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  • Hello everyone I'm Chris.

  • In this video we're going to have a

  • look at roundabouts, from how to approach them

  • to positioning and when to go.

  • If you often hesitate at a roundabout

  • then stick around as we'll show you when

  • to go and what to look for.

  • We're first going to have a look at road positioning

  • and how to approach a roundabout

  • At this first roundabout

  • we will be turning left

  • it's the first exit.

  • We see the sign for it coming up.

  • We have to give way to the right.

  • We're checking our mirrors to the left.

  • We signal left, looks all clear,

  • going down to 2nd gear and

  • keeping in the left hand lane,

  • checking mirrors again and keeping the signal on.

  • Always signal to exit.

  • At the next roundabout we will turn left and it's

  • the 2nd exit.

  • You can see on this sign

  • that we are coming up from the bottom

  • and we need the 2nd exit.

  • We won't signal left

  • on approach

  • or other road users might think that we want

  • the 1st exit

  • but we will keep in the left hand lane.

  • As we're passing

  • the 1st exit we will check our mirrors

  • and we'll signal left to exit.

  • We're now going to have a look at different variations of

  • following the road ahead at a roundabout.

  • At the next roundabout we will follow the road ahead, it's the 2nd exit.

  • Just like at a crossroads, if you're following the road ahead

  • you'd be in the left hand lane unless road markings or signs tell you otherwise.

  • Again we give-way to the right

  • and now it's very important

  • to keep in the left-hand lane

  • and I really mean

  • keep left.

  • Now we check mirrors to the left

  • and signal left

  • It was very important to keep in the left hand lane

  • as we might of had someone else next

  • to us turning right.

  • At the next roundabout

  • we will follow the road ahead

  • it's the 2nd exit

  • Now this roundabout will have 3 lanes.

  • Again we will keep in the left hand lane

  • unless there's markings or signs telling us

  • any different.

  • The lane in the middle would be used

  • for overtaking if there was a big traffic

  • jam in the left hand lane.

  • Giving way to the right.

  • Looks quite busy, being prepared to stop.

  • When we join the roundabout

  • we need to keep in the left hand lane.

  • Getting up to 2nd gear now.

  • checking mirrors and signal to exit.

  • At this next roundabout

  • we will follow the road ahead.

  • This ones a bit different

  • as it will go into 3 lanes and the sign

  • on the left and the road markings

  • will tell us that

  • we will need the middle lane as

  • the left-hand lane is for turning

  • left only.

  • Now I've got this white van blocking my view

  • so I'm going to creep forward slowly

  • and try and get a better view.

  • Now he's gone and I've got a good view,

  • it's clear

  • and I'm keeping to the left now.

  • I'm watching these vehicles on the left

  • in case they pull out, checking my mirrors, signal left to exit.

  • Staying in the left hand lane.

  • We're now going to have a look

  • at turning right at a roundabout.

  • At this next roundabout I am turning right

  • 4th exit.

  • Because it's to the right

  • half of the roundabout, I've had to

  • change into the right-hand lane

  • I've checked my mirrors and signalling right.

  • I can see my opportunity

  • keeping in the right-hand lane.

  • I'm up to 2nd gear now.

  • Still got my signal on to the right.

  • I'm just counting the exits as I go round.

  • This will be the 2nd exit

  • As I'm passing the 3rd,

  • I'm checking my mirrors to the left, signal left

  • and I'm moving over to exit.

  • Taking the 2nd exit at a roundabout

  • doesn't always mean that

  • you'll be following the road ahead.

  • This next roundabout

  • is a good example

  • where the 2nd exit

  • is actually to the right.

  • As you can see by the sign here.

  • We'll be going towards Shirley.

  • Because the exit is

  • slightly to the right of the roundabout

  • we will check our mirrors to the right

  • signal right and keep in

  • the right-hand lane.

  • As soon as we're passing the 1st exit

  • check mirrors, signal and exit.

  • At this next roundabout

  • We need to turn right

  • 2nd exit.

  • Our exit that we need is slightly to the

  • right of the roundabout

  • and that's why we need the

  • right-hand lane and signal right.

  • We need to be careful not to stop on the crossing.

  • Not only do we not stop on it

  • but we need to make sure it's clear

  • before going.

  • We don't want to get distracted

  • just by the roundabout.

  • The crossing looks clear and so does

  • the roundabout.

