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essemkay

There is a requirement to have a left turn indicator on when going through a roundabout, half way..many times it is not a practical thing to do, when one is watching the traffic going on in all directions and wanting to exit the roundabout quickly...especially in smaller roundabouts...Has any one been fined for ignoring this rule ? How sensible is it to keep this rule going ? Thanks

markstockdale

The Road User Rule (road code) requires you to signal your intentions for at least 3 seconds, whether turning or changing lanes or overtaking etc. But the road code notes that at small roundabouts it may not be possible to signal for 3 seconds but you should give as much indication as you can.

You are right this isn't always practical but it would be difficult to have one rule for big roundabouts and not small. It is important for traffic flow and safety that drivers know other drivers' intentions. Enforcing this rule is not a priortity for police and we would expect them to exercise discretion, they are unlikely to be enforcing small roundabouts where it is not practical to signal.