[lindaelane]

Well...I learned to drive roundabouts in England but the rules are different there and the roundabouts are bigger (there are mini-roundabouts but I won't go into that.) In England, one is required to change lanes in a roundabout just before exiting, if one is not already in the outer lane.

Here, true confession, I take the right lane for first or second exit. For third exit I take the left lane. So far, that is following the official rules as I know them. I never heard of an official "can't change lanes in a roundabout" rule. In fact there are dotted lines that seem to say you can.

So...what I do for a left turn (third exit turn) is change lanes immediately after the second exit, making sure no one is about to pull into the roundabout in front of me. Then I am in the outer lane and ready to exit at the third exit.

If someone is about to pull in, I can't make the change just after the second exit. So I have to continue in the inner lane. I then swivel my head before exiting to make sure no one is behind me on the right, then cross from the inner lane to make my turn.

I confess I sometimes use the passenger door mirror instead of a head swivel, to see closely behind me on the right, but that is probably not the best approach. And of course the rear-view won't tell you if someone is closely behind you on the right.