Many people get confused about the traffic priorities at mini roundabouts

22/1/2019

I'm hoping this is a correct route to suggest a change to clarify the HWC.

It seems to me that many people get confused about the traffic priorities at mini roundabouts. Whilst Rule 185 is fine for larger roundabouts (which is what I think it originally and solely applied to) the Rule states that a driver should " give priority to traffic approaching from your right,......" I believe this statement to be too simplistic for mini roundabouts as drivers are interpreting that traffic joining from the left must give way to traffic that has yet to reach the roundabout.

Dangerously, drivers approaching a mini roundabout and intending to drive straight across, seem to think that, even before they have got to the roundabout, they have some sort of standing priority over vehicles joining from the left, who's wheels have already crossed the give way lines. Also, interpreting the rule literally, two cars approaching a mini roundabout head to head and one car needs to turn right, the rule can (and has been) interpreted that it must give way to the other approaching car, which is also on the right; collisions a commonplace because of this misconception.

My understanding is that once a vehicle's front wheels have crossed the give way lines, that vehicle is technically on the roundabout and has established its priority; others vehicles yet to reach the roundabout must then give way. For example, a mini roundabout that was once a T junction: a vehicle enters the roundabout from the side road but there is another vehicle bearing down from the right but, at this moment in time, has not yet reached the roundabout. Rule 185 can be interpreted that the car bearing down and on the right, that has yet to reach the roundabout, has the right of way, even though it hasn't crossed the give way lines. This would make a nonsense of the concept of the mini roundabout which is to slow down traffic and enable priorities to change according to the position of the vehicles.

I believe that Rule 185 should be amended to clarify that the priorities shall only apply to vehicles that have crossed the give way lines and are now, technically, on the roundabout; if you have not yet reached the roundabout you have not yet established your priority.

Robin

3 Comments

Anne Haymes

14/3/2020 15:04:07

I had an altercation with a bus driver on exactly this issue only yesterday. I was turning left and then right (effectively going straight on) at a junction with 2 mini roundabouts. I had entered the first roundabout but was then caught in a queue to turn right at the second. While I was stationary on the roundabout, a bus entered the roundabout from my right. When the traffic moved forward ahead of me, I followed, but at the same time, the bus attempted to push through in front of me from my right. Given the heated exchange that followed, it was quite clear that we both believed we had right of way: he because he was on my right, and I because I was on the roundabout before him. Who is correct?

Phil Hynes

11/8/2020 11:45:16

I believe Anne is correct and agree that an amendment to clarify the rules would be helpful, together with more publicity.

Adrian Chapmanlaw

8/9/2020 08:19:30

if you treat roundabouts like this then its dangerous.

its safer (no matter the letter of the law) that if you have a car approaching from the right to give way to it.

having one rule for one type of roundabout and another for another type of roundabout is insane.

always give way to the right

Many people get confused about the traffic priorities at mini roundabouts

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