I am still not sure about observations in a roundabout

[daifuco]

Even though I have been riding for months and driving for years I am not still sure about the shoulder checks when I am in a roundabout.
I have no problem before entering the roundabout. But one I am there I tend to look at the wrong place. The general rule (i think is) to look to the side where the big gap is. For exaple an exit on the (usually) third exit, to the right... you will normally enter on the right side, go around it and the having a shoulder check left, since that is where the big gap is.

If I am exiting on the inmediate exit straight or left... I would normally have a shoulder check... right? since I will be positioned on the left and the big gap is on the right.

But anyway sometimes I feel it is not that clear. Specially on single lane roundabouts, when they are wide and it really feels like ramdom. Is there any rule to follow?

I have my third attempt of the mod 2 next tuesday. I failed because I am too damn nervous and I get into the rondabout when there are still cars in it and I rush it too much. But on the after-briefing they mention the observations on rondabouts as rider faults.

[ScaredyCat]

The shoulder check is called a "Life Saver" - it's called that because it can, quite obviously, save your life.

So think about that when you're moving left or right, you want to do a life saver on the side you're trying to move to. Turning left, check left - make sure nothing is sneaking up the inside. When you're exiting a roundabout, left shoulder, make sure a car/bus/truck isn't trying to fill the space or lane you want to move into.

Remember you're still looking in the other directions, don't just blindly enter a roundabout but do your shoulder check in the direction you intend to move to, it's also the last thing you do before actually making that move.
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Honda CBF125 ➝ NC700X
Honda CBF125 ↳ Speed Triple

[Rogerborg]

Look both ways if you like, just don't run into anything.

Don't over-think it. You're not failing because of some precise ritual.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[talkToTheHat]

If you are going to put the bike somewhere the could be another road user, look first. That simple.

If you're leaving the roundabout and have kept left (for a left or thereabouts straight on) kerb, look right.

If you are hugging the island in the middle of the roundabout (for right turn or alternate straight on trajectory, especially when two or more lanes go straight on) then you need to look left

If you have traffic both sides of you, you need to look both ways.

I highly recommend studying a road like the a650 through bradford where three lanes go straight across several roundabouts. You will see some interesting trajectories taken by other road users and have a general feeling of needing to look several directions at once.
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Bandit. does. everything.

[pinkyfloyd]

[Daytona Paul]

Look where the largest piece of tarmac is
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[foggy rider]

[quote="pinkyfloyd"]

[foggy rider]

[quote="pinkyfloyd"]

[foggy rider]

[quote="pinkyfloyd"]

[foggy rider]

[quote="pinkyfloyd"]

[Ribenapigeon]

There's a rhythm to roundabouts.
Aproach, mirror checks (know what traffic behind you is doing)
Entering, look right (check there's a gap to enter)
Entering, look left (checking you can exit and that roundabout traffic hasn't halted and is backing up)
Entering, lifesaver (right if in left lane, left if in right lane)
Going round ( lifesaver to side risk is most likely to come from.)
Exiting (almost always life saver to left, though it never hurts to keep an eye on the right mirror when in left lane)

Practise like motorsport riders/drivers by doing it in your imagination. If it works for racers why not.

[foggy rider]

[quote="pinkyfloyd"]

[noobRider]

[foggy rider]

FFS..... Not sure why my response appeared so many times..... Sorry!!!
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Cautious newbie...... (CBT Oct-15) riding a Honda CB125F to get some experience. Theory test done in March). Now looking to do DAS, just gotta find the right training centre.....

[foggy rider]

FFS..... Not sure why my response appeared so many times..... Sorry!!!
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Cautious newbie...... (CBT Oct-15) riding a Honda CB125F to get some experience. Theory test done in March). Now looking to do DAS, just gotta find the right training centre.....

[Val]

[foggy rider]

FFS..... Not sure why my response appeared so many times..... Sorry!!!
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Cautious newbie...... (CBT Oct-15) riding a Honda CB125F to get some experience. Theory test done in March). Now looking to do DAS, just gotta find the right training centre.....

[Boom_meringue]

Think about what you are trying to achieve, you are trying to ensure that 1) No-one is going to hit you and 2) That your blind spot is clear so you don't hit someone when you change position.

The big bit of tarmac isn't always where the danger is going to come from, I make a point of head checking left when I am turning left in case someone has tried to whip around inside me, not seeing my indicator.

[J.M.]

It's really simple when you stop thinking about it. It's not a hoop to jump through - it's a genuinely useful tool that you learn to do even if you're not taught.

When you're riding, you often come across two possible scenarios:
1 - You need to change road positions
2 - Someone else might be wanting to change road positions

In the first instance, you need to do a shoulder check to make sure that there's nothing in your blind spot before you move.

In the second instance, you need to check your blindspot to make sure some arse isn't about to overtake you and you don't need to take evasive action.

You'll learn to apply these where necessary.

----

Around my way that is a particularly horrible roundabout, because nobody uses the lanes as directed. When I'm going straight over using the middle lane, I have to enter the roundabout checking my left shoulder for idiots using the left-turn lane to go straight. Then exiting I have to check the right-shoulder for idiots using the right-lane to go straight on.

Though thankfully the roundabout has traffic lights. I make my life easier by filtering to the front and pulling away quick enough that there isn't anybody to hit me.
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2004 R1 & 2018 XSR900

[Moif]