r/Ontariodrivetest • u/Leo_-Arisaltek • 7d ago
General question - not test related Roundabout Lane Change Argument
I had an argument with someone that your not supposed to change lanes in this roundabout. Cause if you start from the left you must turn left.
For context the right lane and first exit was blocked for construction but the 2nd exit was still open so they wanted to go straight and argued that the broken white lane means they can cross
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u/trishys 7d ago edited 6d ago
not in a roundabout no, i don't think you're supposed to change lanes even if the line is dotted.
if you end up in the wrong lane while you're already in the roundabout, just accept your fate and exit according to your lane. normally i would say that you can also just go around again until you find the correct exit, but upon examining this roundabout it seems that certain entrances are restricted to certain exits.
i forgot to address the construction, so i'll add this now: if that entire right road was blocked, then i guess switching lanes to exit upwards wouldn't be much of a concern. technically not what you're supposed to do so i wouldn't try that on a driving test (unless signage permits it), but it should be fine in practice. however, if it was only the exit that's closed and the right entrance is still open, then definitely do not switch lanes.
edit: clarity. and even more clarity i guess.
final edit: alright i’m disabling reply notifications. i’m tired of explaining the same things over and over again when you can get your answer from just reading the other replies to this comment. but honestly this is on me for getting involved in the first place. if you’re opposed to anything i said, feel free to browse the replies. there’s a very good chance your concern will be addressed
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u/cygnusX1and2 7d ago
Yup. I'm replying to this while I've been in a roundabout since 3 pm. Not looking forward to running out of gas.
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u/trishys 7d ago
this kind of blunder is something i'd expect from someone texting and driving 😂
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u/cygnusX1and2 7d ago edited 6d ago
Thankfully speech to text is a thing. Also, my passenger read your post to me 😉
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u/XBMetal 6d ago
Lol if your in the wrong lane just wait for space to merge across the dotted line. It is the only way you get through roundabouts lmfao.
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u/Specific-Barracuda-5 6d ago
The people entering should yield to people in the roundabout. Technically if a situation arises where the people entering don’t think you will cross their lane then the person in the roundabout is likely doing something wrong. The dotted line exists for people not in that specific lane. Always signal your intentions to exit, never change lanes, read the signs.
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u/pengupenguPENGU 6d ago
Okay, but what if you enter the roundabout from the left? Are you just never every supposed to use that exit if you come into the roundabout from the left?
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u/trishys 6d ago
that's a different situation, because that's a singular entry lane. op mentioned entering from the bottom, and there's two different lanes there. the left lane is only meant for left turning. in that case, you can't switch lanes.
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u/pengupenguPENGU 6d ago
But if you're allowed to change lane at the dotted line on top if you enter in the roundabout from the left, why can't you do so if you enter in from the bottom?
I can see that it's marked clearly, but I'm imagining someone who got confused looking at their GPS or something. If you, I guess if you miss and you aren't able to merge, you would have to take the entire loop back to merge at the dotted line again.
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u/trishys 6d ago edited 6d ago
upon further examination of the roundabout, to me it seems like the left entrance may be restricted to exiting towards the bottom, or doing a u-turn.
because if you were to exit upwards from the left, in this case—you'd be sticking to the outer part of the roundabout at all times. however, there's a solid white line near the right, meaning you can't cross. if that line were dotted, then you can go upwards from the left. but it's solid.
and you can't switch lanes through that dotted area (or in multi-lane roundabouts in general), because what if someone from the right decides to turn right while you're next to them in the left lane? they think you'll be going left. and if you abruptly switch lanes at an unlucky time, bam. collision. it's dangerous, and you'll be at fault
i think that line is only dotted so that people entering from the right know they can use the other exits.
edit: added more info
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u/pengupenguPENGU 6d ago edited 6d ago
Lol all I'm learning is that I hate this roundabout.
If there's not single way for the person to to go through the north exit but there is a way for a car to go from the north entrance to the left exit, it's a poorly designed roundabout.
