Interesting, isn't it, how things seem to come around in circles ?
After becoming curious about why almost every driver happily breaks the roundabout rules (in NSW, anyway), I decided to do some research, with these somewhat startling results:
Of 10 work colleagues, 9 said the rule is to 'give way to vehicles approaching the roundabout from the right', the other said he suspected the rule was different, but he still gave way to the right. These people were mainly under 30 years old so, becoming interested in what they were taught I asked 4 commercial driving instructors, with even more interesting answers:
All said they taught all their students to give way to the right, despite the fact that the rules state something quite different, and that they taught their students to answer the theory questions with the correct rule, which is:
"When approaching a roundabout, slow down and prepare to give way to other vehicles approaching or in the roundabout"
A definition of 'in the roundabout' was harder to find, but a
police comment was 'when any part of the vehicle is over the dotted line'.
So we now have a situation where the road rule is completely different from the way it is applied. I know in my local area people approching from the right on a roundabout don't slow down at all, usually speed up, and certainly assume right of way over all vehicles to their left.
I suspect the intended purpose of roundabouts is to smooth traffic flow, and in heavy traffic a vehicle should probably be 'allowed' through from each direction in turn. However, this relies on courteous and unselfish driving, both of which are in rather short supply (in NSW, anyway)
To correct this very strange situation, I wonder if we'll see the rule changed (back) to giving way to the right at all intersections other than at traffic lights ?
Does anyone know how roundabouts work (or don't) in other countries where people drive less aggressively ?