Had this issue yesterday when I was trying to hit the camera button and at that same exact time the route arrows popped up and the companion app puts an arrow right in the previous spot the camera was in. Instead of clicking the camera I must have hit one of the arrows. I did turn around and get back on the original path but was not rewarded the route badge at the finish.
Hi! I’m rather new in Zwift, but me and my girlfriend encountered the same issue together:
When doing route for the badge and we are coming close to a split street/possible direction change, if you accidentally press a wrong button (that’s what I think is happening on our Zwift ride, one sometimes touches the buttons accidentally), you’re suddenly in free roam mode and all your progress is lost.
This happened not only once, so I wonder, if there could be a feature implemented to just lock onto the route, so that there is no direction change showing up, which you can miss click.
This could be implemented as a settings option just for routes.
If there is already a solution for our problem implemented that we just didn’t see, please tell us 
Thank you in advance
There is an option in settings. I have no possibility to start Zwift now and don’t know what’s the option on English (I use Zwift I’m German), but I believe some English speaking user will answer here.
Maybe you are thinking of the Intersection Controls setting? AFAIK that only affects people with some steering devices, which is helpful if you accidentally steer your way off a route but it doesn’t lock you onto the route.
Yes, that is it. And yes, I have a Sterzo.
I couldn’t find that option. Is it in the settings or incoherence action menu?
If you’re trying to stay on the route, just don’t press any buttons while the directional options are showing on the screen.
There shouldn’t be any direction change until one completes the selected route, but a leave button just like when you do an event.
I have steered off routes coming out of the Italian Village Sprint any number of times, because I’m (Sterzo) trying to take the apexes of the turns in my sprint. Then suddenly I’m turning right on the cutoff road.
I disagree, because there is not a set route for every possible ‘route’ someone might want to ride. And people sometimes change their mind once they start a route and decide to make manual turns.
I believe that’s what @Xavier_Neys means with leave button?
Exactly, click on leave route just like you can leave an event and carry on in free ride mode.
But wouldn’t clicking a ‘leave the route’ button be basically the same as doing whatever it is you’re doing now? Basically, just don’t do that.
Just to say you’re not alone, I’ve accidentally done this 2 or 3 times and it was very frustrating.
One of the easiest ways this happens is if you’re approaching an intersection in drone view (view 0), while using the arrow keys to change the camera angle. And of course there’s no confirmation required to leave your chosen route, or notification when it’s happened. Having the same keys that move the camera also control steering is horrible design.