Quote:
Originally Posted by Jazuela
As someone who's only visited TV so far and hasn't yet purchased a home, I have to say these traffic circles are incredibly confusing. I slow down significantly because they disorient me and I get nervous about being stuck in the wrong lane. If I'm in the right lane, and making a 3/4 turn, I'm in the wrong lane. If I'm in the left lane, and making a 1/4 turn, I'm in the wrong lane. But I'm supposed to keep up with the speed of traffic so if there's someone behind me, I worry they'll get mad if I slow down, mad if I'm in the wrong lane, mad if I get disoriented and pull over and stop because I just can't deal with that kind of stress when I'm just trying to get across the darned street.
Plus it's clear these traffic circles are dangerous, which is why there are so many threads here with so many posters saying they're dangerous. Why not ditch the circles and put in normal lanes with stop lights and turn lights, so there's absolutely no confusion whatsoever? You get in line, stop, wait til the light says you can go, then go. And everyone else stops to let you do so.
|
They are intimidating, at first, to anyone not used to them. But most quickly get used to them. It helps to get and read the pamphlet that is in the original post of this thread. As far as I know, the only place this pamphlet is handed it is at the monthly new villager orientation (don't know the official name) but nobody is required to attend and most of the time, by the time you attend, you have been subjected to navigating the roundabouts many times. The roundabouts are there to improve traffic flow, not impede it. You should drive defensively around here, not just in the roundabouts, but everywhere. I can't count how many times I've seen someone approach a stop at a street or drive that intersects one that I am driving down. They stop, look, clearly see me approaching (I drive a full size pickup truck), and then proceed to pull out in front of me anyway. It seems many spent their previous lives always in a big old hurry and can't seem to adjust to not being in a hurry. That goes for golf carts too. The speed limit is 20mph. Mine is adjusted so that it can go a little above that when needed but can at least keep up the speed limit. Still, there are always though that will drive right up to your bumper and pass you at the first opportunity and sometimes even at high risk to oncoming traffic. Lots of beautiful landscaping and flowers around here but there are always a few that refuse to stop and smell them now and then.