Single lane roundabouts
Introduction

By this point of your training your (P.O.M) moving off from the side of the road and stopping on the left and right  hand side of the road (smoothly), gear changes, clutch control, hill including angle starts and busier junctions should now becoming independent, this includes anticipation, awareness and planning with the road ahead, behind, including reacting to pedestrians and cyclists while driving will also be improving, so it’s time to develop your skill with single lane roundabout.

Agreed lesson is covering :-

On this lesson you have agreed with your instructor you will be working on single lane roundabouts

You will be using incorporating the hazard and L.A.D.A routine during this lesson and on the way to the training location you be from now assessed on your driving skills from previous briefs:-
  • L.A.D.A & M.S.P.S.G routines on junctions and crossroads you approach
  • Nearside to near side and offside to off side then crossing
  • Two second gap. hold back position
  • Meeting , overtaking, adequate clearance when overtaking stationary & slow moving vehicles 
  • Awareness and planning
  • Traffic calming measures
  • Hill/angle starts
  • Busier junctions
Agree level of instruction

Intervention

Agree on what part of the lesson is going to be a instructor-lead-lesson and client-centred-lesson and if it is client-lead agree if the instructor has to intervein verbally and take control of the training vehicle by ether using the dual control, verbally or take the wheel the lesson plan may need to be changed until the fault is fixed.

F.I.S.H

Fault
Implication
Solution
Help

Lesson aims and strategies

The aim of today’s lesson is for you and your instructor to disuse where the support can be reduced and which areas you have agreed to work on more independently. 
Todays briefing will be using the L. A. D. A and M.S.P.S.G routine's on the approach to single lane roundabouts and working out the timing of gaps on roundabouts. These routines will be broken down to help you develop your skill to organise your lane positioning, negotiate gaps when approaching different types of single lane roundabout. 

Risk responsibility objective's

You and your instructor will agree lesson plan support to ether:-
  • Full talk through
  • Prompt 
  • Independent
This is important to ensure that the instructor and student understands who has the main responsibility on the control of the training vehicle on the set lesson plan.

Your level of instruction will be given by your instructor to a level to suit you from full talk through then reducing your support to either prompt or independent.

Subject brief

All roundabouts are designed to keep the traffic flowing in a clockwise direction (in the UK).  
Always give way to traffic already on the roundabout approaching from your right.  
Maintain lane discipline (on multiple lane) around the roundabout while anticipating the actions of other drivers and in particular those two wheels and larger vehicles.
Highway code rule 184

Approaching a roundabout


All drivers need to be constantly scanning the roads for road markings, road signs and adapting their speed and road/lane position as and when needed.  The strategy here is to look ahead for relevant sign information Look, Assess, Decide & Act (L.A.D.A).   As a rule of thumb on a 30MPH road and the road is flowing you would potentially come of the accelerator pedal a lamp post before the information sign


M.S.M routine


Start your hazard routine and your lane change for the direction you are planning to take at the round sign (10/12 car lengths from the roundabout). 

Roundabouts can be open or closed (so L.A.D.A early so you can assess the flow of traffic on the roundabout as your approach). 

The purpose of early planning is to give you the time to adjust your speed (usually 2nd gear) so if possible you can safely merge into a gap on your right without stopping. 

Observations on the approach

Some drivers approach roundabouts as though they are approaching a give way or stop and only take observations at the last minute or give way to the left and right. Consequently vehicles behind may end up running into the back of them as they wouldn’t expect them to stop if the way was clear.   
Therefore don’t make this mistake and do not assume that the vehicle in front will proceed even if the way is clear. 
Keep observing ahead and right while approaching a roundabout (at least three times), also know how close the vehicle is behind you. Nobody knows how skill of the driver is in front of you so always maintain your 2 second safety gap.

