Jez
Junior Member
This happened to me a couple of weeks ago, but I'm posting it just as something to bear in mind, because I saw a similar situation develop today on a different roundabout with a couple of cars in front of me. It's not something I've given much thought to previously, but now I'll never let a car get parallel to me on a 2 lane roundabout.
The scene was a roundabout with two lanes. The left lane was solid with traffic turning left into a shopping centre just after the second exit (straight on). I was going straight on myself, past the shopping centre, so was in the right lane.
I came onto the roundabout with no problem, pass the first exit to the left, indicator on to show I'm taking the next exit (straight). At that moment a car came from the first exit with left indicator on, as if he was turning into the stream of traffic in the left lane. Except he didn't. He kept going, onto the roundabout in the left hand lane, so was going round it parallel with me. I figured he was going to take the right hand lane straight off, as I intended to. He didn't - he kept going.
I had 3 options. Brake - but I was too far forward and he'd have hit me side on. Swerve right and keep going round again - but I was already edging up against the central reservation to avoid him. Or 3 - hit the gas, swerve and get in front of him. That's the one I chose.
I shot in front of him with inches to spare, flicked the bike left down the exit and realised I was heading for the kerb. I hit it with my tyre sidewalls, bit of a tankslapper, my right foot came off the footrest and kicked the kerb, but I stayed on, slowed it down and regained control. I stopped, looked over my shoulder and he'd carried on driving off down the 3rd exit.
What I was pleased with was that I didn't panic at all. Was just very calm throughout. But nearly came unglued on the kerb after the main danger was past. Maybe the diagram will help explain:
So every near miss is a learning opportunity, right? What have I learned. Never trust a signal. OK, I ought to know that. If your instinct tells you to brake, sometimes that's the wrong thing to do and you'll have to override it. There's probably some cute little roadcraft motto like: "If it's at quarter to three, treat it like a T" - in other words, beware of cars in the left lane of a roundabout continuing round to the right, and never get parallel with them if you are going straight on. Write out 100 times.
Anyway, I came out of it with nothing worse than a stubbed toe (how I don't know) and a couple of scuffs on the sidewalls. Bike was outstanding - went exactly where I needed it to. But I will be far more cautious of 2 lane roundabouts from now on.
The scene was a roundabout with two lanes. The left lane was solid with traffic turning left into a shopping centre just after the second exit (straight on). I was going straight on myself, past the shopping centre, so was in the right lane.
I came onto the roundabout with no problem, pass the first exit to the left, indicator on to show I'm taking the next exit (straight). At that moment a car came from the first exit with left indicator on, as if he was turning into the stream of traffic in the left lane. Except he didn't. He kept going, onto the roundabout in the left hand lane, so was going round it parallel with me. I figured he was going to take the right hand lane straight off, as I intended to. He didn't - he kept going.
I had 3 options. Brake - but I was too far forward and he'd have hit me side on. Swerve right and keep going round again - but I was already edging up against the central reservation to avoid him. Or 3 - hit the gas, swerve and get in front of him. That's the one I chose.
I shot in front of him with inches to spare, flicked the bike left down the exit and realised I was heading for the kerb. I hit it with my tyre sidewalls, bit of a tankslapper, my right foot came off the footrest and kicked the kerb, but I stayed on, slowed it down and regained control. I stopped, looked over my shoulder and he'd carried on driving off down the 3rd exit.
What I was pleased with was that I didn't panic at all. Was just very calm throughout. But nearly came unglued on the kerb after the main danger was past. Maybe the diagram will help explain:
So every near miss is a learning opportunity, right? What have I learned. Never trust a signal. OK, I ought to know that. If your instinct tells you to brake, sometimes that's the wrong thing to do and you'll have to override it. There's probably some cute little roadcraft motto like: "If it's at quarter to three, treat it like a T" - in other words, beware of cars in the left lane of a roundabout continuing round to the right, and never get parallel with them if you are going straight on. Write out 100 times.
Anyway, I came out of it with nothing worse than a stubbed toe (how I don't know) and a couple of scuffs on the sidewalls. Bike was outstanding - went exactly where I needed it to. But I will be far more cautious of 2 lane roundabouts from now on.
