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Here, briefly, are the most important rules of play for driving in Britain.
1/ Keep the centreline next to the steering wheel. That's easier to remember than "keep left" because it's the same relative position as at home.
2/ Develop a starting-off ritual. At the risk of amusing passers-by, when getting into the car you and your travelling companion should say, out loud, "Klunk! Klick! Kuh-left! " (Close the door! Click on the seat belt! Keep to the left!)
3/ Always look the RIGHT way. As a North American, you habitually look left more than right when crossing a street. But in the looking glass world of British traffic, cars are hurtling towards you most immediately from the right. So, make the mantra "Always look the RIGHT way!" a ritual part of your game plan.
A fundamental rule is: "GIVE WAY to the right". All things being equal, traffic coming from your right has right-of-way and you must yield. Of course, life isn't fair, and rarely equal. Thus, major roads generally have priority over smaller ones entering from the right. This may sound confusing, but in reality it's not. The visual clues that you are on a major road are compelling and intuitive. And, though it's often over-ruled, I emphasize "GIVE WAY to the right" because there are many uncontrolled junctions in Britain where the might of the right holds sway. Also, it is this rule which makes roundabouts work.
Approaching a roundabout, Have a positive attitude; GIVE WAY to the right; and Obey the white lines. Here's how all these things work together for good.
The jaws of a roundabout are protected by dashed white GIVE WAY lines. Also, roundabout traffic moves clockwise, from your right. Thus, approaching a roundabout, you are doubly enjoined to GIVE WAY. Therefore, slow down; stop if you must. Enter only when so doing won't interrupt roundabout traffic.
Having traversed the jaws unscathed, imagine yourself circulating comfortably around an hypothetically humungous multi-lane roundabout with cars to the left of you and cars to the right.
"How the Dickens," you wonder, "will I ever get across this traffic and make my exit?"
The answer is: GIVE WAY to the right. Because roundabout exits are always left turns, when you need to cross in front of someone to exit, you will be to their right and they must yield.
Try it... signal left, and move cautiously, but positively towards the exit. See how people courteously melt back to let you cross in front? By the same token, if someone ahead of you, to the right, wishes to cross your bows, ease off and let them by. It's magic! No fuss, no muss. Social responsibility in action.
Here endeth the lesson. Brief though it was, you are no longer naïve and unprepared. So join zestfully in the game and enjoy your accomplishments as you encounter new challenges and delights about driving in Britain.