pedestrians have (sometimes) a traffic light indicating them when it's time or not to cross the road ... if they cross the road when the light is red then you have the right to crush them ... but only here in Switzerland ;o)

No, traffic rules are not the same everywhere...

In the specific cases you mention:

Yes, it is mandatory to stop at a zebra crossing, and most drivers do so. It's still polite to give a quick wave, if you've got a hand free. People who give over-the-top thanks are probably visiting Geneva from France or Italy and are therefore amazed that people respect this rule.

I don't know the specific rule for roundabouts in Switzerland, but in the UK you should indicate when entering and exiting, so it wouldn't surprise me if it were the sme in Switzerland. In my experience, though, few people bother indicating at either time.

There are plenty of other little differences too: speed limits, things you have to carry in your car, those 'give way to the right' junctions...

On a roundabout I indicate left to tell cars who want to get in that I'm staying in (so not indicating to get on the roundabout necessarily, but just while I'm in it), and right when I am leaving

You're not required to indicate if you are going straight off a roundabout...however, if you are turning left, making a u-turn or taking the first exit (i.e. right) then you should indicate. 

I have also noticed that a lot of drivers do not stop at zebra crossings which is absolutely mandatory. In fact I was once half way across the road and this guy came zooming through yelling at me! 

The problem with drivers in Geneva is that many of them come from all over the world, sometimes from countries where rules are not that strict...and some of them even have diplomatic immunity to violating rules.

maybe its just cuz they want to hit me, but I've found that most cars never stop at pedestrian crossings.

Sometimes you just have to force it, get on that crossing and walked ahead and hope they'll stop

A bit like dodging motorbikes in Vietnam, where they recommend: the first one (between pedestrian and motorized vehicle) who flinches, loses, you just have to walk straight ahead looking determined

At least in Geneva you'll only have one at a time coming at you

:)

you want me to play chicken against a CAR?!?!!!

99% of the time they stop

If not, at least you're in the right

:)

And the epitath will be..

Here lies a guy named G

He played chicken with an SUV

That he was in the right

Didn't matter that night

'Cause the driver claimed immunity...

1. I have been taught in The Netherlands, that even if you come from the right or you want to cross a zebra, you have to be given the right of way, you do not demand or expect to get it. As a pedestrian you do not have to thank the driver that he has stopped for you, neverthelss I find it a very refreshing and polite manner, which I would call Swiss as its sadly so uncommon in a lot of other places.

2. Showing where you go upon approaching a roundabout will improve traffic flow and also when you exit it. If you dont you annoy other drivers as they have to wait to see what you are going to do. Apparently you dont get this and we would have to give you a class ìn `road etiquette` to make you understand.

Maybe this will help you:

On approaching a roundabout take notice and act on all the information available to you, including traffic signs, traffic lights and lane markings which direct you into the correct lane. You should

To add> you (normally) only blink to the left upon approach of the roundabout if you will take it for 3 quarter (in most cases the 3rd exit). If you go straight you blink to the right after passing the 1st exit. If you take the 1st exit you blink to the right upon approaching the roundabout.

Now I have given you the class anyway, you owe me a beer ;)

"Give priority to traffic approaching from your right" isn't that for countries where you drive on the left side of the road? In Switzerland its the opposite -- you give priority to traffic approaching from the left....or have I been driving wrong for the last three years???

I was taught to treat a roundabout the same way as the crossing it replaced..

meaning:

"Left is third exit, signal left upon entering

Right is first exit, signal right upon entering

Straight ahead is NO signaling" (in principle), but I always signal, when I leave the roundabout (with the blinker, mind you).

So, like he said.

Hi Amna, you are right, I overlooked that, thanks.

I'm so happy you people drive in Geneva and not in Zurich ;o)))

Knowing how Italians drive, the feeling is mutual ;)

still plenty of us there, not to mention the French ;o) better take the bus

http://geneva.angloinfo.com/countries/switzerland/driving.asp

unless your plates start with the letters 'CD' in which case you can do absolutely anything you feel like.

Thanks translator for clarifying this ... I might come to Geneva by car now ;o)

Ooh...Valerie, now you got me all confused! Would someone with expertise on traffic rules in Switzerland please jump in and clarify???

Aah, read it again..yes, defacto priority to left on roundabout...phew, I almost had a heart attack!

I lived in Washington, DC for years where there are lots of roundabouts (due to original French designs) and lots of accidents in roundabouts due to lack of knowledge and poor driving habits...

"This applies even in the case of a small side road entering a major main road."

Doesnt always apply, if the road on the right is a sort of " country/sandy" road.

Priority to the vehiculs coming from your right applies by default if there are no traffic signs that say otherwise eg priority, STOP, traffic lights. It doesn't matter if one of the roads is "small" or "country" or "sandy" or "secondary". Only the signs decide. The only exceptioN I know of is when exiting from a private road eg your driveway onto a public road and then you don't have priority, unless again there are signs that state otherwise. Duh

WHAT??? That's the weirdest thing I've ever heard about. Which country was this in? :-)

No, no, no. I just got home from driving all over town and everywhere ON ROUNDABOUTS, priority was given to vehicles already on the roundabout (i.e. approaching from left). Everyone on the right waited...

Hey smartass ;)

The picture I had attached comes from a book used for traffic rules exam.

Probably these roads will have a sign that they have to stop and in this occasion do not have right of way eventhough they come from the right. This ofcourse as we can not assume everyone remembers all the rules ;)

This would be the U.K. I think. I too was told that but also taught that if leaving on first exit stay in the outer lane, if exiting on third or fourth exit move into the inner lane. And I was also told no signalling required when going straight.

Actually is very helpfull. With that you know (sort of) what to expect from other drivers. Very good idea in my opinion. I always do it

Right of way generally refers to vehicles adjacent (to the left or right), as opposed to facing.

http://www.vd.ch/fr/themes/securite/prevention/prevention-routiere/dans-les-carrefours-la-bonne-conduite/

The picture you posted is only for the case of "la priorité en sens inverse" if the driver of the car is in a lane or drive way leading into a road.

Its "nearly" Friday, so chillax, enjoy and praise SBB so you don't have to share the tarmac with these idiots

Anna, the rule of right is valid everywhere, except where specifically indicated differently.

Concerning roundabouts, you notice that you always have yield signs upon entering the roundabout. So you simply see the roundabout as being a major "road", and people have priority while on that "road". This is indicated by the yield signs for people trying to get onto it.

The above is completely wrong.

From the Swiss office for prevention of accidents (http://www.bfu.ch/French/lexikon/Pages/Kreisverkehr.aspx)

 "N’utilisez pas vos clignotants lorsque vous entrez dans un giratoire, mais quand vous le quittez ou changez de voie dans un giratoire à voies multiples."

I.e. one supposes that you are following the rules, and not driving the wrong way around it. So there is no reason to indicate the obvious.

What is important, is to indicate that you are exiting the roundabout, by blinking to the right. This is also very helpful for those who are waiting to get in on the roundabout. (However, consideration for your fellow citizens isn't the highest priority around here, especially in the French-speaking world.)

(Again, as in my previous post, if you consider the roundabout as a short portion of slightly curved “road”, you understand the principle. You do not use your blinkers when the “road” you are on curves, but you do use the blinkers when you are exiting that “road”.)

Tawb is right, in Switzerland the rule is that you must signal on exiting the roundabout, ie a right indicator just before your exit. 

In the UK you're also expected to signal if you're going round the roundabout, ie a right indicator then a left one to exit.