I've only lived here a year and a half so far, but it seems to me that the problem with the roundabouts is that if you're in the inside lane, you almost always have to cross the outside lane to get to an exit. I understand the business about choosing lanes according to where you're going to exit, but if you're going "straight through" in the outside lane and the guy who is in the inside lane is going straight through - but he got into the roundabout one entrance before you did, so he's getting off one exit before you - then he's going to cross in front of you - or into you - and you'll both think you were doing the right thing. If you're in a roundabout, you have the right of way over entering traffic. If you're in a particular lane (in a roundabout or otherwise), you have the right of way over another vehicle entering that lane (and by the way, entering a roundabout's left lane from the entrance's left lane means you cross the outside lane of the roundabout...). Still further, if a vehicle is in a lane in a roundabout, it can stay there all day long and go around and around and retain the right of way unless and until it changes lanes. So from a practical perspective, it seems to me that the vehicle in the outside lane usually has the right of way. People in the inside lane must assume that the vehicle in the outside lane is NOT getting off at the same exit as they are and yield to that vehicle.
I do use the inside lane for going to the third exit - and sometimes even to the second exit - but I'm acutely aware of the traffic in the outside lane that may be going to a different exit beyond mine.
When I'm in the outside lane in a roundabout, I'm always looking over my left shoulder for that person who thinks he has the right of way to cross in front of me just because he thinks he's on the "main" road.
The other thing I've seen mentioned here is signalling one's intentions. I thought cars sold in Florida didn't have turn signals because no one would use them anyway. Where I came from, you are obliged by law to signal your intentions when changing lanes or making turns. That is, your intentions - it doesn't work if you only start to signal while you maneuver and it certainly doesn't work if you don't do it at all. It seems especially important to use them in roundabouts - but it's a requirement of the vehicle and traffic law no matter where you're driving - even if you have a turning lane and/or a green arrow - or if you're selecting the bypass lane for a roundabout.
And as long as I'm on a soapbox, another irritating thing I see frequently is people's apparent lack of understanding about "right turn on red" situations. Many people seem to overlook the stop portion of that maneuver. Full stop, that is, not just a hesitation. Just because they didn't see anyone coming doesn't absolve them of the requirement to come to a full stop (meaning no forward motion) before turning.
All right, the last thing is people who turn left from the inside lane into the outside lane of the intersecting street (and probably doing it without signalling too...). You're obliged to turn into the corresponding adjacent lane. If you're in the inside lane before the intersection, you should be in the inside lane after turning through the intersection. If you have to be in the outside lane after turning from the inside lane, then after you've made the turn at the intersection into the adjacent lane, signal for the lane change and yield to traffic in that lane before you change into it.
This stuff isn't rocket science... most of if is just understanding and obeying the existing traffic laws.
I guess I should change my login name to "Mr. Pompous-Know-It-All-Who-Does-He-Think-He-Is-Anyway", shouldn't I?
|