Roundabouts

Try to work out what is happening as you approach, the likely traffic flow and where you are going. For a general simple approach method you can approach all roundabouts in second gear (changing down at 20mph before you get to the final approach curve) and either continue in that gear if the roundabout is clear - or stop and put it into first gear.

Also if you are not in the right-hand lane yourself then try not to be alongside another vehicle that is in the right-hand lane. This is because the car (or more usually a 4-wheel drive or white van man) next to you on your right will block your view of the roundabout. Try to stay either just ahead of them so that you can see, or just behind them. Always make sure that you can see fully and never pull out next to someone that is partially blocking your view - a truck coming from your right that you cannot see may miss the van (etc) next to you and flatten you instead.

Look at the whole roundabout - traffic coming from the left will affect the traffic on the right, and may give you the opportunity to pull-out. Keep in lane (imagine there is a truck next to you) and exit in the left lane if possible. If you are turning right and in the right-hand lane: Be prepared to exit in the right lane if there is something alongside you (especially at Tesco). Always double-check your decision before & after pulling out. Do not pull out if another vehicle is moving fast enough and close enough to hit you – they may not go where you think they will. Never pull out alongside another vehicle unless you can see clearly – it will not protect you.

Do not pull out if another vehicle is moving fast enough ro is close enough to hit you - they may not go where you think

roundabout clock face as used on the driving test

Generally try to think of the roundabout as a clock face, you will approach from the 6 O’ Clock direction:

any exit before 11 O’ Clock will be a left turn,

any exit between 11’ O’ Clock and 1 O’ Clock will be straight ahead,

any exit after 1 O’ Clock will be a right turn

On your driving test however you won’t have to work this out the examiner will tell you in his direction command, and it is the same format on lessons too, so that you are used to the general method.

Roundabouts will be described in the following ways:

At the roundabout:

Take the exit leading off to the left / right / straight - this tells you which general direction you are heading

That is the 1st / 2nd / 3rd / 4th exit -This tells you which exit as you go around the roundabout.

Look at the diagram above to see how this works. If you were coming to the roundabout from the bottom of the page (approaching from the 6 O’ Clock) direction and asked to take the third exit leading off to the right:

You would check on the right side to find your exit - you would know that it is past the 1 O’ Clock position.

You would indicate right - because you know it is a right turn.

You would position in the right lane - because you know it is a right turn.

As you go around you would count the exits, and as you pass the second exit indicate left to go into the third exit.

Approaching Cuckoo Corner roundabout from Southend: To go straight ahead you must go firstly into the right-hand lane then into the middle lane as you get to the roundabout. It is well signposted and the lanes are marked.

cuckoo corner approach to roundabout near southend driving test centre taken by hawkwell driving school hockley