Learning to Drive and Buying a Car

[Jazzy G]

I'm still kind of skint, so the only practice I'm getting in the road is in Vicky's car. We took the dogs to a place called Woofing Woods in Leeds tonight. Vicky drove us there over the motorway, and I drove us back along some really nice scenic a-roads. I think that's the longest drive I've done. Still need to improve being in the correct lane around a roundabout, but I'm getting better at it. It's now usually when there aren't any markings I'll get a little out of order with it. 

I overtook a tanker on a duel carriageway as well. Fortunately it didn't then turn into a deadly game of cat and mouse. 

[hallicks]

Hopefully this won’t add to your confusion, Geofferz, but I have a roundabout question. Is it the case that, if your turnoff is after 12 o’clock (as you face it at the junction), you should be in the right lane, and if it’s before 12, left lane (notwithstanding locally marked exceptions)? Just as I’ve seen people use the left lane to go 2nd exit even though it’s quite substantially after 12 o’clock and basically a right turn. 

Here, you’re on road A and want to turn onto Road C. Which lane are you using? 

[deathrey]

That's what I was always taught by my driving instructor, unless, as you say road markings indicate otherwise.

 

[Chris B]

Depending on the size of the roundabout, I'd imagine either some people go 'the first two exits are left lane" for larger ones, or just don't like sharp turns/are bad drivers for smaller ones. 

[Jazzy G]

I'd probably see what the road markings suggest first, then realise I'm in the wrong lane and somehow create a third lane just for me by driving over the middle of the roundabout. 

[Onyx2]

Genuinely, the Highway Code is excellently written. Especially with regards to phrases 'must' and 'should' as the UK roads are, ahem, inconsistent. 

https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/roundabouts.html

It even says other road users might be being dicks. 

For your query hallicks yes, approach in the right, indicating right, signal left once you pass A.  

Edited August 4 by Onyx2

[gmoney]

One of the issues when you first drive after you pass your test is that about 60% of other road users don't do what they're supposed to, particularly at roundabouts. So it's easy to get confused and unsure. As Onyx says, study the Highway Code and don't be swayed by other people on the road. 

[Onyx2]

I've mentioned it before in this thread but look up Ashley Neal's youtube channel on driving (I believe he's a notoriously bad ex professional footballer? 🤷🏻‍♂️). It gives absolutely solid advice on remaining calm, keeping everyone safe, and giving other drivers space "to make it a non issue". Not a Dwayne Johnson level catchphrase but it's a good one.