Round about rules and being followed

SmokeDarKnight

Author Level
Got followed home last night but some gentleman who claims i was in the wrong at a round about and caused him to do an emergency stop on Haudagain roundabout, apparently voted the UK's worst round about, never had a problem on it myself until

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Driving home from college last night traveling North on North Anderson Drive towards Mugiemoss Road, i approached the middle lane of the 3 lane round about to go strait on, 12 O'Clock, onto Mugiemoss Road which is single lane.

A second car pulled up along side me and we were both waiting for our window to go. You can go strait on on the Right hand lane i would like to point. We both went round the round about at the same time and both accelerated to exit at the same time.

To which the second driver slams on his breaks toots his horn and then follows me to my destination. Where verbal confrontation starts.

I instantly start by telling him that, "That was close" and he goes of on one saying he was "in front of me and he had right of way."

My response being, "I was in the middle lane which has right of way, The arrow on the other side of the round about shows that your lane is to merge into mine. You were technically overtaking"

To which begins a to and fro of who was right and wrong, it only lasted 3 minutes in which i said "If you have a problem my registration is on the back of the car and to take it up with the police" He then just started referring to me as a female body part about 7 times, got in his car and left.

I never became rude and personally would never dream of following someone to confront them unless there was contact with the cars.

I was shaking, not with fear or anger, it was weird, i just hate confrontation.

Of all the times I've been cut off etc you just get on with it.
 

steaky360

Moderator
Moderator
That roundabout is terrible. Far too small for the level of traffic going over it. Did you get his licence plate? I'd inform the police anyway to be honest, obviously not necessarily lodging a complaint but explaining that he followed you home etc. etc. They'll probably ask why you didn't 'let' him overtake though (assuming you saw him in the right lane, from your description of events I'd say you knew) - Now I'm not saying you should have and as you pointed out, the right hand lane does filter into the left. I'm not 100% on whether that constitutes you having right of way though, I vaguely remember something about "zipping" in situations like that (one car from the left, one car from the right etc. etc.) and I suspect it would depend if his car was definitely in front of yours. Of course, if he knew that he should have slowed down so he didn't have to e-brake.

Solution = faster car :D
 

SmokeDarKnight

Author Level
Yeah been reading up about it and its a bit vague. Some say left lane some say in front.

My cars pretty nippy and we were side by side so if it came to it i guess it would be up to the court to decide, there must be CCTV on that roundabout. He could have just waited patiently the road wasn't busy he just wanted in front in my opinion.

Didn't get his plate.

I just want a hug really LOL :D
 

steaky360

Moderator
Moderator
I just want a hug really LOL :D

man-hug.jpg


I don't think its as simple as that though, if it went to court and it was decided you sped up to 'not' let him in, that's not good either lol. Fortunately, its not going to court. Shame about the plate though, should have followed him home see how he liked it hahaha.
 

tom_gr7

Life Serving
he sounds like a right douchebag... Doesn't sound like you were in the wrong to me.

Shame you didn't get the registration plate, could have been one of those roundabout insurance scams every man and his dog are doing nowdays.
 

SmokeDarKnight

Author Level
he sounds like a right douchebag... Doesn't sound like you were in the wrong to me.

Shame you didn't get the registration plate, could have been one of those roundabout insurance scams every man and his dog are doing nowdays.

Thanks Tom, i cant believe its got to me. Keep watching the window at work for the police to show up.

He seemed fine except the language, suit and tie just like myself but rush hour home traffic rubs people up the wrong way.
 

tom_gr7

Life Serving
Thanks Tom, i cant believe its got to me. Keep watching the window at work for the police to show up.

He seemed fine except the language, suit and tie just like myself but rush hour home traffic rubs people up the wrong way.

He wouldn't go to the police, think about it objectively. Would a person tell the police that they had a near miss and proceeded to follow them home? lol, not likely.

I wouldn't worry mate, its done now. He probably just went home and moaned about it.
 

gaaron

Silver Level Poster
I hope your nerves are better today. It is horrid, even when being in the right, how things like this affect you. No need to worry re the Police as tom_gr7 has explained.
 

SmokeDarKnight

Author Level
I am better today thanks gaaron much appreciated.

Im not bad now at all, just reliving it in my head, things i should have said could have said etc etc...

Its the same with any road incident really. It could have been a lot worse if we had made impact. But then that's why we pay for insurance its the confrontation that got to me more.
 

D1craig

Enthusiast
Roundabouts are just accident hotspots lol. I'm a bus driver and have been for five years. I can count the number of times I have seen other road users indicate on roundabouts on one hand.

It's obvious for anyone that doesn't have some lesser brain function that the left lane can go half way around or less and the right lane can go halfway around or more. People think that they can go wherever they want in any lane. When comig off you indicate. When go past halfway around you indicate.

Round about cameras would be good. Wouldn't even need to tax wages if you got a £60 fine Everytime you didn't indicate or used the roundabout wrong.

EDIT - when someone decides they are going to overtake you it should not affect your driving in the slightest they need to be sure they can complete the manoeuvre before they start it.

The shakey feeling was your adrenaline getting you ready for the fight and then not having to be used. The heart beats so fast it makes you feel shaken lol. Some people think it is them being scared but it's not.

I am considered a professional so if I have an accident even not my fault my employers say "you should have seen it about to happen and avoid it". I only got taught how to drive a bus and deal with passengers. Never done anything to make me a better driver than someone who took a normal driving test. Everyone should be treated the same. No one is a better driver than others they all have to pass their test.
 
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ragingwhisky

Bronze Level Poster
Similar experience to the OP - didn't follow me back however.

