Why don’t most drivers know the rules??
Or do they, but just choose to ignore them!!
Roundabout very confusing!
Roundabouts are installed to alleviate congestion and make traffic run smoothly, if the road rules are obeyed and followed. That’s how easy it is, obey the laws, follow the signage, either road signs or arrows painted on the road surface, and the whole flow of traffic would run without drivers’ becoming upset (road rage).
Sign in Goodwin Drive states left lane only.
Bribie Island has a number of roundabouts, probably too many, but they are there and we have to put up with them and every day drivers disobey the rules, either ignorantly or they just don’t care about other motorists and just do as they please.
The main roundabout of contention is the “big one” at the intersection of Benabrow Avenue and Goodwin Drive (the BP roundabout), we all know the one. It is very well sign posted and there should be no problems in executing travel through the roundabout, but alas, I have observed numerous drivers ignoring the signs and making an illegal left turn from Goodwin Drive into Benabrow Avenue from the right-hand turn lane and some drivers do it continuously and as well as that, they do not indicate their intentions. It happens on all four approaches to the roundabout as well.
The following is an extract from Queensland Transport on how to drive at roundabouts:
Who gives way at a roundabout: When approaching a roundabout you must give way to all vehicles already on the roundabout.
Turning left: 1. Position your vehicle in the left lane, unless arrows on the roadside indicate otherwise. 2. Use left indicator as you approach and enter the roundabout. 3. Give way to all vehicles already on the roundabout. 4. Remain in the left lane as you complete your turn. 5. Continue to use your left indicator as you exit the roundabout and 6. Stop indicating once you have exited the roundabout.
Turning right or U-turns: 1. Position your vehicle in the right lane, unless arrows on the road or signs indicate otherwise. 2. Use your right indicator as you approach and enter the roundabout. 3. Give way to all vehicles already on the roundabout. 4. Before exiting, use your left indicator and follow the exit lane marking and 5. Stop indicating once you have exited the roundabout. Never turn right from the left lane unless arrows on the road indicate that you can.
Going straight ahead: 1. Position your vehicle in either lane unless the arrows on the road or signs indicate otherwise. 2. There is no need to use indicator until you are ready to exit the roundabout. 3. Give way to all vehicles already on the roundabout. 4. Before exiting, use left indicator and follow the exit lane marking and 5. Stop indicating once you have exited the roundabout.
These are very simple rules and are self explanatory, YET drivers still ignore them, it’s amazing. Like it says in the rules, there is no need to indicate right if you are going through the roundabout, it only confuses the drivers facing you who think you are turning right, then suddenly you put your left indicator on, and off you go, leaving them a little bit peeved off, because they were waiting to give way to you.
Another big contentious point about the roundabout in question are the green bike lanes between the vehicular lanes. Two of them have right turn only arrows painted on them, that means legally a cyclist has to turn right only, according to the rules. It’s a bit hard on the motorist if a cycle suddenly cuts across him from the left if he is travelling straight ahead. On saying this though, since the roundabout was upgraded I have never seen a cyclist use the lanes.
Since I have been considering a story about the roundabout I have spoken to a lot of people and some of the local bus drivers’ regarding their opinions. They usually say three words, “it’s a nightmare.” Some bus drivers’ have even had vehicles try and overtake them on the left hand side, whilst they are turning right from Benabrow into Goodwin and it’s only luck that they have been noticed by the bus drivers who have to brake to, as they say, “let the idiots past.”
The only sure remedy is to have a police unit patrol the area for a couple of hours a day for a week and fine everyone that commits an offence. No one likes being hit in the back pocket, so it wouldn’t take long before it stopped. There are possibly three offences: 1. Disobeying a traffic sign or marking; 2. Failing to indicate intentions of turning (because most people who do the left turn from Goodwin into Benabrow do it intentionally and don’t want other drivers to know they are about break the law) and 3. Careless driving, because what else could you call it.