Choosing a lane at a two-lane roundabout on Laucala Bay Road
You are driving a sedan south on Laucala Bay Road in Suva toward a two-lane roundabout. You want the third exit, toward the hospital. Traffic is heavy, and you are already in the left lane a few metres before the give-way line. The right lane is clear ahead, but a ute is closing about 10 m behind you in that lane. On the roundabout, a container truck is approaching from your right and has not signalled; it appears to be continuing around past your entry. Behind the truck, a taxi is signalling left to leave at the exit before yours. Your passenger urges you to hurry because the appointment is in 10 minutes.
1. Which lane should you be in for the third exit, and what should you do now that you are in the left lane?
Read the worked answer
For a third exit, which is effectively a right turn in left-hand traffic, you should normally approach in the right lane. You are already in the left lane very close to the give-way line, with a ute closing 10 m behind in the right lane. Do not cut across the ute or swing from the left lane into the third exit, because that crosses the other lane and can cause a sideswipe. Do not force a late lane change either; 10 m is not enough space to be sure the ute will yield. The safer choices are to continue in the left lane and take the second exit, then reroute to the hospital, or to wait at the line and move to the right lane only if the ute has clearly passed and there is a safe gap. The passenger’s urgency does not change the lane geometry or the risk.
2. Must you give way to the truck and the taxi? Explain using roundabout rules.
Read the worked answer
Yes, you must give way to traffic already circulating on the roundabout. The container truck is approaching from your right and is already on the roundabout, so it has priority over you. You should wait until it has passed your entry or clearly left the roundabout. The taxi is behind the truck and is signalling left to leave before your exit. Its signal tells you where it intends to go, but it does not give you priority. If the taxi stays on the roundabout, you must still give way to it. Do not enter just because the taxi is signalling left; confirm that it is actually leaving and that the lane you intend to use is clear. A signal is intention, not permission for you to move.
3. What signals and lane position should you use when you finally take the third exit?
Read the worked answer
If you have been able to move into the right lane safely, approach in the right lane and signal right to show you are continuing around past the first and second exits. Keep the right lane through the roundabout, check your left mirror and blind spot after passing the second exit, and signal left before your exit. Do not drift across the left lane while turning; follow the lane markings and give room to any vehicle on your left. If you instead take the second exit from the left lane, signal left before that exit, leave the roundabout, and reroute. In either case, cancel your indicator after leaving and check for pedestrians or cyclists at the exit. The key is to decide early, use the correct lane, and make your signals match your actual path.