[CFrance]

Originally Posted by richard ingram

The most important words in the brochure describing proper ways to drive round-a-bouts are "DO NOT CHANGE LANES".

Another way to understand driving round-a-bouts is to imagine you are approaching a stop light at an intersection instead of a round-a-bout. When approaching a stop light (round-a-bout) and making a R turn, use the R lane, turn on RT signals before reaching the round-a-bout and turn right at the 1st exit into the R lane.

When approaching a stop light (round-a-bout) and making a L turn, use the L or inside lane when approaching the round-a-bout, turn on L turn signal, immediately enter the inside lane of the round-a-bout, after passing the 2nd exit, turn on R turn signal and exit from the inside lane into the inside or L lane of the street. Use the visitors gate for access if you immediately encounter a gate.

When approaching a stop light (round-a-bout) and going straight thru, approach the round-a-bout from either inside lane or outside line. after passing the 1st exit turn on R turn signal and exit into the street, inside land exits into inside lane next to median, outside lane exits into outside lane of street. Remember NEVER NEVER change lanes anytime you are inside the circle or round-a-bout. Also, never never enter a round-a-bout immediately beside another auto in the circle in the inside lane. And Finally, always yield to autos already in the round-a-bout, regardless of the lane the auto is in.

The most frequent violation I observe is drivers who are going 3/4th of the way around the round-a-bouts who change lanes while still in the circle after passing the 2nd exit. The broken white line they encounter does not indicate it is OK to change lanes. The white line dividing the lanes is broken so autos approaching the round-a-bout in their R lane may go 1/2 way around the circle -- if the white line was solid it would indicate they must turn right. For those drivers who think the safest way to navigate a round-a-bout is to always use the outside lane in the circle -- U R incorrect.

Originally Posted by donb9006

If you're in the right lane and you cross those dashed lines and hit the car that is exiting from the left lane...you will get a ticket. It's the same as a two lane straight road with dashed lines and you decide to change lanes and hit someone. When you're in the right lane, you're required to follow your dashed lines which turn OUT of the circle...unless it's safe for you to cross them and continue around the circle.

Yes and yes! I wish everyone coming to TV had to go through a course--Roundabouts 101. Just treat it like a four-way intersection.