  • We're keeping in the right-hand

  • lane and as soon as we're passing the 1st exit,

  • check our mirrors to the left, signal left and then exit.

  • Looking out for the next zebra crossing.

  • You can also use roundabouts as a way of turning

  • around.

  • At the next roundabout we will turn right and it's the

  • 4th exit.

  • So we've changed lanes

  • we need to keep in the furthest right

  • hand lane.

  • Still keeping in the right-hand lane.

  • As soon as we're passing the 3rd exit,

  • check mirrors to the left, signal and then

  • exit.

  • This next roundabout is a little more complicated

  • as it's partly controlled by traffic lights.

  • There's also multiple lanes

  • We have to give-way to the right here as usual.

  • Now we're following the road markings and

  • signs to the A14 east.

  • We could see it written in the road there.

  • This part is now controlled by traffic lights.

  • It's green so we've got priority.

  • Keeping in lane towards the A14 east.

  • Now we're taking the next exit towards the A14 east.

  • We go from one extreme to another as we now

  • have a look at mini-roundabouts.

  • You could say that mini-roundabouts

  • are friendlier than some of the larger ones.

  • Same rules,

  • still give-way to the right,

  • signal the same, you don't have to

  • signal to exit if you don't have time.

  • At the next mini-roundabout

  • we will follow the road ahead

  • give-way to the right, but it's well

  • worth checking to the left as well to

  • make sure that no one is pulling out when they

  • shouldn't.

  • See another sign for a mini-roundabout.

  • Again we're following the road ahead.

  • At the next mini-roundabout, we will

  • turn right.

  • This is a good example of a mini-roundabout

  • that is impossible to go round.

  • Especially if there's a parked car in the way.

  • But, we'll do our best.

  • Don't be afraid to drive on it if you need to.

  • Here we have another example of a mini-roundabout

  • that is again impossible to drive around.

  • Parked cars in the way.

  • We're turning right.

  • Drive on it a bit, especially as this road is so tight.

  • Again, plan ahead as you don't want to get stuck behind a parked car.

  • Don't be afraid to drive on a mini-roundabout if you need to,

  • as long as you try your best to go round it.

  • Now we have 2 mini-roundabouts coming up.

  • We will follow the road ahead at both of them.

  • Treat them as 2 separate individual roundabouts.

  • Give-way to the right.

  • Again, follow the road ahead and it's all clear

  • to the right,

  • which is basically cars opposite.

  • We're approaching those 2 mini-roundabouts again.

  • This time we will turn right at the first one and

  • left at the 2nd one.

  • We're checking mirrors to the right

  • signal right

  • it's all clear to the right.

  • Now we're turning left,

  • check mirrors to the left and signal left.

  • Giving way to the right and it's all clear.

  • This next mini-roundabout is fairly busy.

  • We know that we have to give-way to the right

  • We're turning left.

  • If a vehicle from the left, turns right

  • to where we just come from like this van

  • they will block the vehicles on the right

  • and give us a chance to go.

  • The next part of this video

  • is all about when to go onto a roundabout.

  • You'll have to use your anticipation skills to judge when it's safe to go.

  • Especially on busy roundabouts.

  • I'm going to show you clues to look out for

  • so you won't miss opportunities.

  • We obviously have to give-way to the right

  • but what we're looking for is

  • a vehicle that is going to exit the roundabout

  • to where we just come from.

  • See these 2 cars exiting

  • which gives us a chance to go.

  • But how do we know

  • when a vehicle is going to exit

  • the roundabout and give us a chance to

  • get on?

  • We don't rely on other vehicles signals

  • as they don't signal correctly or at all like that white

  • van.

  • As we can't rely on their signals, we need to look out for other clues.

  • For example where they're steering, their positioning and angle.

  • Let's have a look at some more examples.

  • This next opportunity is a little bit easier.

  • I'm looking at the speed

  • of these cars

  • this blue car is going quite fast,

  • I know he's not going to bother me.

  • Normally if the other car is going quite fast

  • they're probably zooming off to exit.

  • With this next opportunity

  • I'm going to slow the video

  • down to show you how you can look

  • at other vehicles postion

  • and angle to give you a good clue

  • that they're coming off.

  • With this red car, you can see how their front wheels are dead straight

  • there's no way that this car is

  • coming round and bother me, so this gives me

  • a chance to get on with no hesitation.

  • Lets see if you know when to go

  • on this next roundabout.

  • Again, we'll have another bus.

