This week I found the following book from the Road Safety Authority in our post box.
Now, since none of us has asked for it, the RSA must have been sending a copy to each household in the county or country. Not a bad idea, given what I daily witness on the roads.
One of the most ambiguous things for me is how the people here indicate, if at all, through roundabouts. The majority of the drivers seem to be under the impression that one should deal a roundabout like a normal crossing. Indicating left if they want to take the first exist, not indicating at all if they take the exit opposite to the entrance, indicate right if they want to take an exit further right the entrance and indicate randomly if the roundabout should have more then 4 exits or the day ends in a ‘y’.
Now the Rules of the road book, the RSA was so kind to send us, has the following to say about on leaving the roundabout.
Page 108. Unless road signs or road markings indicate otherwise, follow the steps below when taking the first exit, going straight ahead or taking later exits off a roundabout.
Making a left turn;
* Signal left and approach in the left-hand lane.
* Keep to the left on the roundabout and continue signalling left to leave.
Going straight ahead;
* Approach in the left-hand lane but do not signal yet.
* Signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.
That is exactly what I learned when I did my driving test in Austria.
However, there is something slightly different when we look at page 110.
Taking any later exits;
* Signal right and approach in the right-hand lane.
* Keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to exit the roundabout.
* Check your mirrors, signal left and proceed to your exit when it is safe to do so.
* Signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want to take.
Okay, to be honest I do not know why one should indicate right, once you are passed the first entrance nobody will know where you entered and where right would have been, but fair enough. The important thing is to indicate left when exiting. Please indicate when taking any exit, not only in a roundabout. Thank you.
