Roundabouts. Few intersections are quite as divisive as the roundabout. Either people love them or they hate them. Personally, I love them. They're a lot safer than intersections with stop signs or traffic lights, and I can get where I want to go faster because they create a constant flow of traffic. They also just feel faster because you haven't usually got to stop. Even if you do, it's typically for less time than you would be at a traffic light.
While it's possible that some experienced roundabout drivers do dislike them, a lot of the hate comes from people just not knowing how to drive in them properly. If you don't drive in roundabouts regularly, it's a good idea to know how. They're extremely common in Europe and Asia and, due to their safety and good traffic flow, are becoming increasingly popular everywhere, even in roundabout-averse countries like the United States. Carmel, Indiana, for example, is known internationally for its huge network of roundabouts. It already has 100 and is putting in even more!
So how do you drive in a roundabout?
Step 1: Yield
Stop at the entrance to the roundabout and make sure that no one is coming. A lot of people make the mistake of trying to wait until the roundabout is completely empty, but you don't have to do that. In fact, it will annoy the drivers behind you, because you could be waiting a very long time, especially when traffic is busy. The whole point of roundabouts is to create a constant flow of traffic, so if you wait too long, you're impeding that flow. Just wait for an opening and go.
Step 2: Choose Your Lane
In one-lane roundabouts, the choice is obvious. But in two-lane roundabouts, how do you choose which lane to get into? It depends on which exit you need. Most roundabouts will have signs indicating which lane is for which exits. In the absence of a sign, the rules are as follows:
1. For the first and second exits, use the outermost lane.
2. For the third or fourth exits, use the innermost lane and move over as necessary within the roundabout as you approach your exit.
3. If you need to change lanes within a roundabout, there are designated spots for this - watch for the dotted white lines and only change lanes there.
Step 3: Don't Stop
The worst mistake I see people make in a roundabout is stopping in the middle of the roundabout and letting people in, thinking they're being nice. It's not. Please don't do this. Roundabouts are designed for traffic to keep moving. If you stop to let people in, the inconvenience you're causing to everyone else in the roundabout far outweighs the few seconds of convenience you're providing to the person you let in.
Plus, other drivers aren't expecting you to stop in the middle of the roundabout, so you could easily cause an accident.
Step 4: Signal
Not everyone indicates in a roundabout, but it's important to do so, both as a courtesy and for safety. To properly indicate, signal just before you exit the roundabout. If you're taking the first exit, you can put on your turn signal before you even enter the roundabout to let those behind you know that you're exiting immediately. For all the other exits, wait until just before you take them.
This helps people who may need to change lanes within the roundabout whether or not you'll be freeing up space in your lane for them to move into as you exit.
Roundabouts on the Left
Roundabouts on the Right
Congratulations! You can now drive in a roundabout no matter where in the world you are!
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