  • It's very hard to tell where this bus is

  • going.

  • But as we emerge further we can see that

  • he's going dead straight and not bothering us.

  • Again I was watching their front wheels

  • Let's slow this next roundabout down.

  • Would you take this next opportunity?

  • Look at their front wheels.

  • Look where they're steering.

  • Whatever you do, don't rely on other peoples

  • signals.

  • Another roundabout.

  • And a little bit busier..

  • Watch their front wheels...

  • Their position and are they speeding up.

  • Great opportunity there.

  • Got to be quick, got to be confident

  • at fast you can pull away.

  • Don't take any dangerous chances.

  • Plan ahead

  • Watch those other drivers, watch their front

  • wheels.

  • Sometimes you get lucky and it's totally clear.

  • These are the roundabouts we like.

  • This next roundabout, there is a car on

  • our right,

  • but because we have more momentum

  • more speed than they do

  • we can get on easily

  • without bothering them.

  • Now we have a zebra crossing to watch out for

  • as well as a roundabout.

  • Once the zebra crossing is clear,

  • we're checking the roundabout

  • the black car was coming off and gave

  • us a great chance to get on.

  • Let's have a look at this next roundabout

  • for that golden opportunity.

  • We're watching this silver car

  • that's coming round the roundabout.

  • And it's at this point that we can see

  • that their front wheels are straightening up

  • and their angle is pointing down where we've just come from.

  • Giving us a great opportunity.

  • Got to be quick, don't want to cause other drivers to

  • slow down, stop or swerve.

  • Let's see if you would take this next

  • opportunity.

  • Make sure that you're comfortable

  • with your ability to pull away quickly onto

  • a roundabout.

  • The last thing you want to do is pull away quickly only

  • to stall.

  • It's a bit tricky to see but we made sure

  • that the van went first, so that we had a good view.

  • We're now approaching a notoriously busy roundabout,

  • called the Chinese roundabout.

  • It's getting late, getting busy.

  • Waiting for our opportunity to go.

  • Which will be this car coming off.

  • Gives us a chance to get on.

  • Keep a look out for the opportunity.

  • Is this car coming off?

  • No, they're coming round.

  • Also look out for vehicles that will

  • give you misleading signals.

  • Don't look at their indicators at all.

  • Use your anticipation skills.

  • This next car is indicating far too early.

  • The white van coming off gives us a chance to go.

  • The next roundabout is in slow motion.

  • I'm going to leave this next one up to you.

  • Look out for the opportunity.

  • 3 cars coming round

  • which ones coming off?

  • Would you of taken that opportunity?

  • Look out for where they're steering.

  • Look at their angle.

  • Also, are they speeding up to exit.

  • All aspects of driving can be dangerous

  • make sure that when you practice roundabouts

  • that you start somewhere quiet

  • and at a quiet time and gradually build-up to

  • this level

  • which is rush hour traffic.

  • Don't do anything dangerous.

  • Here the angle of this car

  • gives me a good idea that they're coming off.

  • Gives us a great opportunity.

  • This next roundabout

  • I will deliberately hesitate.

  • There was an opportunity straight away to get on.

  • Let's see if you spot the next opportunity.

  • That white car came off.

  • Is there another one?

  • Is there an opportunity?

  • Would of been a bit too tight.

  • That blue car?

  • That was a great chance.

  • The 4x4?

  • That was a good one.

  • Look at how fast that cars going.

  • It's always a good indication that they're going to

  • come off and give us a chance.

  • At this next roundabout

  • again I'm going to deliberately.

  • Let's see if you spot the opportunities.

  • There's one.

  • Another..

  • Another opportunity...

  • Another one...

  • Great chance.

  • As usual look our cyclists

  • and pedestrians that might be near the roundabout

  • or on it.

  • This time, our view is blocked by this van.

  • So we need to make sure that we can see behind it.

  • It's all clear and we can go.

  • Wow! That was a lot of roundabouts!

  • We've shown you big roundabouts, mini ones and opportunities when to

  • get going onto a roundabout.

  • We really hope this video

  • has been useful

  • if it has, then please give us a 'thumbs up'

  • like at the bottom of the screen

  • and share your experiences of roundabouts

  • in the comments section below.

  • Don't forget driving is very dangerous

  • so make sure that you get help and

  • guidance from a professional driving instructor

  • and hopefully we'll see you on the next video!

  • Thanks again for watching.

Hello everyone I'm Chris.

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