In most of Continental Europe, the default rule is to give priority to the right, but this may be overridden by signs or road markings. There, priority was initially given according to the social rank of each traveler, but early in the life of the automobile this rule was deemed impractical and replaced with the priorité à droite (priority to the right) rule, which still applies. At a traffic circle where priorité à droite is not overridden, traffic on what would otherwise be a roundabout gives way to traffic entering the circle. Most French roundabouts now have give-way signs for traffic entering the circle, but there remain some notable exceptions that operate on the old rule, such as the Place de l'Étoile around the Arc de Triomphe. Priority to the right where used in continental Europe may be overridden by an ascending hierarchy of markings, signs, signals, and authorized persons. thumb|Roundabout in a country where traffic drives on the right. Traffic streams circularly around a central island after first yielding to circulating traffic. Unlike with traffic circles, vehicles on a roundabout have priority over the entering vehicle, parking is not allowed and pedestrians are usually prohibited from the central island. thumb|intersection of two-way streets as seen from above (traffic flows on the right side of the road). The east–west street has left turn lanes from both directions, but the north–south street does not have left turn lanes at this intersection. The east–west street traffic lights also have green left turn arrows to show when unhindered left turns can be made. Some possible markings for crosswalks are shown.
in most of continental europe the default rule is to give priority to the right but this may be overridden by signs or road markings there priority was initially given according to the social rank of each traveler but early in the life of the automobile this rule was deemed impractical and replaced with the priorité à droite (priority to the right) rule which still applies at a traffic circle where priorité à droite is not overridden traffic on what would otherwise be a roundabout gives way to traffic entering the circle most french roundabouts now have give-way signs for traffic entering the circle but there remain some notable exceptions that operate on the old rule such as the place de l'étoile around the arc de triomphe priority to the right where used in continental europe may be overridden by an ascending hierarchy of markings signs signals and authorized persons thumb|roundabout in a country where traffic drives on the right traffic streams circularly around a central island after first yielding to circulating traffic unlike with traffic circles vehicles on a roundabout have priority over the entering vehicle parking is not allowed and pedestrians are usually prohibited from the central island thumb|intersection of two-way streets as seen from above (traffic flows on the right side of the road) the east–west street has left turn lanes from both directions but the north–south street does not have left turn lanes at this intersection the east–west street traffic lights also have green left turn arrows to show when unhindered left turns can be made some possible markings for crosswalks are shown