The roundabout sign means Slow Down, prepare to Give Way and if necessary stop to avoid a collision. When approaching a roundabout, you must get into the correct lane, indicate if turning, and give way to traffic already on the roundabout. Enter the roundabout when there is a safe gap in the traffic.
Unless you are overtaking, use the lane to the left as possible. As a general rule you should slow your car down to 20-25mph on the approach to a big roundabout. Even if the roundabout is really clear, you wouldn't want to go any faster as it could effect your position especially going onto the roundabout.
Tips for avoiding undue hesitation
Slow down really early and look as early as you can into the road on your right, and across the roundabout itself. By watching the traffic flow really early, you can sometimes manipulate yourself an opportunity to go, by timing your arrival at the roundabout when there is a gap.
The golden rule
You approach the roundabout from the 6 o'clock position, entering the roundabout by turning left so that you go around in a clockwise direction, while at the same time, giving way to traffic coming from your right, who are already on the roundabout.
Slow speeds help vehicles move smoothly into, around, and out of a roundabout. Drivers approaching a roundabout must reduce their speeds, look for potential conflicts with vehicles already in the circle and be prepared to stop for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Only make the final decision and commit to entering the roundabout at the entrance to the roundabout. Approaching in 2nd gear and off the clutch, will enable you to: accelerate into the roundabout if it stays clear, slow down to allow a single car pass then proceed, or brake and stop smoothly to wait for a gap.
Failing to give way:
This is by far the most common mistake drivers make on roundabouts. Remember, drivers already in the roundabout have the right of way, so give way to them before entering.
If the exit you require is 12 o'clock or before you need the left hand lane. If the exit that you require is after 12 o'clock, you need the right hand lane. Unless any road markings or signs say differently.
Don't assume other drivers will be in the correct lane or will indicate on roundabouts. Good observation is crucial, and if you approach a roundabout in the correct lane, at the correct speed and using your mirrors, you will soon be driving round them with confidence.
Hesitation. If you're unsure when to pull out of a junction, or at a roundabout, you won't fail for not going at the first viable opportunity. Try to keep your cool and pull out the next time it's safe to do so.
Kyklohodophobia [His word]
As a basic rule of thumb, you should be in the left hand lane if you're going less than half way or half way around the roundabout, and you should be in the right hand lane if you're going more than half way around the roundabout. Top tip: Imagine the roundabout is a clock, and that you always enter it at 6 o'clock.
When you approach a roundabout you should be driving no faster than 20 to 25 miles per hour. Do not proceed into the roundabout until your path is clear. Once you've given the right of way to the vehicles already in the roundabout, you can enter.
There is no evidence to support this, other than the 'careless driving' argument. You should plan before you enter a roundabout and circling more than twice could be considered as careless driving. It is however, illegal to drive over a mini-roundabout, as they must be treated as an island in the road.
Explanation: When going straight ahead at a roundabout, don't signal as you approach it. Indicate left just after passing the exit before the one you wish to take.
Generally speaking when approaching a “two lane” roundabout, treat it like a clock face. If the exit you wish to take is the 1st exit, or is before or at the 12 o'clock point then stay in the left lane.
Vehicles approaching a roundabout must yield to circulating traffic before entering a roundabout. The yield-at-entry feature further reduces traffic speeds and helps to improve intersection sight distances when compared to conventional intersections.
Travel counter-clockwise: Once in the roundabout, always keep to the right of the central island and travel in a counter-clockwise direction. Keep moving: Once you are in the roundabout, do not stop except to avoid a collision; you have the right-of-way over entering traffic.
Round About Approaching: Indicates that a roundabout is ahead. Slow down when you see this sign. Yeild: The Yield sign indicates to drivers that they must yield the right-of-way, stopping if necessary, before entering the roundabout, and must not proceed until it is safe to do so.
As such, dromophobia, especially fear of crossing streets alone may be a component of accident-related posttraumatic stress disorder, as a reaction to a situation reminiscent of the past traumatic event.
Pediophobia is a fear of dolls or inanimate objects that look real, and pedophobia is a fear of actual children. People can suffer from both phobias, so someone who fears children (pedophobia) may also fear the childlike features of dolls (pediophobia), and someone with pediophobia may also have pedophobia.