Using roundabouts

As we all know, roundabouts are very popular in Spain as an alternative to traffic lights. Used properly they can keep the traffic flowing in a way that lights at junctions can’t.  Unfortunately there are a fair few drivers who do not seem to understand how to use a roundabout properly so the DGTG have offered advice in the form of a diagram.

It seems that the diagram has confused drivers rather than make it clear what the correct procedure is. The problem occurs on those roundabouts with more than one lane.

Look at the diagram and see if you can spot some of the common mistakes that drivers make.

What the orange car ( D ) is doing is plain stupid – I can’t say I have ever seen anyone try that.

But look at the red car ( C ) and even e the pink car ( E ). I see cars leave the roundabout at the junction of the CV–945 and the CV-905 try that manoeuvre so often. They come up the road from Torrevieja in the left hand lane, enter the roundabout in the same lane and then try to exit towards Quesada cutting across traffic on the right hand lane of the roundabout.

Since it is only small roundabout with no room to switch lanes, traffic taking the turn to Quesada should be in the right hand lane as they approach the roundabout leaving traffic to take the next turn to Los Montesinos in the left hand lane. Sometimes though, you get boxed in to the right hand lane as you approach the roundabout and then you have to risk passing the turn off to Quesada without someone cutting across your path.

The situation on the roundabouts along the N-332 is even worse especially at peak times.