Confusion rules at the round about

May 1989

Russian roulette has nothing for sheer unpredictability when compared to anticipating what motorists intend to do at the Ballindinas roundabout outside Wexford town.

‘ The Rules of the Road’ are deadly simple in explaining the correct procedure for indicating at roundabouts. Put in a nutshell, you signal in good time that you intend to leave at a particular exit. But in a survey conducted last Thursday morning, it seems that only little more than a quarter of motorists there actually bother to do so.

In 45 minutes from 8.34 a.m. to 9.19 a.m., 290 vehicles negotiated the roundabout. Of these, a mere 83 obeyed the order to indicate, although not all of these were ‘in good time’, as suggested by the Rules. That’s an indicating rate of just 29%.

Furthermore, not all who indicated did so properly. Some signalled right as they approached the roundabout, only to then take their ‘straight ahead’ exit. Others who had their left blinker on as they entered the roundabout didn’t then take the first exit, as they would do if following ‘ The Rules’. Instead, they continued to the second, or sometimes even the third. Their attitude seems to be ‘I have to exit left from the roundabout at some stage, so I may as well start indicating early!’.

HGV drivers and other professionals such as bus drivers were no better than the ordinary hordes in the indicating stakes.

Some drivers maintain that while they do not always indicate, they make sure to do so when there is someone waiting to come out.

But that does not make their behaviour legal, nor does it show any consideration for those behind them, who would like to know what the vehicle ahead is about to do.

Others claim not to be put out by the undemonstrative behaviour of those whom they share the thoroughfares with.

‘You can always tell where they are going by the way they shape up,’ boast these indulgent folk.

Always? That sounds like the sort of bravado which got the Light Brigade into such trouble.

Surely, it would be a great deal easier all round the roundabout if everyone just played it the way it is laid down in ‘ The Rules of the Road’. Perhaps a public education campaign by the government or the county council would help. And for new drivers, roundabouts could be introduced to the driving test too.