Understanding a roundabout sign

Address the roundabout sign as a clock face, so you’re always approaching from 6 o’clock, ahead is 12 o’clock, left is 9 o’clock and right is 3 o’clock.
When approaching a roundabout you may be faced with vehicles from your right which you need to give way or stop for. All vehicle (road users) give way to their right as they has priority. 
So let’s break it down and use the L.A.D.A and the HAZARD routine on the approach to gain information with what’s coming towards you.

when your the 1st vehicles in a que of traffic:-

Turning left (9 o'clock, 1st exit)

Start the hazard routine, 12/10 car lengths away from the roundabout (roughly the roundabout sign).
● Mirrors interior mirror and left door 
● Signal left   
● Position close to the left, just over a drain width
● Speed to be reduced (OPEN JUNCTION IS A WALKING PACE) 
● Gear on the approach 2nd gear if clear and an open view or 1st gear if closed and you have to stop (CLOSED IS A CRAWLING PACE).

Planning

Look, Assess, Decide & Act on the approach to see if it’s an open or a closed junction and to anticipate parked cars, pedestrians and cyclists on the approach to the roundabout.

Reference point

Just like when your stopping at the end of the road use the technique but instead of putting your wing mirror on the white line put the wing mirror on the centre island.
Straight ahead (12 o'clock, 2nd exit)

When you are going left or straight ahead always proceed slightly to the left (unless road marking or signs tell you otherwise). Again start the hazard routine,  12/10 car lengths away from the roundabout.  

● Mirrors (check all 3) 
● Signal (no need to signal at this point however your brake lights will be your signal to start with)   
● Position centre of your lane 
● Speed to be reduced (OPEN JUNCTION IS A WALKING PACE)
● Gear on the approach 2nd gear if clear and an open view or 1st gear if closed and you have to stop (CLOSED IS A CRAWLING PACE).

Planning

L.A.D.A on the approach to see if it’s an open or a closed junction and to anticipate parked cars, pedestrians and cyclists on the approach to the roundabout.

Reference point

Just like when your stopping at the end of the road use the technique but instead of putting your wing mirror on the white line put the wing mirror on the centre island.

Timing of signal to leave

Once you are on the roundabout and once you get to 9 o’clock check your:-
  • Mirrors interior mirror and left door 
  • Signal left   
Turning right (3 o'clock, 3rd exit)

When turning right at a roundabout position your vehicle slightly more to right hand side. Again start the hazard routine, 10/12 car lengths away from the roundabout. 

● Mirrors Interior/nearside door mirror right
● Signal right 
● Position next to the centre line
● Speed to be reduced (OPEN JUNCTION IS A WALKING PACE)
● Gear on the approach 2nd gear if clear and an open view or 1st gear if closed and you have to stop (CLOSED IS A CRAWLING PACE).

Planning

L.A.D.A on the approach to see if it’s an open or a closed junction and to anticipate parked cars, pedestrians and cyclists on the approach to the roundabout.

Reference point

Just like when your stopping at the end of the road use the technique but instead of putting your wing mirror on the white line put the wing mirror on the centre island.

Timing of signal to leave

Once you are on the roundabout and once you get to 12 o’clock check your:-
  • Mirrors interior mirror and left door 
  • Signal left   

Rule 187 is very important


In all cases watch out for and give plenty of room to:-

  • pedestrians who may be crossing the approach and exit roads
  • traffic crossing in front of you on the roundabout, especially vehicles intending to leave by the next exit
  • traffic which may be straddling lanes or positioned incorrectly
  • motorcyclists
  • long vehicles (including those towing trailers). These might have to take a different course or straddle lanes either approaching or on the roundabout because of their length. Watch out for their signals.

Observations approaching and leaving a roundabout


Always plan your approach when coning up to a roundabout and also look out for


  • Pedestrians who may be crossing the approach and exit roads
  • Traffic crossing in front of you on the roundabout, especially vehicles intending to leave by the next exit
  • Traffic which may be straddling lanes or positioned incorrectly
  • Motorcyclists
  • Cyclists
  • Vehicles towing trailers)
  • HGV's

Towers and HGV's might have to take a different course or straddle lanes either approaching or on the roundabout because of their length, watch out for their signals.