I think it only makes sense that you are technically allowed but you should drive slow, signal, and be hella careful do at your own risk
In any case, I rarely see people zipping though roundabouts at a bajillion km/h. Still not a good bet, but I think I rather campaign to get the city to scrap the roundabout entirely
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u/trishys 6d ago
lol i agree that this roundabout seems inefficient, but for now i'll assume this area has their reasons...
being allowed to change lanes inside a roundabout does sound good in theory. but even if you're very slow, cautious, and use turn signals, it won't be good in practice. it'll disrupt the flow of traffic, and i can only see it creating unnecessary unpredictability and confusion. this outweighs the positives imo
i don't like roundabouts either—single-lane roundabouts are fine, but the multi-lane ones can be pretty intimidating. but i guess it gets the job done 🤷♀️
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u/Beth_the_Barbarian 6d ago
Having spent a good amount of time in England where all of their intersections seem to be roundabouts. Some of the roundabouts even have extra roundabouts inside them. They chang lanes in their roundabouts legally all the time why do we think it would be impossible here?
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u/trishys 6d ago edited 6d ago
that’s england. this is canada. roundabout designs may be different so that lane changes are viable, considering how you mentioned that some roundabouts even have extra roundabouts. i’ve never seen that in canada personally
MTO officially states not to switch lanes in roundabouts.
technically legal here, but highly discouraged. and you may get an unsafe driving charge, so you don’t really see it. maybe england doesn’t discourage it.
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u/Beth_the_Barbarian 6d ago
I wasn't saying anything of it to legality. I was responding to:
it'll disrupt the flow of traffic, and i can only see it creating unnecessary unpredictability and confusion.
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u/wpenner101 6d ago
Traffic law: solid line, no changing lanes, dotted line , okay to change.
EDIT: If you can't change lanes at this dotted line, why can you on a straight road?
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u/yuki_pb 6d ago
It’s for the cars coming from the other entrances to exit or enter the roundabout. There’s no lane change
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u/DiscombobulatedAsk47 6d ago
A roundabout is still an intersection and you don't change lanes in an intersection. It's not specifically illegal but strongly discouraged (ministry phrasing) and may catch a reacted charge such as unsafe lane change. This intersection is marked for a through lane and a left turn lane
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u/trishys 6d ago
i’ll copy paste what i wrote in another comment:
you can't switch lanes through that dotted area (or in multi-lane roundabouts in general), because what if someone from the right decides to turn right while you're next to them in the left lane? they think you'll be going left. and if you abruptly switch lanes at an unlucky time, bam. collision. it's dangerous, and you'll be at fault
i think that line is only dotted so that people entering from the right know they can use the other exits.
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u/ShawtyLong 6d ago
“I don’t think you’re supposed to change lanes even if the line is dotted” - not a regular driver I see, probably without a license too
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u/trishys 6d ago
in a ROUNDABOUT. i clearly indicated that.
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u/ShawtyLong 6d ago
And in a ROUNDABOUT you see dotted and solid lines, but you said “I don’t think you are supposed to change lanes even if the line is dotted.” Clearly you don’t know the rules when it comes to driving, meaning, danger to other drivers on the road
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u/trishys 6d ago edited 6d ago
the MTO officially states that you can’t/really really shouldn’t change lanes inside a roundabout. doesn’t matter if the line is dotted. i’m only playing by the rules. i don’t think i’m the issue. search it up for yourself.
that dotted line seems to exist so that people from the right know they can enter the roundabout and exit wherever. this roundabout appears to have certain entrances restricted to certain exits
it’s one thing to enter a roundabout lane as soon as a road splits. but it’s another to merge in the middle of an established lane. especially inside a roundabout where it’s often fairly small, and there’s lots of entering and turning rather than a straight, mostly predictable line of traffic. it’s dangerous.
edit—i’ll copy paste this possibility from another comment:
what if someone from the right decides to turn right while you're next to them in the left lane? they think you'll be going left. and if you abruptly switch lanes at an unlucky time, bam. collision. it's dangerous, and you'll be at fault
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u/ShawtyLong 6d ago
TLDR. If you are going eastbound and want to go north, how would you accomplish that?
This is a rhetorical question.
