How to drive spiral roundabouts

One of the main problems with spiral roundabouts is that people have an obsession with being in the righthand lane. You can spend hours as a driving instructor teaching people to stay left yet they still swerve to the righthand lane, create chaos and then develop a complex about how hard these roundabouts are.

Although not strictly true, there is one thing you can use to help you think about how to drive spiral roundabouts properly: you only move to the left. If you are ever crossing a line to your right or moving to the right in any way then you're likely doing it wrong.

This isn't always true and you are allowed to change lanes so long as you don't cross a solid white lane. You may also move into a lane on the right if you're doing a U-turn as I describe at 13:19. Another time it's fine is when an extra lane appears on the right which you need to take to go the way you want to go, as shown again at the timestamp above. That isn't changing lanes because you aren't crossing a line, that's just moving into a new lane to go the way you need to go.

Generally, in most cases, you don't move right. Note that moving right isn't the same as turning right. You can turn right and end up going right, you just don't generally change lanes to the right.

It helps to number the lanes in your head on the approach with the furthest lane to the left being 1, the next being 2 etc. Lane 1 on the approach goes to lane 1 on the roundabout. Lane 2 goes to lane 2 and so forth. There are times this will seem to not work but it does when you understand it.

Another big thing to understand is what I mention in the video about how to count the exits as you go around. If you want exit 5 then after exit 2 or 3 you know you're going to need to start moving left or you're not going to be able to exit.

On the Stratford upon Avon roundabout, we are taking the fifth exit including the motorway but the sign shows it as the fourth with the motorway excluded. Just to make it more fun for you.

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro
0:34 - The one rule to remember
1:13 - Exeter roundabout
2:20 - How to choose your lane
5:19 - A common mistake
6:21 - Geographical awareness
8:20 - Ahead isn't always straight ahead
8:47 - Exeter roundabout in real-time
10:03 - Do you need to indicate?
10:51 - Stratford upon Avon roundabout
11:23 - Picking a lane
14:49 - Someone makes a mistake
16:52 - Exiting from the left lane
17:21 - No left turn?
17:58 - Stratford upon Avon roundabout in real-time
19:07 - You can't turn back time
19:53 - Where are we going?
20:52 - Is it simple?

[anneweston]

This is the best video I've seen on spiral roundabouts. I just can't do them and always but this is good I always end up going round and round, and can never seem to get off the right place. Thanks

.

[Insn]

A good guide, the last one was a bit hard to follow as the lane markings were a bit faded. I have driven fo a long time but always hated coming to one of these I have never been on before. Ok when fairly quiet but a nightmare when packed. Once you become familiar with one they work well. Like the last comment nobody is perfect, we all get it wrong but have to disagree on autos never will go back to a manual. CVT is the best transmission invented.

[KiranKumar-lbdn]

If we want to go coventry route at round about it shows at 1st exit when you come to 4th exit where you are going for stafford when you coventry is at right lane and stafford us on left lane of 4th exit totaly confused

[artemkatelnytskyi]

Great video, Paul, thank you.
You took the fifth exit on the last roundabout, not forth after all. I think the reason they make stubby lines count as exits is because on a roundabout like this you wouldn't normally go ahead, because if you were to go ahead you would stay on the motorway/dual carriageway. It makes it less confusing and saves space on the sign. I think, this applies to roundabouts connecting motorways/dual carriageways. Another thing that indicates that it is an exit is that it shows two small square lines. Indicating the motorway joining from the opposite way. However on a roundabout like this counting exits may only distract you and it is better to go by signs. Although being aware of the exit you are taking is also good.

[Nabilalarry]

Hi there,
Please, can you get me a date at kings heath test centre.
I used to watch your video

[julijanorvidaite]

This is by far the best video on spiral roundabouts I have watched to date. My instructor did not teach me roundabouts but watching this makes me feel so much more confident.

[LukeHighwalker]

You do not get enough time to look at all the writing on the sign, you pass it within seconds