turn left to join, left to depart


You can't make a right turn on a roundabout.
kwackers
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Location: Warrington

Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by kwackers »

Norman H wrote:[XAP]Bob wins the prize.

He wrote

Turn left to join, left to depart


You can't make a right turn on a roundabout.

I don't get it.

Surely - two lefts don't make a right...
Norman H
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by Norman H »

quackers wrote

I don't get it.


If you're confused try this one.

https://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=51.746549,-0.472648&spn=0.002149,0.005295&t=m&z=18&layer=c&cbll=51.746481,-0.472468&panoid=p23x_BW5g3cgxR_643-aRg&cbp=12,244.62,,0,0

It's in Hemel Hempstead. I believe it was the first of its kind in the country and was quite famous for a time.

You can still only turn left on it though. :)
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BSRU
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Joined: 7 Jul 2010, 9:53am

Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by BSRU »

Norman H wrote:[XAP]Bob wins the prize.

He wrote

Turn left to join, left to depart


You can't make a right turn on a roundabout.


Legally you cannot but I've seen drivers and cyclists turn right at roundabouts, just by going around it the wrong way.
Mark1978
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Location: Chester-le-Street, County Durham

Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by Mark1978 »

Norman H wrote:[
You can't make a right turn on a roundabout.


Which of course is pedantic nonsense. For the majority part of that you are turning right.
reohn2
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by reohn2 »

BSRU wrote:
Legally you cannot but I've seen drivers and cyclists turn right at roundabouts, just by going around it the wrong way.


I turn right at spot r/abouts regularly if it helps other road users and particularly if it's wet and there's an adverse camber should I ride around the spot.There are certain conditions when I won't,especially if there's traffic entering the r/about from my right when I'm already on it who may be expecting me to go around the spot.
Taking the 'short cut' isn't wise in those situations.

On proper curbed r/abouts it'd be stupidly suicidal of course.

BTW Spot r/abouts are a personal hate of mine and IMO ill conceived and much misunderstood by drivers.
They should all be raised tabulated junctions that slows traffic to walking pace,where no one has priority other than pedestrians.
That way straight on traffic is forced to slow to <10mph instead of 'booting it' to beat other traffic through the junction.
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
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BSRU
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by BSRU »

reohn2 wrote:
BSRU wrote:
Legally you cannot but I've seen drivers and cyclists turn right at roundabouts, just by going around it the wrong way.


I turn right at spot r/abouts regularly if it helps other road users and particularly if it's wet and there's an adverse camber should I ride around the spot.There are certain conditions when I won't,especially if there's traffic entering the r/about from my right when I'm already on it who may be expecting me to go around the spot.
Taking the 'short cut' isn't wise in those situations.

On proper curbed r/abouts it'd be stupidly suicidal of course.

BTW Spot r/abouts are a personal hate of mine and IMO ill conceived and much misunderstood by drivers.
They should all be raised tabulated junctions that slows traffic to walking pace,where no one has priority other than pedestrians.
That way straight on traffic is forced to slow to <10mph instead of 'booting it' to beat other traffic through the junction.

Not spot RAB's, full on curbed RAB's, one time at a major high speed RAB on the A45 in Coventry, ironically outside the local police station.
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Mick F
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by Mick F »

Bicycler wrote:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Roundabout_(Swindon)
I've cycled on the Magic Roundabout three times over the years, latest was only a week or so ago.
It's a system with five mini roundabouts surrounding an anticlockwise centre. I think it's an excellent system.

Came in from the west, and out to the south.
Magic RAB.png
Mick F. Cornwall
CliveyT
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by CliveyT »

Mick F wrote:
Bicycler wrote:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Roundabout_(Swindon)
I've cycled on the Magic Roundabout three times over the years, latest was only a week or so ago.
It's a system with five mini roundabouts surrounding an anticlockwise centre. I think it's an excellent system.

Came in from the west, and out to the south

Next time you have to do the same journey but plot a different route around. Maybe one day I'll work out the number of permutations of getting from A to B around there (without circling them all and getting back to the start)
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BSRU
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by BSRU »

Mick F wrote:
Bicycler wrote:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Roundabout_(Swindon)
I've cycled on the Magic Roundabout three times over the years, latest was only a week or so ago.
It's a system with five mini roundabouts surrounding an anticlockwise centre. I think it's an excellent system.

Came in from the west, and out to the south.
Magic RAB.png


I cycle the magic roundabout every day and it's easy.
The only problem with it is in weather like today when it becomes the magic lake with five white islands meaning you cannot see the potholes.
reohn2
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Re: Roundabout Close Call

Post by reohn2 »

BSRU wrote:Not spot RAB's, full on curbed RAB's, one time at a major high speed RAB on the A45 in Coventry, ironically outside the local police station.

:shock:

Though I've witnessed twice now whilst stopped at a TL,a 4x4 Range Rover drive past a long line of 15+ vehicles in the empty turn right lane,then left hook the the lot when as the TL changed to green :evil:
Occasionally I think,if I could just get my hands around his neck I don't think I could stop squeezing :?
-----------------------------------------------------------
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
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