Question
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I would like to know what the rules of the road are as applied to indicating in traffic circles. I recently wrote an article in which I complained about people who don't indicate when they are turning in a traffic circle, so when I enter the circle, thinking I can go straight, they get furious with me because they were turning across my path.
But many people wrote into me to say that the rules of the road in South Africa are that it is not necessary to indicate in a traffic circle as all cars not in the circle are expected to yield to those that are. I am certain this is incorrect. Can you shed any light.
Please be aware that I would like to publish your response in a follow-up article, so provide the name of the person they can be attributed to.
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Answer
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I am not sure where the "urban legend" has started regarding signaling at traffic circles / mini-circles. Any instance where traffic lanes converge / cross / intersect would, per definition, be regarded as a road junction. This being so, the following Regulations are applicable:
[b]Regulation 284. Definitions[/b]
"traffic circle" means a junction which contains a traffic or painted island, around which a road user travels in a clockwise direction, and "roundabout" shall have the same meaning;
[b]Regulation 301. Right of way at certain road junctions[/b]
The driver of a vehicle on a public road shall, when he or she intends entering any portion of a public road which constitutes a junction of two or more public roads where vehicular traffic is required to move around a traffic island within such junction, yield right of way to all vehicular traffic approaching from his or her right within such junction, unless his or her entry into such junction is controlled by an instruction given by a traffic officer or a direction conveyed by a road traffic sign requiring him or her to act differently.
[b]Regulation 300. Driving signals[/b]
The driver of a vehicle on a public road who intends to stop such a vehicle or suddenly reduce the speed thereof, or to turn such vehicle to the left or to the right, or to move such vehicle to the left or right on the roadway, shall give a conspicious signal, in the manner prescribed in regulations 324 to 328, of his or her intention, visible to any person approaching him or her from the front or from the rear or from the side, and of a duration sufficient to warn any such person of his or her intention.
Thus, based on the information supplied above, it is required of all drivers of vehicles to signal their intentions when entering and leaving a road junction (read as traffic circle).
