A Canberra driver has been spotted making an insane move on one of the city’s famous roundabouts, driving directly into oncoming traffic.
In footage of the incident posted online, the driver of a silver mini-van can be seen entering a two-lane roundabout in Tuggeranong in the nation’s capital — also known as the city of roundabouts — and driving in the wrong direction towards oncoming traffic.
Oncoming cars driving the correct way had to slam on their breaks to allow the rogue motorist to pass, only for them to continue driving, seemingly unfazed.
The silver van circled the roundabout several times before finally exiting and allowing other cars to continue safely.
Social media users speculated on the cause of the driver’s mishap, with many joking that they may have been American and unfamiliar with Aussie road rules.
“So many people on the wrong side. Only one guy following the rules,” one user joked.
“I thought that was the way all Canberrans drove,” quipped another.
Though commenters may have been feeling quite superior, a quiz question earlier this month revealed that many Aussies follow poor roundabout etiquette.
The Royal Automobile Club of Queensland released its weekly quiz on May 9, asking Australian motorists how they should indicate with the below diagram.
Four options were provided in the quiz:
A) No indicator on approach and driving in the roundabout, right indicator when leaving.
B) Right indicator on approach and driving in the roundabout, left indicator when leaving.
C) Right indicator on approach and driving in the roundabout, no indicator when leaving.
D) No indicator on approach, right indicator when in the roundabout and left when leaving.
The correct answer is, of course, B.
The post generated more than 1200 comments. While the majority who answered were correct, many lamented the inability of road users to get it right.
One person wrote that “most people in real life don’t do it”.
Another woman wrote: “No indicator at all seems to be the rule where I live.”
Meanwhile another complained about “the amount of people I see indicating right to go straight ahead on a roundabout”.
One person noted that 95 per cent of responses had the correct answer but still “nobody indicates correctly when they are at the roundabout in their car”.