Purple Jim

Following on from this old thread:
Roundabouts

Newcomers to France beware. Even if British and French highway codes have the same rules regarding the approach and use of roundabouts, many motorists in France don't follow the same logic as Brits.




The above shows the correct ways to use a roundabout. As said in the old thread, many motorists in France (and perhaps elsewhere) will take that green approach and go all the way round the outer edge to eventually turn LEFT or to go back the way they came.
Also, drivers going straight across the roundabout will position themselves in the green appraoch and signal LEFT! I suppose that they feel that this is necessary because their car will turn in a left-ish direction as they go round that upper curve before taking the exit to go straight-on. So if you are behind such a driver, you have to say, hang on, is he going straight on, or is he going LEFT and thinking of driving all the way round the outside of the roundabout? This happened to me today, again.
Of course many going straight on will take that purple approach (to avoid those that are in the green approach intending to go RIGHT off the roundabout) and then carry straight on at the far end of the roundabout.
Be careful also as you drive onto the roundabout. Even if you are on the roundabout and going straight-on or LEFT, some motorists approaching the roundabout from your right, won't give-way and let you pass. They just drive onto the roundabout regardless! I think it comes from their out-dated, ridiculous rule about "priorité droite". That rule applies on a straight road. If you are driving along and a car comes in from a junction on your right - and if there is no Stop or Give-way sign at the junction for that arriving car - you must give way to that vehicle, giving it priority access to the road that you are on. This can be very dangerous if you forget this ridiculous rule which should've been scrapped decades ago.
So I think some/a lot of motorists in France have that "priorité à droite" thing in their heads as they approach a roundabout. They are of course completely wrong. One should always give-way to vehicles on the roundabout, before you enter the flaming thing.

Annetje

Are we assuming there are 4 (!) lanes on a roundabout ? Most I know have 2, some have 3.

Chatter Static

That picture shows two approach lanes but shows four options too go around it, read the road markings it's what a lot of people struggle to do.

I have to assume there has been a change in the French Highway code even lorry drivers here seem to think they can use the righthand lane to go all the way round.

dmu

Just be vigilant and anticipate everything!
Everything would be so much simpler if everyone indicated their intentions. Learners do use the indicators in my neck of the woods, but they forget their existence once they've got their Permis.....
I wouldn't call "priorité à droite" a ridiculous rule IMO what is ridiculous is the fact that it doesn't apply to entering roundabouts, but I believe that once you're on the roundabout you must give way to those on your right (to be checked).

Purple Jim

Yes, they all do that and even if they are going straight-on, they will indicate LEFT. Bonkers.


In Britain, if you are on a straight road, you never slow down to give priority to a vehicle coming at 90° from a junction on your left. The straight road has priority. In France, it doesn't work that way. If there is no Give-way or Stop sign at the juction for that other vehicle, he has the right to just roll out in front of you, whether you slow down and give way or not. Very dangerous for a Brit.

No. If one is going round a roundabout, one never slows/stops to let another vehicle coming from the right enter the roundabout.

Tweedpipe

Well I wouldn't call the priorité à droite a ridiculous rule. However I concede that it could be alarming, and agree it's certainly taken the life of thousands - many of them tourists not familiar with the concept.
On many minor roads here it's still assumed, even if there is no indicating road sign, and the rule is still practiced on many roundabouts in Paris and elsewhere.

I even loved the rule, especially when exiting the Aerospatiale (now Airbus) site at Toulouse at a certain roundabout at Colomiers. The road leading from the works exit extended for approx 500yrds and then fed onto another road which also carried a heavier regular stream of traffic. One could enter the roundabout generally without stopping as you had right-of-way, and the oncoming traffic would the obey the rule and give way. Without this, there would have been an absolutely chaotic back-up of traffic exiting from the works gate, especially around midday and 5pm. I was in that area a few months ago and believe the system still operates on the same roundabout.

Having said that, on the hundreds of trips I must have made down to SW France from the coastal ports, I was always very wary of the rule, and extremely alert. Even before radar speed cameras were thought of, and cruising at high speed down the N20, I was permanently on the lookout for roads off to my right, and my foot would move across and hover above the brake pedal whenever I spotted one in the distance. On reflection I'd say that probably twice this prevented a serious collision with someone inching out from my right. This was when one could happily speed along the route nationals at well over 3-figure speeds without fear of being stopped by the blue-costumed brigade. But vigilance was the keyword. They were great times indeed, priorité à droite notwithstanding.

cyrian

I have discussed how the french use roundabouts with french friends.
One explanation I have been given is that le code de la route specifies what is seen in the diagrams above, the law (or perhaps the insurance companies) says that the person who changes lane is at fault.
Extreme caution in using roundabouts is required.
Other than on very rural roads, all the roundabouts I have seen have "cedez le passage" signs when joining the roundabout.
Priorité à droite is a nightmare for the unwary - even the french.
When I enter into my commune from the main road, there is a sign "passage protégé" on the main road 20 metres from the junction.
When you turn into the commune, there is no sign to indicate that "passage protégé" has ended to warn drivers that the entire commune is "priorité à droite.
If you think that France is bad viz-a-viz priority then dont go to Belgium.

grannybunz

Indeed cyrian where you also have to watch out for traffic lights on motorways and drivers even crazier than the Swiss! I always imagined that the code gave French drivers permission not to use their indicators except when greeting passing friends.

dmu

I agree that it's dangerous for a foreigner who isn't aware of the French Highway Code.
I meant that once you're on the roundabout and in the left-hand lane, you must give priority to the right when you want to leave at the desired exit. As said, in the event of an accident caused by cutting across a car on your right, the insurance will say it's your fault. Which is one reason why so many drivers stay in the right-hand lane....

Purple Jim

Gotcha. When going straight on, I used to stay in the left lane appraoch to take less of a curve on the roundabout. Seeing how the French take the roundabout, sometimes staying in the right even when going left off the thing, I changed my habits to avoid getting into an incident. Now, I stay in the right lane approach when going straight on.

G-J-B

If you've driven long enough in France, you will have seen it all. I never trust anybody on a roundabout, and always assume someone will pull out, cut me off when I'm trying to pull out, or go in a wrong lane. In some cities it can be confusing when some roundabouts take on priority to the right and others do not. Also in cities like Limoges, there is often not one correct lane to use on a roundabout, but only one exit lane, and I find it's a total free for all - nobody knows which lane to use, you just have to watch you don't get taken out, or take somebody else out when you exit. Paris, and roundabouts like Charles de Gaulle call for a whole new level of vigilance!

Chatter Static

In Paris the meek perish on roundabouts, you can't hesitate "approach with caution" doesn't translate to any thing in the Parisian code la route.

G-J-B

Amen to that!

Purple Jim

Another thing that I have noticed about the motorists here: they don't seem to know how to use their wing mirrors correctly. Instead of adjusting them to be able to see their left and right blind spots, they position them both to look right behind them. Many a time I have tooted, only to see the driver look the side and view me in his/her wing mirror, and not the rear-view mirror.
Driving behind nearly all cars, one can see the face of the driver, which would be impossible if the wing mirrors were correctly positioned.
So this means that nearly all motorists here just can't see their left and right blind spots. Be careful out there!