new to cycling in Britain.

[Ioan]

How do you handle a roundabout as a cyclist?

:S

[Speedo]

Check here (http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Internet/Bureaus/pdBikePed.nsf/infoChapterFour?OpenForm) courtesy of the Pennsylvania DoT. You may have to flip the directions if you're in England.

Speedo

[Helmet Head]

Get a copy of Cyclecraft by John Franklin. He covers roundabouts and everything else. It's geared for riding in Britain (Franklin is English).

[WaltPoutine]

Occupy the center of the lane, signal clearly and don't get tricked into taking any "bike lanes" which position you where you wouldn't be as a car. If there's a bike lane leading you into the roundabout then get out of it early into the center of the lane, otherwise you'll be so far out of the normal flow of traffic that your chances of negative interactions will be high.

Alternatively you're going to have to become a pedestrian.

[Machka]

Roundabouts are easy. Just turn left into the roundabout when there is no traffic between the road to your right and your road.

If you want out at the first road, signal and turn left out of the roundabout. If you don't want out then, point with your right hand away from the first road (sort of generally down toward the road on your right side) to indicate that you are not turning, but rather that you are staying in the lane you are currently in. When you reach the road you want, signal left and turn.

I also often take the lane in roundabouts ... and I try to move as briskly as possible.

Most of the time traffic isn't moving all that fast in roundabouts, so it is possible for a briskly moving cyclist to keep ahead of the traffic.


Hook up with your local CTC, and ride with them. They'll show you what to do ... they're a blast to ride with!! :D
http://www.ctc.org.uk/

[Fear&Trembling]

How do you handle a roundabout as a cyclist?

:S

By avoiding them, where possible.

[StrangeWill]

Well I usually have to dodge all the cars that are lost and going around in circles for hours...

[Orbital57]

Take the lane on approach (if no-one can come alongside then you can't get in trouble), signal early to let the car behind know where you're going (then break to a safe speed before you get there just in case) & it should be simple. Oh, if you're new to the UK remember to look in the right direction for who you should be giving way to ;-).

I do this and never find any problems even in London where there are quite a few 3 & 4 lane roundabouts. I know drivers who panick on the way round Marble Arch though so I can understand peoples caution.