What is ‘slingshot’ roundabout trick and can I be fined for doing it?
DRIVERS have been taking to social media to demonstrate the “slingshot” trick, and other motorists have been left slightly confused.
What exactly is the “slingshot” roundabout trick? Is it legal? Can you be fined for it? And what are motorists saying about it? We have everything you need to know.
What is the ‘slingshot’ roundabout trick?
One TikTok user posted a short clip of himself faced with a long queue of traffic coming up to a roundabout.
Instead of joining the queue and waiting his turn like every other car, he pulls into the right-hand lane and begins his approach up to the roundabout.
He then proceeds to go right all the way around the roundabout and re-joins the queue of traffic heading out of the first exit on the left.
The user captioned the brief social media clip: “Good old sling shot manoeuvre,” adding “Sling shot manoeuvre. Nothing better than forward planning. Seee Ya!!!”
Can I be fined for doing it?
While the slingshot often provokes fury from other motorists, there is actually nothing in the Highway Code to prevent it as long as you drive safely.
However, some road law experts are not certain the hack is within the rules – claiming that it could be seen as a misuse of lanes.
Guidance from the Crown Prosecution Service says that “misusing lanes to gain an advantage over other drivers” can be counted as “careless or inconsiderate driving“.
Graham Conway, from Select Car Leasing, told Yahoo News: “Careless or inconsiderate driving typically attracts a fixed penalty of £100 and three points on your licence.
“In more serious cases motorists will have to go to court where they could face higher penalties.
“It all boils down to whether your driving ‘falls below the standard expected of a competent and careful driver’.
“Slingshotting a roundabout – or ‘misusing lanes to gain an advantage over other drivers’ – could easily fall into this category.”
What has been said about the ‘slingshot’ roundabout trick?
The slingshot trick has divided motorists.
Some took to social media to question the legality, calling him “reckless”, “careless” and a whole list of other slurs.
One user suggested: “Don’t have a licence I bet.”
Another said: “I don’t fancy a criminal record.”
And a third added: “Can actually get you points on your license.”
While others praised the ingenuity of the manoeuvre.
One user commented: “You sir are a genius. Lucky you live in a place where people understand how to properly use a roundabout.”
Another person added: “Omg I’ve been one of the chumps sitting in traffic oblivious to the slingshots taking place next to me. Genius.”
While a third said: “Why would you not do this? Amazing that folks don’t know to do this.”