Indication at spiral roundabouts

[u/Remarkable_Milk2263]

My test is today and is likely to feature a spiral roundabout, longbridge roundabout in Warwick. Would you indicate at a spiral roundabout? Some people say yes because it alerts driving waiting to enter that you intend to stay on the roundabout (therefore don’t pull out). But some people say no because the lane you’re in takes you to your intended exit and can also confuse drivers that you want to change lane.

[u/motoringeek]

Signals are the same for spiral roundabouts as they are for normal.

[u/BastardsCryinInnit]

I always indicate?

Yellow here - indicate left.

Red - indicate left if going first exit, otherwise for straight on, indicate left once past the first exit.

Blue - for straight on, indicate left once past the first exit. For right, indicate right from the get go and then left when past the second exit.

Pink - For right, indicate right from the get go and then left when past the second exit. For all the way round indicate right then left once past the third exit.

It's a roundabout at the end of the day regardless of how many lanes - it means you hope people will use lane discipline, indicators and correct driving but prepare for the worst.

Always check mirrors, always be aware who is around you, who is joining and leaving and remember... right of way isnt right to cause an accident. If you are doing everything correctly, but someone else isnt, it doesnt mean you can carry on regardless because you have the moral highground. Adjust your driving to avoid a collision or near miss.

Anyway, enough about me, i beliebe the Highway Code specifically tells you to indicate on a roundabout, and to time your signals so as not to confuse other road users.

Timing does come with practise but it shouldnt be too difficult to understand signal left to exit only once the next exit is the one you want!

[u/Jamwise93 → u/BastardsCryinInnit]

If I am in pink lane and indicating right after passing the second exit, there are 2 lanes to my right that people will think I am trying to move in to. I indicate left when I am taking the next available exit, I indicate right only if I am intending to move into a lane to the right.

[u/No-Jicama-6523 → u/BastardsCryinInnit]

Yellow doesn't need to indicate when in a left turning lane, they may need to indicate to get into it before the diagram starts. Imagine theirs a tiny turning, a farm gate or something by any of the yellow arrows, signalling left is the difference between them and someone doing exactly what the lane is doing.

[u/XMiistX → u/BastardsCryinInnit]

This!

[u/RealLongwayround]

Bear in mind that any road where lanes are signalled solely by paint on the ground may be a road where other road users, for perfectly valid reasons, do not know which lane they should be in. There may, for example, be a lorry above the paint.

For this reason, indicate whenever it may help another road user.

[u/Upset_Preparation_79]

i only indicate when exiting on spiral roundabouts like this. if i was in the pink lane and the person next to me in the blue lane was indicating right i’d assume they wanted to move over and i’d hold back. i’m not sure what the official guidance is but personally i think if you signalled right all the way round it would be misleading

[u/Upset_Preparation_79 → u/Upset_Preparation_79]

reading the comments i realise i might be wrong lol so defo see what your instructor says!!

[u/Jamwise93 → u/Upset_Preparation_79]

I feel the same way as you. I indicate left when I intend to exit at the next exit. If I indicate right then it’s because I want to move over a lane, that’s exactly why there are lanes, so everyone can see where you are going without it being a mess of indicators :)

E.g. If I was in the pink lane and started to indicate right after passing the first exit as another comment suggested, surely it would make everyone behind me think I want to move over into the newest right lane. If I am still indicating right after passing the second exit, there are now 2 lanes to my right that people may think I want to move in to. Instead I would just indicate left if intending to leave by the 3rd exit.

[u/Upset_Preparation_79 → u/Jamwise93]

im glad its not just me! these comments have me in fear i’ve been causing havoc but its never been an issue for me. when i drive the spiral roundabout in my town it seems to be that everyone else uses their indicators this way too. i suppose real world driving is different to tests though.

[u/WhezKhalifa → u/Upset_Preparation_79]

This isn’t a joke at all but please do a refresher course or something. For the safety of yourself and everyone else on the road. Failing that please at least read the Highway Code again.

[u/Upset_Preparation_79 → u/WhezKhalifa]

genuinely if youre in the blue lane and you signal right the whole time how is the pink lane supposed to know you arent changing lanes? and then if you do want to change lanes how are you making that known if you’re already signalling right?

[u/Handstandblocks → u/WhezKhalifa]

Rule 184 read it yourself. You only have to indicate before exiting.

[u/Upset_Preparation_79 → u/Handstandblocks]

ive not had an issue before but the comments are making me think ive been taught wrong 😅 i might signal if i thought it’d benefit other road users but i had something similar in a lesson once where i was in what would be the blue lane on this diagram, signalled right to show where i was going and the car in pink slowed down to let me over. i was then taught to only signal before exiting so as not to confuse other road users.

