A surprising number: In an internet survey, the above situation on a deflecting main road was answered incorrectly by about one-fifth of respondents. They gave way to the blue car. Not true! The red car is turning left but coming from the main road.
So Red has a right of way – even though as always Red is advised to expect abuse from Blue. As it turns out, major roads that loop like this ultimately cause confusion. And flashers are hardly used here, as they should be. Blick calls the rules to refresh.
right of way
Those staying on the main road have priority over everyone else. Anyone who leaves it and does not cross the oncoming lane has priority over the others. Whoever exits and crosses the opposite lane must give way to oncoming traffic on the main road, but has priority over those coming from the side streets, as in the graphic above.
Someone coming from a side street never has priority over the main street. If there is more than one side street, general rules apply between side streets: ie oncoming traffic just before the left and before any of them turn left.
Blink Rules
Unfortunately it’s often overlooked, but edit: If you follow the course of the roundabout main road, you should always indicate this change of direction with a right or left turn signal (buses 100 Fr.). But when you get off the main road, you have to let me know! Not only right or left, but also straight ahead. If you cross the opposite lane of the main road to exit straight, turn left. Otherwise correct.
One exception: Common sense should be used if the blink can be misunderstood. An example: You exit a main road with a straight left turn, but you can also turn right beforehand. Then, as an exception, don’t blink, or better yet, just blink as soon as you line up with the road from the right – otherwise those waiting may misunderstand.
Why is blinking so important? Because the flasher is the only way to let those waiting, oncoming and following know what you’re doing (more on that in the big guide on flashing flashing rules here).