- New roundabout 'slingshot' warning
- Clever 'hack' or 'inconsiderate driving'?
- The debate rages online
- We speak with leading motoring solicitor to get clarity
A leading motoring solicitor has issued a warning about one of the UK’s most controversial roundabout ‘tricks’ - saying drivers risk a fine of up to £1,000 and 9 points on their licence.
The so-called roundabout ‘slingshotting’ hack is a method some motorists employ to beat queues.
Rather than joining a long line to turn left, drivers instead enter the roundabout in the right-hand lane, go all the way around the circular junction before then taking their intended exit.
The orbiting practice has gone viral online, with debate raging - some motorists declaring ‘I do this all the time’ while others say it ‘causes delays for everyone else’.
Now a specialist in road traffic law has had his say, while speaking with us here at Select Car Leasing.
Dominic Smith, Head of the Road Traffic Department at motoring solicitors firm Patterson Law, confirmed there’s no specific law to prevent roundabout slingshotting.
But he adds: “In certain circumstances roundabout slingshotting could be considered as ‘inconsiderate’ - which is an offence in itself under section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, the same section for driving without due care and attention.
“It is an offence if you cause ‘inconvenience to other road users’.
“So, if a police officer sees you use a roundabout in a way that is not intended, but simply to skip the queue, and believes you have caused inconvenience to those waiting in the queue, you could end up with up to 9 penalty points and a £1,000 fine.”
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Motoring expert Graham Conway, Managing Director at Select Car Leasing, says Highway Code advice about roundabouts is also helpful.
He adds: “The Highway Code states that you should ‘get into the correct lane’ as you approach a roundabout. And when there are multiple lanes heading to a roundabout, you need to ‘use the most appropriate lane on approach and through it’.
“It doesn’t say you should slingshot around if there’s an advantage to be gained.
“The other thing to be mindful about is that if you slingshot a roundabout, and you still can’t exit, because of standing traffic, you then risk blocking the other lanes.
“As for the whole moral dilemma about roundabout slingshotting, ask yourself the question: ‘If everyone did it, would it make the roads a better or worse place to be?’ Overall, I’m not convinced it’s helpful.”
One of the latest roundabout slingshot videos has attracted thousands of likes on TikTok and hundreds of comments on YouTube.
One user said of slingshotting: “It's not misuse, it's called using your brains. As far as I'm concerned, it's no different than merge in turn. If you want to sit in a queue for 10 minutes, go right ahead.”
On the flip side, another disagreed: “Technically this isn’t illegal, but in reality, if everyone did this that roundabout would be completely blocked with cars all queuing around it, which would cause congestion on the perpendicular roads too. So it’s a good idea on occasion, a terrible one if everyone decides to do it.”
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