4 things you need to know about using a roundabout

The Cities: Skyline II trailer recently dropped. I love Cities: Skyline. I love most city builders in general - there's something deeply appealing (to me) about the ability to don an urban planner's hat. 

Now, in such games, traffic is always a challenge (much like the real world). And one lesson I learnt quite early on is that roundabouts are one of the more efficient junction types. And it is - roundabouts were explicitly designed to keep traffic flowing continuously, while also helping to reduce dangerous head-on collisions. And it's not just me saying this - the LTA explicitly acknowledges this, though it does require quite extensive Googling and digging to find some concrete evidence. 

It is, however, there. Inside the 158-page Code of Practice: Street Work Proposals Relating to Development Works, under section 9.6.13, there is a table that shows the relevant grading of an intersection with regards to the average delay per vehicle in seconds. And, you can see that in each grading band less the top one, the delay is lower for uncontrolled junctions than signalised ones. 

Roundabouts are fairly rare in Singapore, but we might be the odd exception. In my experience driving in places like Europe or America, roundabouts are actually pretty common. Since the "modern roundabout" was standardised in the 60s, roundabouts have become widely adopted across the world. 

In Singapore, roundabouts used to be more common. Older folks may remember places like Farrer Road Circus and Tanglin Circus. These days, there aren't many left, and even those remaining have been altered over time (often by the addition of traffic lights). Ironically, it takes away a key benefit of a roundabout - constant flow of slow-moving traffic instead of start-top traffic in a typical traffic light-controlled intersection. 

So, what's wrong? Why are we not using a junction type that's acknowledged to be more efficient? 

The truth, quite sadly, is probably to do with motorists. Most people don't know how to use a roundabout properly (perhaps precisely because roundabouts are so uncommon). This is probably compounded by the fact that there have been some serious accidents at roundabouts (Newton Circus immediately comes to mind). As a result, roundabouts in Singapore tend to become more a frustration than a convenience. I distinctly recall cursing and swearing while stuck entering the Suntec City roundabout (often). 

So, here are some tips that you should know when driving through an uncontrolled roundabout: 

1. Know where you are going

Just because a roundabout has three lanes doesn't mean that all the lanes are equal. You should know which exit you are taking and position your car accordingly. In fact, this is actually inside the Highway Code. For example, if you are taking the second exit, you should be in the middle lane when entering, not the left most lane. This is so that you do not inconvenience other drivers. 

2. Signal

It might seem like a really trivial thing, but signalling within a roundabout is very important. This helps to indicate your intention to other road users. So, for example, if you are about to exit, signal accordingly so that any car waiting to enter will know to proceed. It also helps inform the people behind you of your intentions. 

3. Give way

Yes, I recognise that Singaporean drivers aren't exactly the most patient bunch, but giving way just makes life better for everyone. If you see someone entering, it wouldn't hurt to slow down slightly to let him enter the flow of traffic. The whole point of a roundabout is to keep things moving. 

4. Don't panic

The worst thing any driver can do is to panic. Maybe you misjudged your exit, and suddenly now you want to filter three lanes out in a few metres. Don't. It's a roundabout. It wont kill you to (literally) just go one more round. 

You may think that understanding a roundabout is pointless, but it is worth pointing out that a major intersection (Sin Ming Ave/Bishan St 12/Marymount Road) has recently been converted into a roundabout (albeit temporarily). And, we've also seen smaller roundabouts making something of a comeback in Silver Zones, as a means of slowing down overall traffic speed. So, there is at least some initial evidence that roundabouts still have a place to play in Singapore road network, even if it may never be as commonplace as in Europe or America. 

And if nothing more, it just pays to be a better driver. Perhaps not quite the automation found in a video game like Cities: Skyline, but we can all just try to be a little bit better.

ALSO READ: 16 common car acronyms and what they actually mean

This article was first published in sgCarMart.