Roundabout, Tram Lane and a Blocked Exit
You approach a four-arm roundabout in a city at 40 km/h. You intend to take the second exit, straight ahead. A tram line crosses the road just before the roundabout, and the tram has priority; a tram is visible 80 m away, approaching at about 30 km/h. The roundabout has a marked cycle lane around its outer edge. The exit you want is 40 m beyond the roundabout, and you can see that traffic is queued back from a red light, with the last car stopped partly across the exit. A bus is waiting to enter from the third arm on your right. Your lane markings show a left-turn arrow in the left lane and a straight-ahead arrow in the right lane.
1. Which lane should you use, and what must you do about the tram before entering the roundabout?
Read the worked answer
Use the right lane with the straight-ahead arrow. The left lane is marked for turning left, and using it to go straight would cut across the path of vehicles legitimately in the right lane.
The tram has priority. At 30 km/h it covers 80 m in about 9.6 seconds, but trams cannot stop quickly and may be closer than they appear. Do not enter the tram crossing until the tram has passed or you are certain the crossing is clear; stopping on the tracks is the dangerous error. Approach slowly, check both directions along the track, and cross only when you can clear it completely.
2. The exit is blocked by queued traffic. Should you enter the roundabout? Explain the reasoning.
Read the worked answer
No. Entering a roundabout when your exit is blocked means you will stop inside the circulatory carriageway, blocking it for others and possibly straddling the cycle lane or the tram area. The rule of thumb is: do not enter unless you can leave.
Wait before the give-way line until there is space beyond the exit for your vehicle. Give way to traffic already on the roundabout, including cyclists in the outer cycle lane, and watch the bus on your right - it may enter if there is a gap. Holding back briefly costs seconds; blocking the roundabout causes congestion and collision risk.
3. Describe your observation sequence and signalling as you finally negotiate the roundabout and exit.
Read the worked answer
Approach: mirror and blind-spot checks, signal right if required by local convention for your exit, and reduce speed. At the line, look right and across the roundabout, check the cycle lane for riders who may be alongside your left or right, and confirm the tram has cleared.
On the roundabout: keep right of the centre, watch for cyclists continuing around the outer lane, and do not cut across them. Check the bus's movement. Before your exit, check the left mirror and blind spot for cyclists or motorcyclists overtaking on your left, signal left if local rules require it, and leave the roundabout at a speed that lets you stop if the queue has not cleared. Only then accelerate gently into the gap.