A driving expert has shared a simple roundabout signalling rule that “everyone is getting wrong” – and it’s safe to say others aren’t happy when people make the mistake
It’s a common sight on community Facebook groups – people grumbling about other drivers’ inability to navigate roundabouts correctly.
But what is it about driving on roundabouts that leaves so many drivers flummoxed?
The woman behind the TikTok account @theorytestpractice has pondered the same question, asking in her recent video, asking: “Why do I see everyone get this wrong at roundabouts when it’s so so simple?”
She clarified: “Signalling roundabouts is the easiest thing to do. So if you’re going to go left and you’re in this yellow car [in the left lane], you’re going to signal left and keep the left signal on. Easy, isn’t it?
“If you’re going to go right, which is any exit past straight ahead, you’re going to signal right as you’re driving towards the roundabout, and you’ll be in this right-hand lane.
“When you go onto the roundabout, you’ll go into the right-hand lane. If you’re going to exit up here [third exit] when you get to the second exit, you’ll start to signal to tell people you’re going down the third exit.”
She then pointed out that if you don’t signal either left or right it implies you’re “going straight ahead” and people will be able to work that out.
The driving expert added: “So don’t signal to tell people you’re going straight ahead, but as you get to here [first exit], you’re going to signal to tell people you’re leaving the roundabout. You always signal left to leave.
“So start to signal as you pass the exit before the one you want to take. So, to tell people you’re going straight ahead, you don’t signal.
“When you’re on the roundabout, you always signal left to leave”.
The comments section quickly became a hotspot for roundabout rage, with many venting over other drivers’ conduct; and it seems as though many people are experiencing the same issues when it comes to people navigating roundabouts.
One exasperated individual posted: “Nobody signals left when exiting a roundabout anymore? It’s so frustrating. Most drivers just leave their right indicator on, and we’re supposed to be mind readers, knowing where they have come from and when they want to exit!”
Another disgruntled commenter ranted: “Not only getting it wrong, but some drivers just don’t signal at roundabouts at all; they expect you to read their minds.”
While another chimed in with: “If people don’t know how to take a roundabout, they shouldn’t be driving,” which other people passionately agreed with in the comments section.
A fellow irritated motorist wrote: “God I totally agree with you, I’m sick of drivers going around the roundabouts on the outside lane then cutting me off when I need to exit the roundabout”.
