Page 16 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 10 2025

HOME FRONT
ESTATE MATTERS
RULES OF THE

CIRCLES, ESTATES AND

ROAD EVERYDAY CONFUSION

B Y NIC OLA KILL OPS

f you’ve ever hesitated at a traffic circle, where vehicles travel clockwise and must signal right on entry, then left just before
you’re not alone. Few things cause give way to traffic approaching from the your exit.
more frustration — or near-misses — right.
Ithan the South African roundabout. And “The driver who intends entering a junction In larger circles — the ones near airports
or shopping hubs — lane discipline and
when you add gated estates to the mix, the with a traffic island shall yield right of way to anticipation are everything. Choose your
confusion doubles. Do national traffic laws traffic approaching from his or her right.” lane before you enter, and stick to it. Never
even apply behind the boom? Let’s unpack stop mid-circle unless traffic has stopped
both — because clarity, not chaos, should The essentials: ahead, and if you miss your exit, simply go
rule the road.
• Always yield to vehicles coming from around again.
THE CIRCLE OF CONFUSION the right, even if you arrived first.
We’ve all seen it: drivers freezing at an Think of it as a ballet, not a battle:
empty circle, inching forward, or charging • Stay calm and flow with the circle; predictable, smooth, and courteous.
through as if in combat. Much of the don’t stop unnecessarily. 2. THE MINI-CIRCLE
problem comes down to one simple truth • Signal clearly: The smaller version — often just a painted
— most of us aren’t entirely sure which rule dome — functions more like a yield-
applies to which circle. o Left turn (first exit): Left lane, controlled intersection. Yield to any vehicle
Under the National Road Traffic Act (Act signal left before entering, that reaches or crosses the yield line
93 of 1996), there are two main types of exit immediately. before you. If you and another driver arrive
circular intersections: simultaneously, the car on your right goes
o Straight (second exit): Left
1. THE ROUNDABOUT (FULL TRAFFIC lane unless markings state first. Always move clockwise, even if the
CIRCLE) otherwise; signal left after the centre looks temptingly flat.
These are the larger intersections — first exit. “Consistency is safety. You’re not fighting for
sometimes multi-lane and intimidating — victory at a circle — you’re joining a flow.”
o Right (third exit): Right lane,
14 DPL issue 10 2025
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