Third Exit from a Three-Lane Roundabout
At 17:45 in Jeddah, a rider on a 250 cc scooter approaches a three-lane roundabout from the south, intending to take the third exit to the west. Traffic is heavy and moving slowly. The rider is in the right-hand lane because it looked shorter, while a compact car is alongside in the middle lane. The rider's left mirror is cracked and folded back. The scooter's indicator switch is sticky and does not always cancel. A taxi behind is close to the scooter's rear wheel. The rider has passed the first exit and is approaching the second. The road markings show a solid line separating the middle and right lanes near the exit. It is still daylight and the road is dry.
1. Was the rider's lane choice appropriate for the third exit? Explain how the lane, the solid line and the car alongside interact.
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Probably not. In a three-lane roundabout, the right lane is normally for the first exit. A third exit means passing at least two exits, so the rider should normally approach in the left or centre lane and move right only after the second exit.
The solid line makes a late move from the right lane illegal and unpredictable. The car in the middle lane is exactly where the rider would need to go, and with a broken left mirror the rider cannot monitor it reliably. The safe choice is to continue around, signal, take a shoulder check, and change lanes one at a time after the line ends. If the exit is missed, go round again or take the next exit and reroute.
2. The rider is now beside the car and approaching the third exit. What is the safest sequence of actions?
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Continue around the roundabout. Do not cut across the car or the solid line. Keep speed steady, signal, and use a shoulder check because the left mirror is useless.
Once past the second exit and the solid line, check the blind spot again, signal right, and move into the middle lane only when the car is behind or has cleared. If the car is still alongside, let it go. If the third exit is missed, take the next exit and turn around legally. The taxi close behind means braking should be early and smooth, not sudden.
3. How do the sticky indicator and broken mirror change the rider's plan?
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They remove two normal sources of information, so the rider must compensate. A sticky indicator that does not self-cancel can leave a false signal on, which is dangerous in a roundabout; the rider should signal by hand if needed, manually cancel after each lane change, and confirm the dash light. The broken mirror means every lane change needs a physical shoulder check.
Before the next ride, both should be fixed. In this situation, the rider should not rely on the indicator or mirror to decide that a gap is safe.