The rules when it’s unclear how a real-life roundabout fits into the simple examples in the Road Code

The Road Code explains the rules of driving simply and clearly, with equally simple and clear diagrams. But real-life can often be more complex and messy.

Many Stuff readers responded to last Saturday’s article on indicating at roundabouts, pointing out that real-life roundabouts were often more complicated than simple examples used in the Road Code.

Several mentioned the Silverstream roundabout in Upper Hutt and how some drivers seemed unclear about how to indicate. We investigated, and what follows is what we found.

READ MORE:
* Roundabouts: Why are we still getting them wrong?
* Roundabout rules are easy – just not for most Orewa drivers
* Roundabouts: Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask

As the picture below shows, the main east-west road – Fergusson Dr – bends in a little at both entrances to the roundabout, with the entry points offset from the roundabout.

In the Road Code, the rule about signalling at roundabouts says: A driver entering a roundabout who intends to leave more than half-way around the roundabout, must signal a right turn before entering.

Upper Hutt resident Mac McKenzie, who often uses the roundabout, said many drivers travelling from Silverstream (to the right of the picture) indicated right as they entered the roundabout, then left the roundabout to continue along Fergusson Dr towards SH2.

Drivers doing that appear to be signalling incorrectly.

Stuff asked Waka Kotahi NZTA to explain how drivers should signal at this roundabout.

This was the advice for drivers moving west along Fergusson Dr (from right to left in the picture above):

If you’re going straight through a roundabout (ie. continuing west on Fergusson Dr):

• don’t signal as you come up to the roundabout
• signal left as you pass the exit before the one you wish to take (i.e. signal left as you pass the exit for Eastern Hutt Road).

So what does it mean if a driver approaching the roundabout along Fergusson Dr from the east (right to left) signals right as they come up to the roundabout?

Here’s what Waka Kotahi said:

If you’re travelling more than halfway around a roundabout (i.e. looping back to head east on Fergusson Dr):

• signal right as you come up to the roundabout
• signal left as you pass the exit before the one you wish to take (i.e. signal left as you pass the exit for Fergusson Dr heading west).

McKenzie said drivers travelling west through the roundabout and indicating right when they were intending to continue on Fergusson Dr towards SH2 could pose a safety risk for drivers turning left out of Eastern Hutt Rd to also go west on Fergusson Dr.

He also thought incorrect signalling led to some other drivers being hesitant to enter the roundabout, and could contribute to delays during busy times.

“I think part of the hesitation to enter the roundabout is the fact they don’t know if the other driver is using their indicators properly, or not,” McKenzie said.

“What you end up with, specially at peak times, is a line of traffic that doesn’t need to form.”

He suggested Waka Kotahi provide more information about how to indicate in situations where roads entering a roundabout are offset from the roundabout.

For drivers travelling along Fergusson Dr from the east then veering left into Eastern Hutt Rd there doesn’t seem to be any room for misunderstanding.

Here’s Waka Kotahi’s advice:

If you’re turning left at the first exit off a roundabout (on to Eastern Hutt Road):

• signal left as you come up to the roundabout.

That’s the situation pictured below.

Below are a few more examples of how to indicate when travelling through roundabouts. They diagrams were used in questions on the Drive website, which is produced by Waka Kotahi and ACC.