Driving Lessons

That sounds very dangerous to me, are you sure he didn’t instruct you to start signaling left after entering the mini roundabout. If you are going straight over and signal left before entering the roundabout then someone waiting to enter the roundabout or approaching the roundabout on your left will see you indicating and smash into you when you drive straight ahead.

Signal left if turning immediately at the first possible left (ie, before entering roundabout). Signal left about even with that first exit if you are going out the 12 o'clock exit (aka, going straight through the mini).

I like the concept of round-abouts, they keep traffic moving. But I prefer four-way stops as you know where you stand. Except for those people who can't remember if the "go" order for four people who arrive at the same time...

OFFS!! 
I have been wracking my brain over this, and now find out it's a 'Nan-thing'! 

When I last lived in CA, Del Taco used to do 6 tacos for 99cents on a Wednesday night.  That was as exciting as it got.

Heh heh. I actually did explain it farther up in the post stream, several days ago.   But yeah, it's a Nan-thing. 

For whatever reason I am REALLY missing going to the del Taco drive-through. The fries were good (crumbly streaky bacon and melted cheddar cheese, with chopped chipotle peppers), but of all the things to be jonesing for, I would not have expected it to be BCCF. 

I like the concept of round-abouts, they keep traffic moving.

I think there is a level of Brownian motion envolved. At a certain point, round-a-bouts become unworkable. With a traffic light system, until someone blocks the intersection, it can function.

I think there is a level of Brownian motion envolved. At a certain point, round-a-bouts become unworkable. With a traffic light system, until someone blocks the intersection, it can function.

Maybe in theory but I agree with Nan. Roundabouts are far, far better at keeping traffic moving.

I've always understood that signaling is unnecessary on a true mini roundabout if you are going straight.  It's got to be more confusing, I would think the person is doing a u turn

Yeah, I thought that, too. Signaling while going through makes so little sense!   But the D.I. insists that if one goes "by the book" you signal if going off the roundabout at 12:00 after passing an exit at 9:00.  Because a mini-roundabout has the same rules as a "regular" roundabout.


Yep. Treat them just like regular roundabouts -  https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/using-the-road-159-to-203

I'll have to remember that, it will be a "minor" fault if I forget to signal.

OMG how i hated driving lessons!
I would never in a squillion years use my indicators if if was going straight on through a roundabout!!!
This seems completely stupid! (No idea how I passed my test!)

OMG how i hated driving lessons!
I would never in a squillion years use my indicators if if was going straight on through a roundabout!!!
This seems completely stupid! (No idea how I passed my test!)

Guess it depends on when and where you took your driving test - maybe it was something that wasn't looked for as much and didn't come up in lessons at that time. For example, my father in law took his test around 20 years ago and purposefully picked Gainsborough for the test site since they had no roundabouts at the time. I also have a friend who passed her test on the first try, but she went to Skegness because it was meant to be an easier test at that time.

My husband was baffled when I told him about the use of sat nav nowadays, and that they have eliminated the "reverse around a corner" manoeuvre. To be honest, this is the first time I've heard about signalling on a mini-roundabout, but that's probably because my instructor and I have not gone on a mini just yet. Although he did throw me in the deep end by taking me through a spiral roundabout on my first lesson. 

Oh, God, the idea of reversing around a corner just gives me willies!  :oThere is no freaking reason to reverse around a corner! Just go around the block! Same with banging a u-turn in the middle of a busy road. I cannot begin to even think about doing that. Then again, reversing into a parking bay is completely alien to me.  Doing that in the States might put the exhaust over a grassy verge, which could catch on fire. (So not normally done.) The parking lot at my University would ticket cars backed into parking spots, even if there was no combustible material under the car.

Oh, God, the idea of reversing around a corner just gives me willies!  :oThere is no freaking reason to reverse around a corner! Just go around the block! Same with banging a u-turn in the middle of a busy road. I cannot begin to even think about doing that. Then again, reversing into a parking bay is completely alien to me.  Doing that in the States might put the exhaust over a grassy verge, which could catch on fire. (So not normally done.) The parking lot at my University would ticket cars backed into parking spots, even if there was no combustible material under the car.

Funny you say that because I also pointed that out to my instructor that reversing around a corner seemed like a useless thing to cover on a test. We were parked on the side discussing reversing manoeuvres, and he pointed to a drive not far ahead of us and said when they back their car out to leave their home, they will essentially reverse out into the road the same way you would reverse around a corner. But honestly, I can't think of any occasion to use the exact manoeuvre that used to be part of the test.

Funny you say that because I also pointed that out to my instructor that reversing around a corner seemed like a useless thing to cover on a test. We were parked on the side discussing reversing manoeuvres, and he pointed to a drive not far ahead of us and said when they back their car out to leave their home, they will essentially reverse out into the road the same way you would reverse around a corner. But honestly, I can't think of any occasion to use the exact manoeuvre that used to be part of the test.

I use both the 'reverse around a corner' and 'three-point turn' manoeuvres all the time when I'm driving.

My parents live at the end of a cul-de-sac, so I can't leave their driveway without doing a 'reverse around a corner' into the turning space just outside.

And three-point-turns are so useful if you know you're going the wrong way and need to turn around quickly... you can either turn off into a side street and turn around, or if you are already on a small street with no traffic, you can turn right there... or reverse around a corner into a smaller road and then turn the other way out of it.

Yeah, I'm good with three point turns. I just wouldn't use one on a four-lane (two each way) road. Or just a plain U-turn, which I see here happening across the stripes in the middle of the road all the time.

I don't see why you guys are such haters on backing into a space.  I  do it all the time as a preference because I have really poor depth perception.  It's super easy to line up the lines in your mirror and just go straight back. Plus, if you need a quick get away.....

I don't see why you guys are such haters on backing into a space.  I  do it all the time as a preference because I have really poor depth perception.  It's super easy to line up the lines in your mirror and just go straight back. Plus, if you need a quick get away.....

+1

I usually back into parking spots rather than drive in forwards.

+1

I usually back into parking spots rather than drive in forwards.

I hate it because sometimes the aisle between spaces is really tight and it's really difficult to park. But I don't like pulling in or backing in when it's like that. I'd rather parallel park...