About Roundabouts

About Roundabouts

Roundabouts were implemented to allow a steady flow of vehicles rather than the controlled stop/start of traffic at lights (3 minutes for one in Nambour).

They work well with those who understand and obey the rules-based in legislation. Truck drivers generally get it right; car drivers regularly get it wrong.

Misguided drivers think of roundabouts as an intersection, where giving way to the right – or to those on the main road apply. At a roundabout you select the appropriate lane before entering and you must keep the island on your right. The “steady flow” system works when these 2 important rules are indicated and kept.

Firstly, give way to vehicles on the roundabout. Do not force your way onto the roundabout because you are entering from the main road and going straight ahead. The 5-way Cooroy clock roundabout is a great example. Drivers on Myall St leaving the CBD regularly ignore cars already on the roundabout coming from the eastern end of Garnet St and blast a horn as they finally slow – clearly behind a vehicle already on the roundabout. Flow is the aim – not speed! Your speed slows everyone.

Secondly, you must indicate your intention using your indicator when approaching the roundabout. If you intend turning off before halfway around the roundabout, you must use your left indicator when entering the roundabout and keep using your left indicator on when leaving before halfway. If you are going straight ahead, no indicator is required when approaching but use your left indicator when leaving. If turning off a roundabout past halfway, indicate with right blinker when approaching and then once past halfway, use left blinker prior to leaving roundabout.

If you don’t indicate when leaving the roundabout this substantially reduces flow. Drivers cannot trust that a car is going left off the roundabout when the right blinker is flashing. Don’t keep it a secret! Tell drivers that you are leaving the roundabout.

The best example of this locally is the 3-way Beckmans / Eumundi Noosa Rd, especially at school pick-up and tradie knock-off time. Traffic would flow so much better if drivers knew where others were really going.

Here is an easy-read link to bring you up to speed on the rules. Pun intended! Visit: t.ly/ VnSHn roundabouts. For a website that states the legislation visit: t.ly/JXlNo (Part 8, Sections 112 and 118 both have penalties of 20 penalty units).

Janet Millington