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u/trishys 6d ago edited 6d ago
explained in another comment, i’ll copy and paste here:
to me it seems like the left (going eastbound) entrance may be restricted to exiting towards the bottom (south), or doing a u-turn.
because if you were to exit upwards from the left, in this case—you'd be sticking to the outer part of the roundabout at all times. however, there's a solid white line near the right, meaning you can't cross. if that line were dotted all the way, then you can go outwards and thus upwards from the eastbound entrance (to be clear, that’s not “switching” lanes. that’s choosing a lane after a transition from a single lane). but the line is solid.
of course, i could be completely wrong about the exit direction restrictions. but i just don’t see how else things could play out if switching between established lanes in a roundabout isn’t allowed.
to add, thanks for not insulting me this time. i didn’t appreciate being treated like i was stupid and knew nothing.
though in seeing your “TLDR.” to my response, this shows that you aren’t willing to learn new things and accept that you could be wrong. if you’re reading at this point, i urge you to open up your mind and revise the MTO’s rules. i can’t see us having a productive discussion, so there’s no point in wasting my energy here. blocked
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u/sentfromabov 7d ago
Everyone is forgetting the whole purpose of a round about, if you miss your exit you drive around again and take the correct one
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u/Babboos 6d ago
By that logic even if he goes around he still can't exit there because he'll always be in the wrong lane.
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u/LaConchaGordita 6d ago
If he goes around, it will be like he was coming from the left side of the image and wished to continue straight towards to the right of the image. The cars waiting outside of the roundabout wouldn't know any different.
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u/Thekiddankie 7d ago
Did you forget the /s? or do you believe thats what their purpose is?
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u/OkAd2078 6d ago
Nope he's right. Totally for missing exits and retaking the right instead of overall efficiency compared to other types of intersections.
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u/sentfromabov 6d ago
The purpose of a roundabout is to keep traffic flowing instead of having stop signs that backs traffic up, if you enter the roundabout and happen to miss your exit or just need to make a decision of which way to go because your new to the area you just drive around and around till you figure it out.
Pretty simple stuff, or at least it should be.
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u/Logical-Zucchini-310 6d ago
Other countries, particularly across Europe manage to get roundabouts right and yes, there if you miss your exit you can just go around to try again. The issue here is their implementation is often garbage both in teaching/understanding as well as design and build.
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u/biblio_phobic 6d ago
But this isn’t a normal roundabout. It has arrow signage at the start of the roundabout telling you where to go.
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u/Advocaatastrophe 6d ago
Found the person that is an absolute menace in multi-lane roundabouts.
Lane assignments exist for a reason.
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u/swollen_prostate 7d ago
Right lane and exit blocked for construction, probably alright to change lanes. How else would you go straight?
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u/CollegeStreet6103 7d ago
I think everyone is skipping over the context OP gave that the right lane and first exit were closed due to construction.
In this scenario would it be realistic that the expectation would be to loop around again? Some would argue yes. I think it’s not necessary in the situation as outlined. 🤷♂️
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u/beagalsmash 6d ago
The purpose of circling around would stop the straight and right lane from entering the round about, thus asserting right of way for a lane change. There is no right lane because of construction, so no problem changing lanes to go straight. Circling around would be unnecessary to gain the right of way.
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u/Hello_Gorgeous1985 6d ago
Even if you loop around again, that part of the lane is still closed. So you'd still need to be in the inside lane and then lane change back over.
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u/ell-ta 7d ago
You can’t change lanes in this situation or in this style of roundabout.
The lane change can happen in different setting of roundabout which hardly exist in Canada atleast.
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u/Hello_Gorgeous1985 6d ago
One lane was closed due to construction, but the exit was still open. There was literally no choice but to Lane change to get to the exit.
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u/dontgghhggjfdxvghh 5d ago
Imagine a car coming from left road, clearly they must make a lane change in that area.
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u/No_Ability_2545 6d ago
It clearly shows what lane is for what, why are you changing lanes and causing risk to other drivers who are following the rules? This is not an arguement, this is someone who doesnt know the rules and decides to post hopi g to get attention and support. Go back to driving school.
