I was driving back, this morning, from Pilar de la Horadada on the N332 and arrived at the Mil Palmeras roundabout to turn left over the motorway and head up to San Miguel.
I pulled left into the fast lane and stopped next to another car in the slow lane while we waited for the traffic on the roundabout to clear. We both then pulled away together and I wasn’t unduly surprised to find that the car in the slow lane kept up with me going around to the motorway exit, as they tend to do over here. What shook me however was that instead of taking the exit towards the motorway the idiot carried on, forcing me to brake hard, and then took the Mil Palmeras exit. In other words, went all the way round the roundabout and finished up turning right where she could have gone without using the roundabout at all!
Now, my question is this; bearing in mind that the Spanish are taught to go round a roundabout in the slow lane, who would have been at fault if we had collided?
I have a rough idea who would have been held liable had the lady driver been Spanish, but what do you think?

http://www.chiclana.es/fileadmin/use...sa/rotonda.pdf

The problem is that you have also got it wrong! There is no concept of FAST or SLOW lane!.

On a dual carriageway (motorway etc). the left-hand lane(s) are only to be used when overtaking. If you are not overtaking, then you MUST use the right-hand lane.


I suspect though, you just meant left/right lanes and simply used the wrong terms

The Spaniards in my part of the world would never consider using the SLOW lane unless of course there was an opportunity to UNDERTAKE

The problem with roundabouts is that there is always a moment when you can block someone, if you don't use the lights to show that you're crossing the right lane to leave the roundabout or someone has just entered thinking you're not taking that exit. However, according to that link, it says that the car on the left lane wanting to do that has NO preference. That's why people are told that if unsure, always on the right lane.

As for the names, I'd never use rápido/lento in a roundabout, not even derecha/izquierda, but interior/exterior (and medio if there is one).

Rather pedantic and not much help!

I merely used fast and slow because when talking of a rounabout the inside lane on the road becomes the outside lane on the roundabout and can confuse a bear of very little brain - like me!

I believe this has been discussed in detail before and the general rule is to stay in the outside lane of the rbt. until the appropriate exit is reached.

It makes sense to me and avoids cars cutting across in front of each other.

I think to describe rbt. lanes as fast and slow is a little silly and it amazes me that some drivers move across to the inside lane then dangerously cut back across the outside lane to their exit in order to save what ?
Maybe half a second or so through the rbt itself.
Is it really worth it as well as the added risk involved ?

after a while here, you'll get the "when in Rome" syndrome,but before that, you get paranoid when tackling a roundabout (inside mirror, left mirror, right mirror....dear God where is the car behind me....there he is.... wtf is he doing now?)
advice: do it their way.... then only expats get annoyed and you'll avoid running into the 44 tonne truck parked half on -half off the roundabout

Now, my question is this; bearing in mind that the Spanish are taught to go round a roundabout in the slow lane, who would have been at fault if we had collided?
I have a rough idea who would have been held liable had the lady driver been Spanish, but what do you think?

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Answer - YOU!

Outside lane has priority on roundabouts here , inside lane has none so pointless using it

A few of you consider the Spanish way of staying in the outer lane is the correct way.

So are the Chiclana Police wrong as per their leaflet.???

I must admit the majority of accidents I have seen are where cars on the inside lane move out to approach an exit.
However I am sure that most of these would have been avoided with the correct use of indicators.

I was told this by a GC trafico and a driving instructor of an employee! as for the use of indicators ,are they fitted to Spanish spec cars?

Zegactly, why have the bl##dy thing

Exactly Saxy, they should funnel the lanes on a dual carriageway down to a single lane at every roundabout if you can't use the inside lane........!!!
Just found this on another website:
However, the Spanish highway code has now changed. The recommendations are that you use the inside (right hand lane) to turn immediately right or go straight across. If you are turning left (the 3rd junction) you should be in the outside (left hand lane) until you have passed the lane going straight across (2nd junction) and then move into the inside (right hand) lane. If you are going all the way round, you should stay in the outside (left hand lane) until you have passed the 3rd junction.
(Thanks to 'Strolling Minstrel')
Just thought you'd like to know!