In a nutshell: 2 lanes merging to one on a roundabout exit - inside lane driver has right of way as they were on the roundabout doing the "longer maneouvre" and it will be the responsibility of the "new" outside lane driver to recognise that you aren't planning on going around the middle of the roundabout all day but instead plan to come off - to be aware of this is both driver and logical common sense!

As for the joyous Haudagain roundabout (originally from Aberdeen), I'm well aware of the exit you speak of and you have full agreement that your aggressive "friend" was in the wrong.
 

mantadog

Superhero Level Poster
I was going to revive this thread a while back to say I'd had a similar experience just a couple of miles down the road (Bucksburn) (One in front of McDonalds for the local folks :)) but as it was long dead I didn't bother. Now its been revived I think I will, just because I'm that kind of guy!

I exited a roundabout into the right hand lane heading back towards the propeller garage (again for the locals :)) You can take a good speed off it so your already doing 60-70% of the speed limit. It's like 8pm, so little traffic on the road. I saw a white van come screaming off the roundabout behind me but even before id had time to indicate back into the left lane he went for the undertake , so as I put on the indicator he decided to beep and flash his lights as he is pretty much committed to the undertake. So I gave him a flash (something I don't normally do) but in hindsight im glad I did.

Now what happened next is not something I would say I'm proud of or ever deliberately try to do but it happened so here it is.

Anyway not 300 yards up the road is another roundabout so he stops and decides to get out as im approaching. I'm now thinking "hope he doesn't have a van full of angry builders..." Now with him standing in the road I don't have much choice but to stop.

At this point I should also point out I'm a big boy, not something I ever, ever use to intimidate people as that is not my nature, but none the less its fairly obvious I'm a big boy.

Picture a short ish angry 30 something bloke obviously infuriated that someone had the cheek to 'flash' him for a crazy undertake slowly realise what is climbing out of the drivers side. Walking backwards saying what your going to do to me, getting in and then locking your door isn't impressing anyone.

Moral of the story is, don't be intimidated. I'm sure that guy was hoping for a mother with a couple of kids in the back, that way he would get his power trip. You show any uncertainty and they will use it against you to make you feel in the wrong, I'm sure some people truly believe they are in the right in these situations but stalking someone or stopping them in an overtly aggressive manner just doesn't cut it with me in afraid.

Anyway, as you were...
 

ragingwhisky

Bronze Level Poster
As someone of 6'3" stature - I applaude your strategy......I also seem to be getting a weird vibe that there are far too many folk from north east scotland on this forum.

Just checked the site - confirmed wakefield so definitely not geographically explained.

Coincidence or are my brethren just invading and no-one told me :)

And to make this post relavent - "Magic Roundabout" - my god....what a rush.
 

mantadog

Superhero Level Poster
indeed the percentage of representative from the north east of Scotland, particularly Aberdeen is quite amazing. I think you could throw a net over at least 4 or 5 of us, but my theory is that us being scots just like to save people money....
 

DeadEyeDuk

Superhero Level Poster
Its not that there are that many people from NE Scotland here...its just the ones that are here seem to like to tell us about it...all the time...

(kidding! /manlyhug for manta!)
 

mantadog

Superhero Level Poster
You've obviously never met my mother.. 5'4" and 8st of pure Bristolian mentalness.

just to let you know I have just refrained from the obvious joke, but no I have never met your mother :)

Its not that there are that many people from NE Scotland here...its just the ones that are here seem to like to tell us about it...all the time...

Just because you don't live here, stop being so jealous... Cornwall, Pfft i don't see anyone else on here from Cornwall anyway!
 

Androcles

Rising Star
Wouldn't even need to tax wages if you got a £60 fine Everytime you didn't indicate or used the roundabout wrong.

Not going to happen, and the reason it's not going to happen is it's not actually a requirement under the road traffic act to indicate on a traffic island/roundabout.

I had an incident a few years back where i was approaching a roundabout on my bike and stopped because i saw someone coming across, i saw he wasn't indicating to come around the island so thinking he was coming straight across i pulled out only to have him come screaming around and across my front, this caused me to break hard, the bike tilted to one side and i slowly and dramatically fell over, putting my hand out to arrest my fall and breaking my wrist.

Because it was a traffic incident that caused me to go to hospital the police became involved, when i explained what had happened the officer told me that the other driver was not at fault due to indicating on roundabouts only being an "recommended" part of the highway code (hence why their proper name is courtesy lights), not a requirement and that technically i was at fault because i pulled out on him, a week later i got a letter to attend court, i received a caution and small fine but no points thankfully.
 

bigben

Master Poster
Not going to happen, and the reason it's not going to happen is it's not actually a requirement under the road traffic act to indicate on a traffic island/roundabout.

I had an incident a few years back where i was approaching a roundabout on my bike and stopped because i saw someone coming across, i saw he wasn't indicating to come around the island so thinking he was coming straight across i pulled out only to have him come screaming around and across my front, this caused me to break hard, the bike tilted to one side and i slowly and dramatically fell over, putting my hand out to arrest my fall and breaking my wrist.

Because it was a traffic incident that caused me to go to hospital the police became involved, when i explained what had happened the officer told me that the other driver was not at fault due to indicating on roundabouts only being an "recommended" part of the highway code (hence why their proper name is courtesy lights), not a requirement and that technically i was at fault because i pulled out on him, a week later i got a letter to attend court, i received a caution and small fine but no points thankfully.

I would have been livid!
They really should make it a requirement. You get minors in your test if you don't indicate. That said, my work is off a roundabout and the amount of people that indicate either left or right when they are going straight is probably more than the people that don't indicate at all.
 
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