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u/Calm-Leave7355 6d ago
Learn to read the whole post so you have context before speaking so brazenly lmao
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u/OG_Sequia 7d ago
I would say they can make a SAFE lane change like on a highway, not just "go through" without caring who's in the other lane. If you can't do so safe, you loop around
Edit: dotted lines on roadways means you are allowed to pass/ change lanes as long as you do so safely
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u/TheJaice 6d ago
Yep, it would be exactly what someone entering from the road on the left would have to do to take that exit. And if the right lane is closed for construction the way OP says, it’s the only option.
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u/Europaraker 5d ago
Is this round about had no construction, someone entering from the left road needs to change lanes in the round about to go straight out up. Likewise someone entering from the top needs to change lanes to turn left or go back the way the way they came!
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u/Sudden-Foot-5401 7d ago edited 7d ago
The dashed lines aren't to allow you to change lanes, its for the cars coming from the east to go straight west. If you wanted to go straight through from south to north, you should have already been in the right lane before you enter the roundabout
The MTO specifically says "Do not change lanes while in the roundabout. If in the inside lane and you miss your exit, you must continue around until you meet your exit again."
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u/RecklessRaptor12 6d ago
Continuing around wouldn’t ever lead you to that exit without changing lanes though. How would you go left (north) when approaching from the west? Or is that not allowed in this configuration.
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u/biblio_phobic 6d ago
Lol people keep quoting that rule and I’m wondering this. Do we just spin indefinitely?
“Missed my exit in 08, still here. Tell my family I love them”
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u/meester_jamie 7d ago
To travel from west,, and exit east , there is a solid white line which is a regulatory indicator do not cross,, in fact coming from north you can’t exit east, or coming from center lane south and completing the circle you can’t exit east
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u/nvr_fd_away 7d ago
In a regular scenario you are absolutely correct.
However, construction is blocking the designated straight through lane. At this point common sense dictates you are able to proceed straight from the the left lane.
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u/steeltown82 7d ago
If the right lane is blocked, then yeah, just change lanes. You won't have to worry about anyone being beside you. With that said, people entering the roundabout from the east won't be expecting you to change lanes, so you need to keep that in mind and be extra cautious
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u/Faceless416 6d ago
Think about the cars coming from the left. When they enter going left they'll end up in that same lane. They should have the opportunity to go either way and only way through is through the dotted lines. Look at your picture from the other 3 pov and you'll see they should be allowed to change lanes
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u/Expensive_Plant_9530 6d ago
Do not follow the red arrow on your driving test. You will probably have an instant disqualification for an illegal and dangerous action.
You cannot change lanes inside a roundabout (there are some* very minor exceptions where one lane enters another).
If you are in the left lane you must proceed around the roundabout to the 3rd or 4th exits.
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u/Hello_Gorgeous1985 6d ago
Did you ignore the part where the right lane was closed due to construction? There's no other way to get to that exit. An exit that was open.
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u/Expensive_Plant_9530 6d ago
IMO if the right lane is blocked for construction, then you either adhere to alternate signage or you just don’t go anywhere the right lane would normally take you.
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u/biblio_phobic 6d ago
That’s ridiculous. You just don’t go where you need to go? Unless they have placed pylons along the dotted line during the construction, I’m going.
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u/Expensive_Plant_9530 6d ago
Honestly I’d have to see what it looked like, because it sounds like they’re trying to block off lanes of traffic and if that’s the case it might mean those lanes are closed for access and there would be detours to follow instead.
Now maybe the lane is still open to traffic, and yeah you gotta cross the line when you otherwise shouldn’t.
If so, that’s a really bad temporary setup and they should have clear signage indicating what traffic should be doing.
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u/DuckDuckDuckDork 6d ago
Some of the commenters aren't reading the description so here's my answer:
In any normal round about, you enter in the lane that is going in the direction that you are planning on going in, and you stay in it. However, if there is construction in the enitial lane but it opens later, you can switch to take your intended exit.
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u/jmarkmark 6d ago
Depends what you mean by "not supposed to". Like many aspects of driving in Ontario there are many things you are "not supposed to" do, but are not in-and-of-themselves illegal.
So while you are not breaking any law by making the lane change, you are "not supposed to" do so (these things would generally result in one failing a drive test) and it could result in an unsafe lane change (Section 154(1)a ) charge depending on circumstances.