Highway code rule 187

Multiple roundabouts


At some complex junctions, there may be a series of mini-roundabouts at each intersection. Treat each mini-roundabout separately and follow the normal rules.

Highway code rule 190
Awareness and planning

On the DL25 marking sheet there are a couple of section you need to be aware off called JUNCTIONS and PROGRESS (highlighted in the picture below).  At roundabout and junction and you can be marked down with a minor, serious or dangerous fault APPROPRIATE SPEEP AND UNDUE HESITATION, hers the breakdown what the marking sheet states

Progress
You were marked on:

Appropriate speed - your ability to drive at an appropriate speed for the road and traffic conditions
Undue hesitation - your ability to maintain progress, and not hesitate and slow down when you did not need to

You should have driven at a speed appropriate for the road and traffic conditions, without holding up other road users. Your examiner will have monitored this throughout the test.

Examples of faults
Some of the most common faults for this area include:
  • Not emerging from a junction when it is safe to do so
  • Driving too slow unnecessarily, holding up following traffic
  • Driving well below the speed limit on clear roads
  • Waiting unnecessarily for another road user to pass who has clearly given way to you

Your examiner will explain the specific details of any faults you made.

How you can improve in this area
If you made faults in this area during your test, or if you want to improve in this area, you should:

  • Check rule 146 of The Highway Code
  • Read pages 254 to 261 of ‘The Official DVSA Guide to Driving: the Essential Skills’ (2022 edition)
If you need to rebook the test, spend time practising this skill with your driving instructor or supervising driver. You could work on:
  • Keeping up with the flow of traffic and making confident decisions when emerging
  • Driving in different weather conditions
DL25 marking sheet for driving test

Planning and strategy


Most roundabouts are open and you can see the opposite side (12 o'clock) of the roundabout quite clearly most of the time, so by the time you are 6 white lines from the roundabout you should have a clear picture in your mind to see how busy the roundabout you are approaching is from ahead and from your immediate right.


Timing on reducing your speed (based on a 30mph road)


When travelling at 30mph use a land mark such as a lamppost (as lampposts are roughly 30/50M apart from each other) and only if it is safe behind you come off your accelerator to see how much speed you naturally reduces you will be surprised, it will be roughly 5MPH.

Also try it at 40/50/60 and 70MPH.


If you use this rule of thumb - A roundabout sign is roughly double your stopping distance from the roundabout you are approaching it, use the roundabout sign as a slowing down template. 

However we start learners to come off the gas pedal a lamp post from the roundabout sign, so by the time you get to the roundabout sign you are roughly 25MPH and have more time to read the road (L.A.D.A routine). Then when you are at the roundabout sign (6 to 8 car length) where the hazard white road marking start the hazard routine (M.S.P.S.G.(L)).


Who do you give way to on a roundabout?


All vehicles give way to their immediate right, so your right will have to give way to their right, their rights gives way to their right and your left gives way to you.


Mechanical shield


While approaching a roundabout look ahead and left to see how busy the roundabout is at 12 o'clock and 9 o'clock. The reason for this planning as that vehicles approaching from ahead (12 o'clock) or from the left 9 o'clock can become a mechanical shield if you work your approaching speed and gear on the approach. 


Diagram 1


For example in diagram 1 (below) you can see on the right (3 o'clock) an orange vehicle is roughly the same distance from the roundabout as your learner vehicle. 

Ahead is a blue vehicle, but on the immediate right of you is a green vehicle and they will be on the roundabout before you get 2 car lengths to the roundabout give way line and you can see that it has a right indicator on. 


With this level of planning you know the blue vehicle by law has to give way to their right and by the time the orange vehicle gets to the white give way line it will also have to give way to the green vehicle as it will know be on their immediate right. 

So unless the green vehicle goes all the way around the roundabout you will have an opportunity to keep on flowing.


