Roundabout with a Cyclist and a Blocked Exit
You approach a two-lane roundabout in central Luanda at 17:30. Traffic is heavy. You intend to take the third exit (straight ahead relative to your approach). A cyclist is on your left, riding in the same direction, about 3 metres ahead and slightly to your left. A bus is occupying the outer lane of the roundabout, moving slowly. Your intended exit is partially blocked by a queue of cars waiting at a red light just beyond the roundabout, so the exit lane is backed up onto the roundabout itself. Your mirrors show a motorcycle close behind you.
1. Which lane should you use on approach, and how do you handle the cyclist?
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For a third exit (effectively straight ahead), use the left/inner lane on approach if road markings permit, and signal left on approach then right after passing the second exit.\n\nHandling the cyclist:\n- The cyclist is ahead and to your left. Do not try to overtake them on the approach to the roundabout - you would cut across their path.\n- Hold back and let the cyclist enter the roundabout ahead of you, or move behind them into the correct lane once they have cleared.\n- Give them plenty of room (at least 1.5 m) and do not squeeze them against the kerb or the bus.\n\nKey judgement: the cyclist has priority as the more vulnerable road user, and cutting across them to reach the inner lane is a classic cause of collisions at roundabouts.
2. Your exit is blocked by queued traffic spilling onto the roundabout. What should you do, and why is stopping inside the roundabout dangerous?
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Do not enter the roundabout if your exit is blocked - you would stop inside the circulating carriageway and block the flow for everyone, including the bus and the motorcycle behind you.\n\nCorrect action:\n1. Wait at the give-way line before entering, even if there is a gap in circulating traffic, until there is space beyond the roundabout for your vehicle.\n2. Keep your lane position and signal so the motorcycle behind understands your intention.\n3. Only enter when you can clear the roundabout and reach your exit lane.\n\nWhy stopping inside is dangerous:\n- Circulating traffic cannot pass and may rear-end you.\n- The bus in the outer lane may need to swerve, endangering the cyclist.\n- The motorcycle close behind has limited escape room.\n- Blocking the roundabout can cause gridlock that spreads to other approaches.\n\nJudgement point: 'don't block the box' - entering a junction you cannot clear is a failure of forward planning, not assertiveness.