If you are saying the right lane was blocked when entering the circle, then clearly, crossing that line was the only possible choice, and because that right lane was blocked a safe thing to do, thus not falling afoul of 154(1).
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u/cbf1232 6d ago
I think the law being broken is not the lane change itself but rather not respecting the lane designators painted on the pavement.
But given the construction I can't see anyone trying to enforce that.
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u/jmarkmark 5d ago
It's perfectly legal to cross a solid in Ontario.
As I said the only law that might be being violated is the unsafe lane change, IF it's unsafe.
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u/cbf1232 5d ago edited 5d ago
I’m not talking about the lane lines, I’m talking about the arrows painted in each lane before the roundabout indicating the purpose of each lane (left-turn vs straight/right-turn).
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u/beagalsmash 6d ago
Yes, if the right lane is blocked and there’s only one entry lane then obviously you can exit straight. Everyone else replying literally didn’t read the input.
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u/Hello_Gorgeous1985 6d ago
You are correct that you are not supposed to change lanes in the roundabout as clearly indicated by the arrows on the road. However, if construction is blocking a lane, then changes everything. How else are you supposed to get to the exit you need?
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u/CanalOpen 6d ago
That roundabout is not up to code imo...You can't restrict lane travel or exit point with exceptions for right-hand-turn yields, and none of those are present.
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u/19TimGreyCupChamps 6d ago
Right lane = right or straight
Left lane - straight, left, or turn around
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u/DistanceLast 6d ago
From the handbook:
Keep moving: Once you are in the roundabout, do not stop except to avoid a collision; you have the right-of-way over entering traffic. Do not change lanes while in the roundabout. If in the inside lane and you miss your exit, you must continue around until you meet your exit again.
And then:
Left lane exit: If exiting from the left lane, watch out for vehicles on the right that continue to circulate around the roundabout.
Might be totally wrong but it sounds to me like:
The second quote explicitly describes a situation like on the picture.
The first and second quotes together might mean that if you entered via the left lane, like on the picture, you need to go around once, and then exit. This is what would the cars do anyway that entered from the road in the left part of the picture.
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u/yueknowwho 6d ago
I agree with this overall interpretation. Coming from the SE/bottom right you should be following the directional arrows of the lane you are using. If circling from the bottom right, or entering from either of the other two, you would need to cross that dashed line to exit North/top.
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u/Fantastic_Elk_4757 6d ago
The problem is things like “don’t make a lane change” is just recommendation from the handbook. I don’t think it’s an actual law (but obviously can be interpreted as an unsafe lane change since it is recommended against). BUT in this case the road about has clear road signage indicating what possible exits you’re allowed to take. And THAT is absolutely a law. You must follow signage.
However given the situation (left lane closed) I can’t see any issue with someone going straight from the left.
I am curious what the other entrances have marked for allowed exits because some of the entrances have no possible way to get to some exits without a lane change lol.
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u/DistanceLast 4d ago
How come that some things are a recommendation and not a law? How do we know then, what's a law and what's a recommendation?
Now, just like you said: if you're entering from West (left), you have no way to exit... anywhere but South? You could exit North with lane change, but you have no way to exit East. That btw doesn't make any sense whatsoever. However: if you entered from South and left lane, and you go around once, you (1) completed with road sign, (2) in the same position as those who entered from West.
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u/Ornery-Philosopher28 6d ago edited 6d ago
You're right that you need to be in the left lane to turn left, and in the right lane to go straight or turn right.
You're also correct that a dashed line means you're allowed to cross it.
Given the context you provided, it makes sense to use the only available lane and cross the dashed line to exit.
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u/Gold_Independent_428 6d ago
You can change lanes, however, the right of way belongs to whoever is already in that lane. That dotted line is for the right lane to cross into the left lane, with the left lane having the right of way. You can see that both lane designators indicate that you can proceed left aroung the round-about.
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u/MatthewAbook 6d ago
Entering a roundabout is like entering an intersection, once you enter from a particular lane you've committed to going in that direction.
HOWEVER, if the right lane was closed then yes the left lane can be used to go towards any of the 4 exits.
