Roundabouts are a relatively new innovation on the Isle of Man having been introduced some 15 years ago for the first time and proliferating ever since. However, the population of silver surfers seems to have outpaced their expansion with the result that many drivers were either never trained on how to negotiate roundabouts in the first place or have subsequently forgotten. My heart stopping experience last week was that despite road markings telling them so the average local driver has no concept of Give Way to the Right on roundabouts. I had 2 incidents of drivers coming straight out, one whilst looking left and the other, more worryingly, whilst looking straight at me but coming straight out nonetheless.
The other novel experience was the Manx Turn. On the basis that many farm entrances and house drives are blind entries to main roads from between either hedges or dry stone walls the locals habitually make turns off a main road in a shape resembling that of the top of a coat hanger or question mark. In other words they indicate, say, left then at the last moment swing out right over the centre line in order to make a tight left handentrance.
Now, if this a tractor or long vehicle you would suspect a manouevre like this. The trouble is that drivers of ordinary cars do it all the time regardless of whether the entrance or turn off needs it.
