Once on the roundabout things are a lot easier, but can still be stressful.

There are three things to look out for at this stage too. You need to ensure you stay in the correct lane, you need to look out for traffic entering the roundabout that hasn’t seen you, and you need to keep an eye open for traffic on the roundabout trying to overtake you whilst also trying to exit the roundabout.

As usual the best thing to do to aid your safety in achieving these things is to fully claim your lane. Don’t ride near the painted lane dividers, but well inside your own lane. On some larger and busier roundabouts you may want to move nearer to the painted lines if you consider it wide enough and safe enough for traffic to pass you.

If there are no lane markings then watch where the traffic flows. There will be wear patterns and debris on the tarmac that clearly indicate the usual line through the roundabout. Even if there are lane markings, keep your eyes open for these clues, sometimes the lanes are so badly painted that drivers ignore them. If that is the case at this junction, then be careful and use your common sense with regards the positioning.

As you ride around your lane keep your eyes on your mirror, if you have one, and listen carefully to your surroundings to get an idea of where traffic is. Confirm this with regular looks over both shoulders.

Different roundabouts are painted in different ways. Some have several lanes going around the roundabout as concentric circles, others have several lanes painted as a spiral. If the lane markings are a spiral then you just stay in your lane until it naturally exits the junction at the correct place. If the lanes are circular then you need to change lane at each exit until you are in the outermost lane as you approach your exit. Look over your shoulder to confirm it is safe to change lane, indicate if required, then make one smooth positive lane change to the new lane.

Be extra cautious as you approach an exit, look and listen for traffic trying to pass you then exit. If this appears to be about to happen make sure you are assertive and make it obvious that there isn’t room for that car to pass you; sometimes just a look over your shoulder at the driver is enough, at other times you need to move across and claim your lane to prevent the overtake.

As you approach an entry to the roundabout look for the traffic and make sure that the drivers are looking your way. Be extremely vigilant when approaching a multi-laned entry as the driver in the nearside lane may not have seen you and think there is a gap approaching. This is no different really to going past a normal side turning (and you do that every few hundred yards in town!) Try to make eye contact with everybody. Also, through your road positioning make it very clear that you are going about your legal and rightful business and would not appreciate the driver pulling out into your path. Watch the car’s wheels, a small and almost undetectable movement of the car forward will clearly show as the wheel starts to rotate.

If the car does appear to be pulling out into your path, plan ahead as to whether you will brake and allow it (not advisable, they may actually be getting ready to pull out behind you so will hit you if you slow down, plus you may get hit by the car following you), to slow and swerve around the rear of the car or to move out a lane and go around the front of it (but only if they see you and stop in time!). Obviously these decisions can only be made at that particular moment in time and are dependant on the circumstances; you need to remain fully aware of your surroundings and have contingency plans in place the whole time you are riding.

If a car does pull out then start braking (you should already be covering your brakes), glare at the driver and make it obvious there is about to be a collision because of their stupidity. Subtly and in the background do as much as you can to avoid the collision. You need to inwardly be doing everything to avoid a collision, but outwardly give the impression that there’s nothing you can do and that you need the driver to obey the rules of the road to avoid you. Be assertive and not aggressive.

As you complete your journey through the junction and approach the exit you need to remain cautious and confident. Never appear hesitant or nervous. Check the exit is clear, there are often pedestrian crossings immediately after a roundabout and they may have stopped the traffic. Watch the surface carefully, debris may build up outside of the normal route that traffic takes, you do not want to ride over this gravelly surface coating. The lanes may also have been painted specifically for motor traffic, and so create a hazard for you as a cyclist. Then check that there is no traffic trying to either undertake or overtake you in their rush for the exit. Remain firmly in your lane, unless it is hazardous and a safer course exists for you, and indicate you will be exiting the roundabout. Take the exit lane and if required keep claiming that lane by staying well out from the kerb; there may well be another tight left bend that drivers will cut the corner to the kerb without realising.

Once past the left hand bend, pedestrian crossing, lane merging and other road layouts associated with your junction, check behind you for any traffic that may be accelerating rapidly away from the junction, you don't want a conflict now. You can then move back to the normal cycling position, relax, and continue your journey.

Don't forget, techniques and advice that are correct for one roundabout could be dangerous on a different roundabout. Each and every junction must be assessed individually and carefully. As long as you are aware of the issues and plan ahead, you should remain safe at all times.

And now for my final reminder on the whole procedure, stay fluid and flow through the traffic and the whole junction in the same way a rubber duck swims down a bubbling stony mountain stream; smoothly, unstoppably and without hitting anything.

Have fun, keep cycling, stay safe.