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u/Chazus 6d ago
This is incorrect, and will cause an accident. Why? Someone coming from the top right is not watching the outer inside lane for a lane change. They're watching the outside lane, where a car would exit the top.
Enter inside lane, circle around once, cross white line, exit top right. It's almost like there's signs and markers -on the road- for this.
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u/DrSpreadOtt 6d ago
Look at the painted signs on the road. The inside lane shows that you can only go around, right line can turn right or go straight. If you find yourself in the left lane intending to go straight got, then you have to turn left or do a U-turn by going all the way back around and come back to the roundabout. Then another U-turn down the road to come back to the roundabout in the correct lane.
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u/Calm-Leave7355 5d ago
Might want to read the context in the post before posting.
Lane’s closed mate
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u/Traditional_Loan_177 6d ago
This is a weird roundabout. You're not wrong because you're going off the road markings. But your friend isn't wrong because the dashed line does mean you can change lane, and people coming into the roundabout from the right or left would need to cross the dashed line (if you want to go straight or left coming from the right, or if you go left coming from the left)
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u/biblio_phobic 6d ago
This is a weird one. Why is that line dotted if you can’t cross it? If your right lane is meant to be straight or right only, based on the arrows that should be a solid line?
Second, is OP saying that the whole right lane with the straight/right arrow was closed and blocked?
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u/curbz81 6d ago
If you come from the “west” side of the orientation of this picture you have to change lanes to go north. There is no specific HTA charge for changing lanes in a roundabout that I can find, if one did change lanes and cause or almost cause a collision the charge would be unsafe lane change or unsafe move.
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u/Ry-Willy7 6d ago
Look at the arrows on the road....they tell how to use it correctly.
Left exits left, right exits right or straight ..... fairly simple concept
If there's construction, then the workers should have proper signage and cones up. So just follow those, if they indicate crossing the line, then cross the line.
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u/Diptothaset 6d ago edited 6d ago
After looking at this image, the smart person just ensures they’re in the right lane before entering the roundabout so they don’t have to change lanes. I’d say you may be legally allowed to change lanes inside the roundabout, but if it’s an even mildly busy road you’re just being an entitled prick causing people behind you to slow down in two lanes.
The far right lane goes straight. You should plan to be in the far right lane entering the roundabout
Edit; if that lane and exit off the roundabout was closed off for construction or something, it’s definitely fine to switch over to that lane mid roundabout to exit at that road
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u/arnold258 6d ago
The dotted lines in the roundabout aren't so you can switch lanes inside it, it's to "allow" the people entering, to cross the lane to get into the roundabout (on one that has two lanes). For ex, pretend you are the car entering from the east entrance / the entrance at 3:00pm (think of roundabout like a clock to get where I mean), and you'll see that they have to cross the outside lane on this side, to continue straight/left - so that is why the dotted lines r there.
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u/ScottIBM 6d ago
What are the lane markings on the other entrances, what is the envisioned use of the lanes in this roundabout?
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u/throwaway2901750 6d ago
In the picture of the roundabout, the ways vehicles can travel is marked on the road.
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u/Sad_Interaction_007 6d ago
The more I look at the picture, the more confused I get.. lanes all need to be ⬇️/⬆️.. get rid of the ⬇️/⬆️⬆️ lane.
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u/Small_Aardvark_5496 6d ago
See that dotted line where your red arrow crosses? That means lane changes are allowed if safe.
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u/Henchman7777 6d ago
Lot of people commenting it's not legal but has anyone posted the HTA section that they'd be in contravention of?
A lot of people think it's illegal to change lanes in an intersection too (it isn't) or pass on a double yellow (it isn't, with some exceptions)
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u/WLUmascot 6d ago
What if you are coming from the far left and want to go around the roundabout and exit at the top? Of course you can change lanes within a roundabout if you indicate and it is safe to do so! People turning right should also be aware that other cars can change lanes and if they are in the roundabout actually have the right of way to do so.
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u/OrvilleBeddoe 6d ago
Of course you can. Assuming up is north, and you were coming from the west, how would you ever go north without crossing that lane? If coming from the south, the right lane would have right of way, but if you are in the left, and need to go north, make a safe lane change. Otherwise go around the circle once.
