Two-Lane Roundabout at Dusk: Lorry, Cyclist and a Pram
You are approaching a two-lane roundabout on Miklabraut in Reykjavík at 17:10 on a wet November evening, in steady rain and full darkness. You want the third exit, straight on, and you are in the right-hand lane at about 30 km/h. Inside the roundabout, a lorry is already circulating in the inner lane about a quarter of the way round, right indicator flashing. A cyclist with a working rear light is on the outer lane, roughly level with the lorry's rear axle. A car behind you is sitting close to your bumper. On your right, a pedestrian with a pushchair has just stepped onto the first stripe of the zebra crossing on your exit road. The lane arrows at the entry show that the right lane may be used for straight on and for the first exit.
1. Who has priority as you enter, and what do you do about the lorry's indicator?
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Priority belongs to traffic already circulating. In Iceland a vehicle entering a roundabout must give way to vehicles approaching from the left that are already in it, so both the lorry and the cyclist have right of way, and you enter only when there is a gap in both lanes - clearing the outer lane is not enough, because the inner-lane vehicle may be about to leave. The lorry's right indicator is a statement of intent, not a guarantee: heavy vehicles often need to swing wide, drivers sometimes signal late or cancel early, and the indicator does not tell you which exit. The cyclist is a vehicle with the same right to the lane and is far harder to see in rain at dusk, so plan to pass behind them rather than in front. The car close behind you is a reason to be smoother, never a reason to accept a smaller gap. If in doubt, wait.
2. Which lane should you be in, and how do you handle the cyclist?
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Take the lane that matches your exit and stay in it. In a two-lane roundabout the outer (right) lane generally serves the first and second exits and, at many Icelandic layouts, straight on as well, while the inner lane is for turning left or coming back on yourself and requires a lane change before your exit. Since the arrows permit straight on from the right lane, staying right is the simplest and most predictable line - follow the arrows rather than improvising. Do not overtake the cyclist inside the roundabout. The curve, the wet surface, the painted markings and the narrowing at each exit all shrink the space available, and a cyclist passed too closely will be pushed wide. Either hold back and let them clear your exit before you accelerate, or hang well behind until they leave. Signal right only after you have passed the exit before yours.
3. A pedestrian with a pushchair is on the zebra crossing at your exit. What do you do?
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The pedestrian has priority. At a zebra crossing, drivers must give way to pedestrians who are on the crossing or clearly about to step onto it, and a pushchair makes the intention unmistakable. Stop before the first stripe, not on it: stopping on the marking blocks the sight line for the next driver and can push the pedestrian towards the second lane. Check the mirror before braking - the car that was close behind may not have seen the crossing, so brake early and progressively, and if you have time touch the brake pedal first so the lights come on before you commit. Do not wave the pedestrian across: your lane may be clear while the lane beside you is not, and a wave invites them into a lane you cannot see. Wait until they have reached the far side or the refuge.