Typically seen on Hong Kong roads Roundabout there are conventional roundabouts and spirals. Though they appear related, they’re really totally different in utilization and driving routes.
Though street indicators have been erected for drivers to differentiate, Instructing Datahowever the roundabout Site visitors Accidents How ought to we distinguish and use roundabouts and spirals appropriately? Mercury will examine the similarities and variations between conventional roundabouts and new spirals and supply steerage for drivers to Beginner the roundabout might be simply negotiated.
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Find out how to distinguish between conventional roundabouts and spirals
The unique intention of organising roundabouts is to make site visitors circulation smoother at intersections with out having to attend for site visitors lights. Nonetheless, many roundabouts in Hong Kong have develop into site visitors accident black spots. Along with drivers not taking note of street situations, inadequate information of conventional roundabouts and spirals can also be one of many causes of accidents. Let’s first have a look at methods to distinguish between conventional roundabouts and spirals.
When approaching a roundabout
Conventional roundabout:
Roundabouts are proven as circles.A single straight line is used to point the connecting roads to different exits?
Spiral:
Roundabouts are proven as circles.A number of curved strains encompass the surfaceand lengthen to different street exits.
Coming into and leaving roundabouts
In response to the Transport Division’s ‘How a lot have you learnt concerning the guidelines for utilizing roundabouts?’, when approaching a roundabout, it is best to decelerate, determine as early as potential which exit you’ll take, drive into the right lane, be sure that there aren’t any different autos approaching from the suitable, and switch left into the roundabout when it’s secure.
Conventional roundabout:
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For those who take the primary exit to depart the roundabout (i.e. flip left), activate the left flip sign and comply with the left lane to enter and exit the roundabout.
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If that you must take the second exit (i.e. go straight), you possibly can enter the roundabout alongside the left or proper lane. After passing the primary exit, activate the left flip sign and exit the roundabout alongside the unique lane (typically, autos within the left lane can’t flip proper, however for the sake of warning, it is suggested that autos in the suitable lane examine whether or not there are different autos approaching from the left when leaving the roundabout).
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If that you must depart the roundabout from the third exit (i.e. flip proper), it is best to first activate the suitable sign and enter the roundabout alongside the suitable lane. When approaching the exit, activate the left flip sign and take note of the autos within the left lane. After guaranteeing that the scenario is secure, proceed to depart the roundabout alongside the suitable lane.
Spiral:
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For those who take the primary exit to depart the roundabout (i.e. flip left), activate the left flip sign and comply with the left lane to enter and exit the roundabout.
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If that you must take the second exit (i.e. go straight), you possibly can enter the roundabout alongside the left or proper lane. After passing the primary exit, activate the left flip sign and exit the roundabout alongside the unique lane (typically, autos within the left lane can’t flip proper, however for the sake of warning, it is suggested that autos in the suitable lane examine whether or not there are different autos approaching from the left when leaving the roundabout).
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If that you must depart the roundabout from the third exit (i.e. flip proper), it is best to first activate the suitable sign and enter the roundabout alongside the suitable lane. When approaching the exit, activate the left flip sign and take note of the autos within the left lane. After guaranteeing that the scenario is secure, proceed to drive out of the roundabout alongside the suitable lane.
Totally different between Conventional roundabouts and spirals
From the above utilization, we will see that the standard roundabout and the spiral are precisely the identical! The distinction is that the left lane autos should not allowed to show proper on the spiral, and there are street indicators on the bottom to point the path of journey.This causes some drivers to fret about not with the ability to depart the supposed exit in time when driving alongside the suitable lane, in order that they occupy the left lane for a very long time, growing the prospect of site visitors accidents.
Conventional roundabouts/spirals: who has precedence?
Though the foundations for using roundabouts are so clear, why do roundabouts in Hong Kong nonetheless trigger many site visitors accidents? The principle cause is the precedence difficulty when automobiles are leaving.
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Utilizing a conventional roundabout: Autos travelling alongside the internal lane should give strategy to autos travelling alongside the outer lane earlier than leaving the roundabout.
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Utilizing the brand new roundabout: autos travelling alongside the outer lane should give strategy to autos leaving the roundabout from the internal lane first
Whether or not it’s a conventional roundabout or a spiral, look to the suitable when coming into and to the left when exitingDevelop good defensive driving habits to forestall autos from crossing your line from the left rear. Additionally, concentrate on longer automobiles which will cross the road when coming into and exiting roundabouts, inflicting Site visitors Accidents?
Roundabout Site visitors Blackspot
Roundabout blackspots the place site visitors accidents have occurred embody:
Tsuen Tsing Interchange(Tsuen Wan Street)
Tsuen Kam Interchange(Texaco Street North / Wai Tsuen Street)
Axe Hill Street Roundabout, Diamond Hill
Tseung Kwan O Movie Street / Po Ning Street Spiral
Spiral and Sheung Tak Property, Tseung Kwan o
Often requested questions
What’s the distinction between a conventional roundabout and a spiral?
When leaving a conventional roundabout, the within lane provides strategy to the surface lane, however at a brand new spiral, the surface lane provides strategy to the within lane, and the precedence is precisely the other.
How do I take advantage of my lights when coming into a roundabout?
If you’re turning left when coming into, activate the left sign; if you’re turning proper, activate the suitable sign; if you’re going straight, don’t activate the sign, and activate the left sign earlier than leaving the exit.
Missed your exit at a roundabout?
By no means swap lanes abruptly. Proceed circling and wait till you might be near the exit once more earlier than exiting safely.
How have you learnt if a roundabout is conventional or spiral?
Take note of whether or not there are clear marking strains (lanes separating totally different exits) and arrows on the bottom.