Do you ever dismount and walk when turning right at a roundabout?

[presta]

No, the only time I can recall doing that was when I was limping home with a one-sided link in a broken chain, and couldn't afford to accelerate hard.

There's one roundabout that I cross the bypass on to get in and out of town where I've probably had half my near misses, but I feel even more vulnerable trying to dash across the exits on foot. It has a cycle, path but you have to dash across an exit where the drivers' view of you is obstructed by a hedge until the last minute.

I'd say the hairiest roundabout I've used is J8 (Stansted Airport) on the M11, which I have to cross if I want to head west without a big diversion. It's half a mile in circumference, has traffic lights, a bypass running through the island, and varies from 3 to 4 lanes.

There are some where I turn right onto a two-way orbital cycleway to make the right turn more simply with a different conflict that I find easier to manage.

I like Greenstead roundabout in Colchester, it has two way traffic so that you can go the shortest way round.

 

[Slick]

Had a close call today when turning right at a dual carriageway roundabout. It's on my regular commute. As I was peeling off the roundabout, a car decided to join the roundabout in front of me. I shouted and swore at the driver (then apologised to the lady within earshot who was walking her dog). I was shook up with the adrenaline but I'm fine now. Maybe I'll walk it round tomorrow as I've lost my confidence at this roundabout.
Are there roundabouts where you regularly dismount and walk around?

I have thought about it before more than once, and posted a similar thread about one particular roundabout on my commute, but I decided to carry on and concentrate on my positioning and signalling, which seemed to work for me. That said, only you can make the decision as its you that's at risk. Take care.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Had a close call today when turning right at a dual carriageway roundabout. It's on my regular commute. As I was peeling off the roundabout, a car decided to join the roundabout in front of me. I shouted and swore at the driver (then apologised to the lady within earshot who was walking her dog). I was shook up with the adrenaline but I'm fine now. Maybe I'll walk it round tomorrow as I've lost my confidence at this roundabout.
Are there roundabouts where you regularly dismount and walk around?

No, but local roundabouts are fairly small and generally have cycleways around them, and drivers seem to be aware of the crossings and bikes. Thankfully the local motorway junctions have traffic lights where they meet the roads, not big roundabouts.

Over the border some of the French ones are bigger which was a bit unnerving at first, but as others have said I'd be more nervous walking around those than riding.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Are there roundabouts where you regularly dismount and walk around?

No, because there's always a way around a dangerous roundabout
I mean, I would chose a different route, even if it means it's a longer commute.
Mind, I have crossed plenty of iffy junctions as a pedestrian pushing my bike.
I'm not fast enough to accelerate in traffic.

 

[roley poley]

wont do Armley gyratory out of Leeds but luckily the tow path passes under the road and i can come out the other side...the blessing of two wheeled transport

 

[Kingfisher101]

I'd use either the cyclepath or a crossing as an alternative. Some motorists would think nothing of knocking you off and then just driving off and why put yourself in that position when there are alternatives?

 

[I like Skol]

NEVER! But then I can accelerate stupidly fast (confirmed by my cycling peers), am an ex delivery van driver and have balls of steel! Even this doesn't stop someone joining from a fast slip road and nearly obliterating you.....

Honestly I can't think of a roundabout/motorway junction I won't tackle in confidence and in control. The stupid motorists can just as easily try to take you out at an urban side road, an innocuous mini roundabout or a multi-lane motorway junction behemoth. Google Stockport Portwood roundabout or Denton Island to get an idea of the kind of stuff I will cross without hesitation.

Tackled correctly the big/complex roundabouts are no more dangerous than any other road situation, but this is mostly down to experience, confidence and following the rules. Act like a car, be like a car, dominate the space like a car! I'm not saying it's right. I'm not saying this is for everyone and I'm not saying there isn't a better way but it does work.

 

[ExBrit]

I always ride to the right at a roundabout, but that's one of the advantages of living in California. The downside is the fecking motorists have no idea how roundabouts are supposed to work.

 

[Alex321]

I always ride to the right at a roundabout, but that's one of the advantages of living in California.

That is only the same as us keeping to the left in the UK. What is specific to California?

The downside is the fecking motorists have no idea how roundabouts are supposed to work.

I didn't think the US had all that many roundabouts.

 

[Mike_P]

The downside is the fecking motorists have no idea how roundabouts are supposed to work.

Commonly a failure to indicate correctly. The A61 at Ripley (North Yorkshire) turns right at a roundabout northbound, left southbound, but motorists all too often fail to indicate the turn. Coupled that with those who indicate right when not going right and its often a case of dozing on the bike completely unnecessarily not having a clue where a vehicle is going.

 

[cyberknight]

one roundabout i go out my way to avoid as its a 3 lane job 40 mph limit which means everyone is doing at least 40 and lane change randomly, bad enough in a car
https://goo.gl/maps/v8gh2PCzZ9zeRKxE8

 

[Willd]

Not walked, but do use crossings and cycle paths on some. Sometimes it's quicker than using the roundabout itself, especially when you can go round the roundabout the wrong way eg. A to B below

 

[T4tomo]

one roundabout i go out my way to avoid as its a 3 lane job 40 mph limit which means everyone is doing at least 40 and lane change randomly, bad enough in a car
https://goo.gl/maps/v8gh2PCzZ9zeRKxE8

unless you're going to be riding on the A38 or A50 or working at Toyata, its difficult to see why you would be contemplating going on that roundabout in the first place?

 

[Solocle]

wont do Armley gyratory out of Leeds but luckily the tow path passes under the road and i can come out the other side...the blessing of two wheeled transport

I've done Armley when I was lost - in fact, I misread the subsequent sign, and it was fortunate I was heading to the A65 from the City Centre, because otherwise I'd have been on the A58(M)... (thought there was one more exit for the city centre).

Bigger and scarier roundabouts:
Tingley Interchange.

And, closer to home:
Winall Interchange. Getting to the right hand lane of the motorway-esque A34 is "fun", I tell you.

And there's also Runnymede.

 

[Gwylan]

Thanet Way, Tesco roundabout.
A design triumph of road design dogma over common sense. Cycle path evaporates, join the road and risk being broad sided by

Drivers focussed on getting to or leaving Tesco.
Tourists, grey types, boy racers and DPD white vans.
All enhanced by sudden changes of direction as the GPS direction is received and processed.