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Please help! I have passed my test but still feel that I don’t really get roundabouts. I understand the theory ie to go left stay left, to get off at the last exit stay right etc. But when they have multiple lanes and exists the theory seems to become complicated.

The M40 Banbury roundabout causes me grief. I never really seem to know the right lane to be in and this has undermined my confidence at dealing with all roundabouts. If anyone can help it would be appreciated.

There are four exits and I want to take the third to Banbury. There are two lanes approaching and the arrows on the floor say that I can go in either lane to Banbury.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=banbur ... 13.42&z=14

If I choose the left lane to go onto the roundabout I have to pass over the first exit lanes. I can now only go into the outside lane on the roundabout as there is traffic to my right:

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=banbur ... 26.88&z=14

Now this bit I don’t get. There is often traffic to the side of me but if I continue I will be sent off down the M40. I have to signal right to try and stay on the roundabout and pray that someone lets me in:

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=banbur ... 26.43&z=14

Start again. Through practice I start off in the right hand lane. I have a choice of three lanes to go into. My theory tells me that I should try to keep left. But if I have all of a couple of seconds I can see that the left lane can actually go into the outside lane of the roundabout. So I guess I keep in the middle. This in turn becomes the outside and feeds me off on the third exit, hooray!

I find the arrows on the floor quite confusing. This is another roundabout in Banbury. From the M40 roundabout I would presume that with three lanes you would feed onto the same lane on the roundabout. But with the outside lane only going first left does that now mean that the middle lane should feed to the outside lane of the roundabout and the right lane to the middle?

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=banbur ... 18.35&z=14

I guess I don’t really get why some roundabouts allow the outside lane to turn left or straight on and others just keep left. If there’s heavy traffic it can be difficult to see what is written on the floor.

Any advice about how to deal with these multilane roundabouts with arrows pointing everywhere would be great!

Roundabouts are dangerous places but there's no reason to be irrationally scared of them. Or of tautologies for that matter.

The reason roundabouts are scary is because you really really need to know what is going on around you -- cars are moving across lanes and will be sitting in your blind spot. You need to use mirrors and shoulder checks to know where everything is.

Ideally you get yourself into a position where you aren't running alongside any other vehicle -- and then all the hassle about lane changing goes away. Easier said than done, but not that hard to do:-
- when you are joining the roundabout, anticipate the flow and gaps so that you can roll onto the roundabout alone before other join it next to you. If you can't be first, be second -- let the quicker car go and run next to the space behind him.
- despite your fear, drive confidently at a similar speed to other users -- so that if you achieve a nothing-alongside position you can maintain it
- signal clearly to other road users, and aim to yield roadspace to them if there is conflict.

Typically the lane markings on these roundabouts follow an outwards spiral, broken at the entrances -- confidently claim your lane space and use your horn if you think that other road users are running across lines in conflict with you and haven't seen you. Expect this to happen.

Try driving this roundabout when there isn't much traffic around and see if you can confidently navigate it without the additional pressure. Then try increasing levels of traffic. Don't expect to confidently manage rush hour at the first pass.

And if you see me coming, don't make any sudden moves...

jen01 wrote:Any advice about how to deal with these multilane roundabouts with arrows pointing everywhere would be great!

Banbury roundabouts are especially badly laid out. Often the lanes are marked differently on approach to a roundabout when compared with how they are marked on the roundabout. Often the lanes on the roundabouts are almost impossible to follow according to the painted lines & arrows.

The best advice is to find somewhere else to drive!

Having said that, other roundabouts in Banbury are fine. The worst are from the M40 to the one before Tesco.

In order to manage these poorly designed -- possibly on purpose -- roundabouts you need to have a good picture in your mind about where you want to go, which lanes to use, and then be very assertive at making it clear to other road users, while at the same time being prepared to yield if necessary.

Gareth your response did make me laugh...

"The best advice is to find somewhere else to drive!"

I must admit that sometimes I get off that roundabout thinking I've done it but I've no idea how. After walking through what I would normally do on google maps when I wasn't in such a panic I could clearly see that the M40 roundabout tells you that you can get on in the left lane for the third exit and then shortly later this option disappears. I just thought it was me not getting it!

Hopefully a member of this site will offerto go out with you so you can get some guidance - I would but its a bit far for me

That roundabout should go like this:



Dom