Roundabout near misses

[Snowdrop]

Roundabouts - not that it has happened yet - but on our 2nd near miss and one was a police car 🤣
When on a road that has two lanes each side of a middle section who would be in the wrong here if you are in the left hand lane going straight across the roundabout and onto another two lane section of road and the car to the right of you (next to the pavement) wants to turn left at the roundabout and stays in the right hand lane all the way round the roundabout ??

[PHo]

As I understand it you would be in the wrong. In the absence of give way signing, cars on your right always have priority. There have only been roundabouts on the island for about 10-15 years (we remember the first one) and old habits die hard. The authorities have used campaigns to try and educate people on the proper use of lanes on roundabouts but to little effect so far. As a result, at busy times the queue in the right hand lane to enter the roundabout can be huge, while the left lane is nearly empty.

[tl2222]

There was a diagram in Traffico a while ago, showing how to drive around a roundabout. A cop explained it to me. Imagine the roundabout opened up into a straight line - where are all the exits? They are on the right. So the right hand (nearside) lane, always has priority.
This means that the Spanish will stay in the right hand lane even to turn left and are right to do so. If in doubt, stay in the right hand lane.
Naturally, this is alien to us ex-pats and tourists and this is where the problems occur!

[spitfire58]

Obviously you must observe the different rules in different countries and I have seen video/cartoons of roundabout use for Spain also, showing the direct path across all lanes on a r/a when going straight ahead. In my view though it makes no sense to use the right hand lane (of 2) on the approach to a r/a if turning left (ie taking the third exit). Accident waiting to happen IMO. However I always approach cautiously, as if there are no rules & just assess other drivers as you go.

[Tamkid]

There was a guy who lived on Tamaragua who was fined for approaching and entering the roundabout at the top of the main drag in Corralejo, he was in the left hand lane and should have been in the right apparently, I think he was fined 60 euros, that was a few years back.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

There was a diagram in Traffico a while ago, showing how to drive around a roundabout. A cop explained it to me. Imagine the roundabout opened up into a straight line - where are all the exits? They are on the right. So the right hand (nearside) lane, always has priority.
This means that the Spanish will stay in the right hand lane even to turn left and are right to do so. If in doubt, stay in the right hand lane.
Naturally, this is alien to us ex-pats and tourists and this is where the problems occur!

I remember commenting on the diagram on this forum a few years ago. My interpretation was that it depended on what colour your car was as to what lane you should be in!

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Found the diagram - enjoy  :

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Actually there is quite a good Facebook page called DrivingSpain run by the Guardia Civil Trafico that answers a lot of foreigner's driving conundrums!

[Will196]

That image basically means exit from the outside lane. Right?

[spitfire58]

It is common sense that drivers turning right at the next exit to their entry SHOULD be using the kerb lane if using the second or third exit they SHOULD be in the outside lane. Drivers using the kerb lane to go right around the roundabout are just causing problems. The other way to say that is there is no point in having more than one lane on any roundabout if the kerb lane has priority !! Completely laughable. That is why I approach each one as a minefield, lol 😂

[PHo]

It may be common sense to us Brits, but it not how the Spanish or most other continentals have been taught. Priorite a droite has been around for ever, and in some circumstances makes a lot of sense - at rural unmarked crossroads for instance . Roundabout etiquettew is a bit like queuing really. Common sense to us but anathema to many others, including most Spaniards.

[Johnrgby2]

There was a diagram in Traffico a while ago, showing how to drive around a roundabout. A cop explained it to me. Imagine the roundabout opened up into a straight line - where are all the exits? They are on the right. So the right hand (nearside) lane, always has priority.
This means that the Spanish will stay in the right hand lane even to turn left and are right to do so. If in doubt, stay in the right hand lane.
Naturally, this is alien to us ex-pats and tourists and this is where the problems occur!

I remember commenting on the diagram on this forum a few years ago. My interpretation was that it depended on what colour your car was as to what lane you should be in!

Nice one Tamara

[Johnrgby2]

After following what I assumed was a local {no car hire company badge on the car} a couple of yeas ago from Cottilo to PR, who indicated left at every round about, but went straight on, I mentioned this to a friend who is a local, and he gave me a very lucid reason why they did it, and even claimed that Driving Schools teach you to do it, in all honesty I cannot remember the explanation, sounds absolute rubbish now but was reasonable at the time, the next time i see him I will ask again.

[spitfire58]

After following what I assumed was a local {no car hire company badge on the car} a couple of yeas ago from Cottilo to PR, who indicated left at every round about, but went straight on, I mentioned this to a friend who is a local, and he gave me a very lucid reason why they did it, and even claimed that Driving Schools teach you to do it, in all honesty I cannot remember the explanation, sounds absolute rubbish now but was reasonable at the time, the next time i see him I will ask again.

Ha ha John, that makes it sound even worse !! Mind you, getting a bit like that in the UK these days. A lot of people don`t indicate at all & I constantly see drivers only “slowing” on their approach to a roundabout & just keep edging into the road, had near sideswipes many times from people just not willing to wait half a second !!

[woe10]

Roundabouts: the cause of numerous accidents on this Island. Mostly caused by drivers not signalling that they are going around it.
I've seen it loads of times at El Matorral and the Ikea roundabout when a car travelling towards Rosario has to slam it's brakes on as a car from direction Rosario tootles round without signalling. thus causing a concertina smash.
I once saw 4 taxis smash into each other's backside at the Ikea roundabout because of this. I am now double awear when approaching these roundabouts. 

[zedzedeleven]

Nice to see that four taxi drivers got their come uppance . Might teach them the perils of tail gating.

[dagwood]

It may be common sense to us Brits, but it not how the Spanish or most other continentals have been taught. Priorite a droite has been around for ever, and in some circumstances makes a lot of sense - at rural unmarked crossroads for instance . Roundabout etiquettew is a bit like queuing really. Common sense to us but anathema to many others, including most Spaniards.

Mmmmmm. Least said easily mended.   

[gattaca66]

Put simply, you MUST be fully in the outside/right-hand lane, indicating right, before making your exit. Assuming it's a two-lane roundabout with four exits, if you are turning right or going straight ahead you must enter in the right-hand lane. The Spanish are advised, during their training, to give a 'courtesy signal' with the left hand indicator to advise that they are not turning right (I know, but there you go), then indicating right before the exit they ARE taking.

If a driver 'straight-lines' the roundabout, entering in the left lane, they are, in the eyes of Tráfico, cutting across the outer lane to exit, committing an offence. Have a knock with another car in the outside lane, and you are at fault.

The inner/left-hand lane can be used for turning left or doing a 180 degree, but you must move into the right-hand lane before indicating right and taking your exit. If you cannot move across safely, go around the roundabout again. In practice, it has become common practice even among professional drivers (including police, ambulances and taxis) to stick to the outside lane all the way. It is legal, and you ALWAYS have right of way over a car on your left.

It's different to the UK, but the Spanish were late to roundabouts and settled for the simplest solution, crazy though it may seem.