In diagram 2 the green vehicle has indicated to leave to the road you are emerging out off. We call this a blocker vehicle or a mechanical shield, with this type of planning you will reduce your hesitation.

Diagram 1

Diagram 2

Misleading signal


Unfortunately you will also get the drivers that do not indicate correctly so looking at other tells can help you.

  1. Look at the drivers hands are they moving the steering a lot? If the driver is coming from 12 o'clock and travelling to 6 0'clock (your direction) they will only need to move the steer slightly.  But if they are travelling around three quarters round (past out exit) they will steer more.
  2. Look at the front wheels, are the looking like they are being moved more that needed?
  3. Look at the front end of the vehicle, are you seeing more front end and even the passengers (nearside) wing mirror?
  4. Is the driver looking at you?  That's normally a tell that the driver is making an error or has a faulty indicator(s) on their vehicle and hoping your going to react in a safe manor?
Gaps at a roundabout

When your negotiating gap at a junction you need 6/8 car lengths when crossing into a junction, emerging left out of a junction you need 12/16 from your immediate right and the same when your emerging right from behind. However when approaching a roundabout the timing at slightly different as everyone has to give-way to their right. If your at the white give-way line of the roundabout the car on your right has to be 2/3 car lengths from the line to know it is safe for you to proceed.

Ripple effect

When teaching this topic it hard for student to know if it is safe to go
  1. Learners don't know if they have enough time to safely make progress
  2. Learners struggle (to start with) with other vehicles lane position
With the above information about gaps think of it like a ripple effect when you throw a pebble into the water. Then think of it like zones (1, 2 and 3) Below is the method in a diagram form.

Red zone - at the give-way line


Amber zone - 2 white lines from the give-way line


Green zone - 4 white lines from the give-way line


Then between the red and amber zone is area 1

Between amber and green zone in area 2

Green zone is area 3


Think of this all the way around the roundabout.

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    Single lane roundabout

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    Red zone

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    Amber zone

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    Green zone

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    Split each exit's into three zones

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    1, 2, 3

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    1, 2, 3

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    1, 2, 3

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The immediate right (3 0'clock)


Now if your in zone 3 travelling towards the roundabout and the amber vehicle on your immediate right is in zone 3 at the same point as you, you are more than likely have to give way to that vehicle.

However if the vehicle is further back (say 2/4 white lines) before the green line it will be safe for you to continue.

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    Safe to go

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    Unsafe to go

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Ahead (12 0'clock)


The vehicles on your immediate right (3 0'clock Orange vehicle) will be effected by their immediate right (blue vehicle).


When approaching any round about the road immediately ahead (12 0' clock) and to the left of you (9 0' clock) can help you to continue  if you are planning for a safe gap to emerge.

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With the above information I hope this can help you structure you approach to roundabouts, good luck with the next topic as you will be looking at 2 lane roundabouts.

Teaching & Learning Strategies

Like mentioned earlier every student is induvial and each and everyone of you will progress at different rates so driving will adapt their lesson plan to help you achieve your driving goals.

  • Your driving instructor will adapt their teaching style to suite your ability and ability
  • Your driving instructor will continue to encourage you on your lesson and analyse any problems made and allow you to take responsibility for your own learning goals by giving you technical information to improve your techniques. Your technical feed back from your instructor will be ether given on the move or if feel needed by pulling you up on the side of the road somewhere safe, legal and convenient.

Rote learning (WikipediA)

Rote learning is a memorization technique based on repetition. The method rests on the premise that the recall of repeated material becomes faster the more one repeats it. Some of the alternatives to rote learning include meaningful learning, associative learning, spaced repetition and active learning.


At the end of your lesson 

At the end of your lesson you will have a debrief with your instructor giving you the opportunity to reflect on your performance on your lesson then you can set up new goals for your next driving lesson.

This will also give you the opportunity to research any new topics that will be brought into on your next agreed lesson. So remember your instructor is there to HELP you, so on your driving lesson if you have any uncertainties or need anything rewording or recapping to make things any clearer, just ask.