The Roundabout With a Blocked Exit
You approach a large multi-lane roundabout with three lanes marked on the approach. You intend to take the third exit, which is past the halfway point. The roundabout has two circulating lanes. As you enter, you see that your intended exit road is partially blocked: a broken-down bus is stopped in the left lane of the exit, with hazard lights on, and a tow truck is beginning to hook it up. Traffic in the right lane of the exit is moving slowly. You are in the left approach lane. A car is in the right approach lane beside you, and a cyclist is circulating in the left lane of the roundabout ahead of you.
1. Which approach lane should you have used for the third exit, and what does your current lane position mean for your options?
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For an exit past halfway, the correct approach is generally the right-hand approach lane, and you should signal right on approach, then signal left to leave. You are in the left approach lane, which is intended for first and second exits.
Because you are in the left lane, taking the third exit means you will need to cross or move across the circulating lanes, which is where conflicts occur. You cannot simply swing across in front of the car beside you. Your options are: continue around the roundabout in your lane and move right only when it is clearly safe and you have signalled; or, if the exit cannot be taken safely from your position, continue around and take the exit on a later circuit rather than cutting across traffic. Do not force a lane change mid-roundabout beside another vehicle.
2. The exit is partly blocked by the bus and tow truck. How should you handle leaving the roundabout?
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You must not stop in the circulating lane to wait for the exit to clear - that blocks the roundabout and creates a rear-end risk. Make the decision before you reach the exit.
If the right lane of the exit is moving slowly, plan to merge into that moving lane rather than the blocked left lane. Signal left, check your mirror and blind spot, and move into the clear lane at a safe speed. If neither exit lane is usable when you arrive, continue around the roundabout and try again on the next circuit - circulating again is safer than stopping.
Watch the tow truck and bus crew: people may be working near the road, so reduce speed and give them room as you pass the exit.
3. The cyclist is circulating in the left lane ahead of you. What must you do?
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Give way to the cyclist and do not overtake or cut across them. A cyclist circulating in the roundabout is entitled to the lane they are in, and you must not squeeze past or turn across their path.
Hold back behind the cyclist, keep a safe distance, and do not move into the left lane of the exit in a way that crosses their line. If you are taking the third exit, your path may cross the cyclist's - wait until they have passed your exit or cleared the area before you move. Check your left mirror and blind spot before any exit manoeuvre, and signal clearly so the cyclist knows your intention. Patience here avoids the most common roundabout collision with cyclists, which is a vehicle turning across them.