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Originally Posted by VillagesFlorida
I agree totally! The Villages is NOT the place for roundabouts. Too many of us have neck and shoulder problems that prevent us from turning our heads quickly to check for traffic. Eyesight can be diminished by now and some will even be experiencing much slower reaction times while driving. This is an elderly community, no matter how many of us do not feel old. Why was no thought given to how confusing a roundabout can be for seniors? Why is there a "left lane" in a roundabout when there is never a "left turn"? Perhaps roundabouts work in other parts of the world or in areas where there isn't an elderly population. Expecting a group of people, whose average age is over 66, to be able to navigate through these 2-lane circles is unrealistic. Add in the many, many visitors who come here every year who are not familiar with our streets, let alone roundabouts. Add in the "locals" AND residents whose mission it is to get from one area in The Villages to another in the shortest possible time. When I look at the big picture I see nothing but a recipe for disaster. If there HAD to be roundabouts here one lane would have been sufficient and would have prevented many, many of the accidents and near-misses we are experiencing every day. How easy it would be if all we had to do was yield to those in the roundabout and enter when it is safe to do so. All vehicles would be in the one and only "right lane" so there would be no cutting off as drivers try to exit from a left lane. The crux of the roundabout problem boils down to one main issue: Having a left lane when there are NO left turns, anywhere. I am no engineer but this makes absolutely no sense to me. All roundabouts need to be reworked to eliminate the left lane. We all would feel a whole lot safer and our visitors and guests would have a much easier time driving in this community. I realize from reading the many posts here that some residents feel that roundabouts are not a problem. They are a huge problem when you consider the age of our population and the fact that this is a retirement community. If you are lucky enough to have the reflexes, eyesight, and mental capacity that you had at 30 you are very fortunate and you are in a very tiny minority. The fact is that most of us are dealing with the problems of aging. Putting us in a roundabout, in a left lane that leads to no left turn is asking for accidents and injuries.
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The roundabouts are not going to be changed. The two lanes were a county requirement due to the density of the development. Roundabouts are increasing around the country. There are just a few basic tenets to negotiating a roundabout.
1.. Entering: Enter a roundabout in the proper lane for the direction you will be heading. Right lane for right turn or straight (continuing on the current road). Left lane for continuing or turning left (3rd exit). Same as a regular intersection.
Never enter a roundabout when there is traffic to your left, even if one lane is clear. Always approach a roundabout with the expectation you will have to yield, not that you will yield only if you absolutely have to.
2. In the roundabout
: Do not change lanes except to exit at the third exit, which usually requires crossing the outside lane. Use your signals in case someone doesn't follow the rules above. Your side mirror is your friend.
3. Take it slow and watch for the other guy. Just basic defensive driving.