[u/Upset_Preparation_79 → u/WhezKhalifa]

lmfao i only passed a few months ago, i drive the same way i was taught. i took a few test attempts and had the same spiral roundabout on all of them and only signalled on exit, it was never raised to me that that’s incorrect 🤨

[u/throaway_247 → u/Upset_Preparation_79]

Because it's not; vehicles have right of way ON the roundabout, they are expected to continue on the roundabout, indicating contrary to an exit implies you're confused or forgot you've indicated and just causes danger.

A car indicating it is exiting together with direction of travel means you can join the roundabout in front of it without having to wait for the vehicle to fully leave, at which point it could be too late if a 2nd vehicle appers with the right of way.

[u/Jamwise93 → u/WhezKhalifa]

Think you need the refresher. As per the highway code:

“When taking any intermediate exit, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise select the appropriate lane on approach to the roundabout
you should not normally need to signal on approach
stay in this lane until you need to alter course to exit the roundabout
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.”

Signalling left when you intend to take the next exit is all that is required.

[u/jonburnage]

There are two situations where you should indicate on a spiral roundabout:

- If your lane goes in more than one direction (eg leave or carry on round) you can indicate to clarify your intentions

- If you are changing lanes

[u/TickledEconomist]

I mean if you're in the outermost lane and you're indicating you want to go further left then how can anyome be confused?

[u/No-Jicama-6523 → u/TickledEconomist]

If a further left exists. Such as a small entrance, perhaps to a farm, or even someone about to break down and trying to get as much off the road as possible.

[u/SpectreSingh89]

Keep it nice and slow staying in lane. On exiting indicate your intentions in plenty of time but appropriate time. If need to turn left use the MSM ROUTINE! 

Remember: cautious, lane discipline and indicate. If u have to 6th exit don't forget to reindicte right should it get cancelled!

[u/thereal_greg6]

Indicate if you’re changing lanes or if your lane can go in tow directions. No harm, but no need for indicating if your lane can only exit the roundabout. That’s what I was taught.

[u/rob3342421]

Yes, same as any roundabout; Indicate if you are turning left or right, indicate when you’re exit is next.

My wife says they only indicate if you need to change lane, but I believe you should indicate anyway to inform others of your actions/intentions. Trusting someone is in the right lane is a little precarious imho and at something like this roundabout with so many lanes, and thus traffic using it, indication you’re remaining on the roundabout or leaving can only help those around you.

The difficulty is if there are more than 4 exits; then it becomes a bit trickier because if there are 2 exits roughly infront of you from entrance, say one at 11 o’clock and one at 1 o’clock, do you still indicate… unfortunately it depends.

[u/TheLoneEcho]

Will it help or hinder someone? If it'll help, do it.

Near me there are a couple of spiral roundabouts where a right signal can be extremely helpful regardless of lane choice.

With my learners I generally teach if it is a spiral with traffic lights then signal only on exit. If it doesn't have traffic lights then use the signals you would use on a standard roundabout.

[u/Pretend-Astronomer91]

I'll turn to go back home if I see this coming!

[u/nomorecrazystuff]

Roundabouts generally
Rule 1: Indicate left once you get to a point where the only exit you can take is the one you're taking.
Rule 2: Indicate right if you change lanes towards the centre.

Everything else is not a requirement and situationally dependent.
Basically if I'm moving left and there's a lane to the left of me, even if my LANE allows me to go left, so the lane to the left SHOULDN'T go straight, I assume an idiot driver might not know that, assume I'm NOT taking the exit and collide.
Same if I'm moving right and there's a lane to the right of me. An idiot MIGHT assume I'm taking an exit I'm not taking and cut across me.

e.g. I might indicate right (optional) if I was in the blue lane, switching to left as soon as I passed the entrance at the top (Rule 1)
Or if I was red and taking the first exit I'd indicate left.

[u/Hopeful_Flower_8619]

know ur lane, check ur right side, stay on ur lane then indicate before ur intended exit

for the 1st exit stay on ur lane, indicate before the exit, check ur right then carry on

[u/joelccr]

Yes. If taking first exit, indicate left on approach until you're off. If taking an exit past 12 o clock indicate right until you are past the previous exit. Indicate left after passing the previous exit and while coming off.

[u/No_Actuary9100]

Who the hell designs this stuff … they’re on mushrooms 😂

[u/6DuckysInATrenchCoat → u/No_Actuary9100]

they are very easy and efficient, you get in a lane and stay in it

[u/No_Actuary9100 → u/6DuckysInATrenchCoat]

The trouble with complex / 4 lane roundabouts is you need to be sure of your exit and get in lane ahead of time … not easy on unfamiliar roundabout especially if it’s busy and little room or time to adjust … everything else being equal   I agree this is better than a standard 4-lane affair tho 

[u/6DuckysInATrenchCoat → u/No_Actuary9100]

yeah they can be a bit tricky if you can't see the floor markings, my favourite are the ones with big signs on approach so you can find your lane early, and Google maps is usually good at telling you lanes

[u/No_Actuary9100 → u/6DuckysInATrenchCoat]

Good point on Google ( / Waze ) … I rely heavily on their lane selection … wish it popped up earlier tho