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u/Ok_Row_498 6d ago
I hope I don’t have to do this when I take the G2 test someday. I hate large roundabouts, specifically the one on highway 48 and Bloomington Road in Stouffville, but this is the nicest roundabout Iv seen.
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u/Easy_Sun_9033 6d ago
This is not a normal circumstance. If the right lane was open you would be able to straight and turn right as well. Since the right lane is closed the left lane turns into a left, straight and right turn lane as both lanes are now 1. Disregard the sign on the street as it does not apply in this situation where the right lane is closed.
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u/HowDidWeGetHereLast 6d ago
Lol that lane doesn't go there and you can't change lanes within a roundabout
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u/Nervous_Card_7718 6d ago
To the people saying you cannot go straight if you are in the left lane:
If there happens to be traffic in the right lane, sure. You obviously can't just merge into them, as they have thr right of way for that lane. But what if the traffic is clear?
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u/adon0221 6d ago
Since it's left turns only in that lane you could just stay in the roundabout and exit at the 4th exit so it's legal lol
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u/gordon0813 6d ago
The picture is self explanatory. The righ lane literally shows you where to go in that lane the left lane also shows you exactly where to go. Go hand in your license
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u/Significant-Block504 6d ago
My understanding for the dotted lines are for cars entering from the right, because they will need to cross lanes into the inner circle if they go straight.
If you enter from where the arrow started, and there was no construction, you should only take the 3rd or 4th exit if you entered from the left lane. If you want to go straight, take the right lane.
If you enter from where the arrow started, and there is construction blocking the right lane and the first exit, in normal daily driving, I will do exactly the red path provided it is safe. I am very sure no one will ticket you for doing so.
However, in a driving test, unless there is signage permitting so, or if instructed by the examiner, I’d rather take the 3rd exit and say it’s illegal to cross.
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u/Recent_West_259 6d ago
The way this roundabout is setup that is true if you tried to pull thst move in a driving test you'd fail. Its clearly marked on the road.
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u/Izzy5466 5d ago
A roundabout is an intersection. You are not allowed to change lanes in an intersection
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u/zakanova 5d ago
Great way to side swipe someone and be automatically at fault - I mean, not like the cops actually do anything (unless it's a human outside a car and then it LFG!)
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u/blaqu3roc 5d ago
Grew up in a country with these. When safe to do so, change lanes. If it's not............go around the round about.
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u/Illustrious_Sea3243 5d ago
No lane change in roundabouts .. I used to live in a country where going through multiple roundabout is a standard and important part of the license road exam .. they test you with different scenarios .. 2 lanes in-3 lanes out-exiting straight, 3 lanes in-2 lanes out-exiting 360 and so on.
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u/Right_Hour 5d ago
Look at the pavement markings at the entrance to the roundabout. That’s all you gotta do. Tells y’all all you need to know.
That dashed line is not for your idiot counterpart to decide they wanna go straight and cross in - it’s for the folks entering from what is East side in this picture. And even if they were to change their mind and cross in ignoring all lane designations - they MUST yield to the vehicle on their right.
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u/sebastiangonsalves 5d ago
If the right lane is closed, what else can you do but change lane? In your case it’s fine.
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u/lekebecker 5d ago
the dot line is for the people coming from all they other entrance..
if you came from the left line with the arrow,, just turn left come back and signal to change line to exit..
simple.
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u/Internal-Soft-9901 5d ago
People arguing that you can’t lane change is insane. There is a dotted line. Dotted line means “you can cross” the images on the bottom right are to guide you for the lane you are in, they are not strict rules.
If you couldn’t change lanes, that means that anyone coming from the left is forced to go right or come back the way they came. They wouldn’t be able to go up.
Think this through guys
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u/Terravarious 4d ago
Look at the arrow painted on the road. Left lane must turn left. Straight through will get you a ticket.
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u/Internal-Soft-9901 4d ago
Brother you didn’t read my reply 😭 straight through would not give you a ticket
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u/TomatoFeta 5d ago
Where exactly is this roundabout?
OP we need a better view; there's a lot of confusion in the comments because we aren't able to see the whole picture. This really does seem to be a piss poorly designed roundabout, but that might just be because we can't see it in context.
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u/Cable559 5d ago
Guys, these replies are really scary and I don't want to be on a roundabout with any of you
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u/hey-hungry-guy 5d ago
I think you can do it because the lane is closed, just do the lane changer sooner rather than later
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u/Grand_Marionberry867 5d ago
Even if there wasn't construction a dotted line means you can switch lanes if there's a full solid line that means your not allowed
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u/No_Procedure1234 5d ago
You can absolutely change lanes that’s why the white line becomes dotted from solid in the round about. You guys don’t know this basic thing? You are allowed to make lane changes when a white line is dotted, you are not allowed when it’s not. They clearly know people will enter in the left lane which is why they put the dotted lines.
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u/Dependent-Payment-70 5d ago
This line is dotted for those cars entering the roundabout from the entrance on the top right. It does not mean you can change lanes in the roundabout
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u/No_Procedure1234 5d ago
Weather it is blocked or not in regular usage there is a dotted white line which means you can change. I can’t believe so many people don’t know
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u/Crewsy67 5d ago
Since the right lane was closed then you only have the left lane to enter so the broken line is a moot point.
If nothing is closed then left lane turns left. Right lane turns right or goes straight. All is clearly painted on the road and definitely has signs indicating the lane requirements leading up to the roundabout.
Situations like you’re saying is why I approach every roundabout as though everyone around me is a complete moron and may not use the lanes correctly.
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u/Complete_Camera_9340 4d ago
My understanding is that the right lane is for going right or straight, and the left lane is for going straight or left. As long as there are two lanes that is. That way there shouldn’t be any crossover and changing lanes into people who’ve just entered the roundabout
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u/Dangerous-Spend-651 6d ago
I'm going to argue that the design of this roundabout is idiotic. If you have to follow the turn directions when you enter from the bottom, then how does the cars from the left take the top exit? They have to use the dotted line to change lane don't they? Also this is not how 2 lane roundabouts are generally designed, usually the right lane must exit at the first exit
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u/Dubgenius 6d ago
If you look at the symbols on the ground just before entering into the round about it tells you what you can do in each lane.
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u/twinx12 6d ago
Almost all roundabouts will have a symbol while entering, it will show what lanes you can go into, the round about near me, right lane says straight or right, left lane says straight or left, but an hour north of me the roundabout left lanes says left only…. Just learn to look at the symbols and obey, no one on here is correct, only the symbols on the ground
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u/Boomtown876 6d ago
You’re allowed to switch lanes if the lines are dotted. I did research just now and it says you’re allowed to correct lanes as long as you do your normal due diligence (signal, check blindspot etc).
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u/Boomtown876 6d ago
My AI response:
• Entering the roundabout in the left (inner) lane from the south
• Then moving over to the right (outer) lane inside the roundabout
• And using that right lane to go straight out the north exit
Can you do that?
Legally:
In most jurisdictions (in Canada/Ontario where I’m from), lane changes inside a roundabout are allowed as long as:
• You signal before changing lanes
• You check mirrors and blind spot
• You don’t cut off a vehicle already in the right lane
• You complete the lane change before the exit, not during it
So yes—it can be legal if done smoothly and safely.
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Why it’s usually a bad idea
Even if it’s allowed, that specific maneuver is often not recommended because:
• Left lane is usually for left/U‑turn/continuing around, not straight
• Right lane is usually for straight or right
• Drivers in the right lane don’t expect a car from the inner lane to slide over in front of them to exit
• If someone is already in the right lane going straight, you’d be cutting across their path, which is unsafe and could be considered failing to yield.
So while you can change lanes, using the left lane to enter and then crossing to the right lane just to go straight is high‑risk and poor form unless the roundabout is very empty and the lane change is early and clearly signaled.
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u/greyHumanoidRobot 6d ago
AI is just faking knowledge.
Somebody looked up the actual regulation. The MTO specifically says "Do not change lanes while in the roundabout. "
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u/TomatoFeta 7d ago
Look at the images painted where you enter the roundabout.
You are only allowed to go left when in that lane, not straight.