Roundabout Incident
 

A friend who I will call "X" was pulled over by a deputy after exiting the roundabout at Buena Vista and El Camino Real. X was traveling south on Buena Vista in the right lane and entered the roundabout in that lane and continued in that lane for 270 degrees exiting onto El Camino Real. The deputy told X that was a violation of the rules of negotiating a roundabout. A verbal warning was given.

Now here is where it gets scary. X admits to having the brochure on roundabout driving and even understanding it. However, X says it is a "stupid" rule and will continue to drive in the right lane regardless of the exit point.

Not only must we deal with those who are ignorant of the rules but we must also deal with all of those who think the rules are stupid and may be ignored.

X will have a fender bender some day. Fortunately, two vehicles travelling in the same direction at a speed of less than 20 MPH will probably cause no personal injuries. However it will be a moving violation and points will be assessed, fines will be levied, and insurance premiums will go up or a policy may be cancelled.

I think you said X was told by a peace officer that the practice is a violation, and X will continue to do it because the rule is stupid?

Is that what you said?

Really?

I wish...
 

That the police would issue more warrnings/tickets for this vilolation. It is such a simple concept but sooo many just don't get it.

Not for the person on the inside lane who X runs into. Only X would be in violation for using the outside lane to go more than 180 degrees. Correct?

Beware there are real idiots among us. In most states when you cross that dotted or solid line you are taking the risk and responsibility for your actions. We have all seen the person that will take the outside lane on the roundabouts and go 270 degrees. I think the person doesn't think anything about the fact they are the ones at fault in the event of an accident because theyt were the ones that changed lanes, not the one that they broadsided that was crossing in front of them. BEWARE they are among us or maybe we are them

Wasn't there someone who said in the last thread on this topic that she was going to continue using the right lane?

/preachy on

Trust NO ONE in a roundabout.

Never be right next to another vehicle in a roundabout.

Always stagger your position so you have an OUT when needed.

/preachy off

Totally :agree:

I saw a classic roundabout incident last week. A guy driving a red sports car, driving like he was prepping for Daytona, passed me like I was standing still, on Buena Vista. He entered a circle doing at least 40mph. Another car, that failed to turn right out of the circle, ran into the sports car, which was turning right from the inside lane. I guess that the second car would be legally at fault, even though he probably never saw the sports car passing him. Maybe they would be both be technically at fault since the posted speed limit for the circles is 20mph, but the sports car driver would probably insist that he was doing only 19mph.
One thing that I find a bit confusing is that the lane dividers are dotted as you go around most of the circles. Doesn't that mean that they can be crossed? Maybe the dividers should be solid, clearly indicating that they may not be crossed.

Look at the roundabout as a big circle. There are cars entering at each entrance, so someone is always crossing the line if going 180 degrees.

Exactly Bogie - It is real simple if you follow the guidelines (or common sense!).

MY thoughts EXACTLY:agree::agree::agree:

Yes, that's what I said. BTW, although this is the only friend who has been caught I have another friend who also proclaims it "stupid" and will continue to use the right turn exclusively.

BTW, again, I mentioned the incident to another friend and he stated he was not aware of that rule. I keep a few brochures on hand and he will get one.

Am I the only one living in the midst of clueless people?

Correct.

That was me. I have been using the inside lane to travel 270 degrees in a roundabout so I'm doing my part to abide by the law.

I find that coming off Buena Vista Blvd south, I have to cross a solid white line to quickly get into the right lane to enter the resident entry for the Village of Duval. Isn't that a violation too??? Either way...I'm breaking the law so I don't know which is worse.

Another example of of using the inside lane for a 270 degree circulation and I don't feel comfortable is the roundabout at Stillwater and Morse. I want to get to the right lane quickly to take the roundabout bypass for Lake Sumter Landing and sometimes that's difficult with the heavy traffic flow.

I am abiding by the law but I'm still confused at to why it is dangerous to circulate in the right lane all the way around the roundabout. ALL cars must YIELD to ANYONE in the roundabout so why should it matter at what point a motorist enters the roundabout??? I'm at a loss about this.

From the very first time I ever drove in a TV roundabout, and always will, I staggered with any other car that was in the roundabout. I do that on regular straight away roads and interstates also....don't want to wind up in anyone's "blind spot".

I deliberately omitted X's gender. My observations indicate violators are male, female, young, old, cars, vans, trucks, pick ups, domestic, foreign, ambulances, (not on call) and even an occasional deputy.

Round about or Rotary up north in the HUB
 

There should only be one lane in the entire ROTARY (or build those bypasses like on Buena Vista South).
The vehicle entering MUST yield to the vehicle already in the rotary. Period. One lane >entering yields >no accidents. That is how it works in Massachusetts.

Very simple: It is possible that two cars can enter at the same time when going in the same direction if the rotary is clear. It happens all the time. In that case the right hand lane can not go past 180. BECAUSE: if they did go past 180 and the inside lane (who is right next to them remember) was only going 180 they would collide. Very simple.

Easy diagram:

http://www.districtgov.org/PdfUpload...INAL070908.pdf

I agree. (But I do think we still have a couple of double laners left here in MA. I just can't think of where they are off the top of my head.)

But I do know that you can't exit from the inside lane of a rotary in MASS. You need to navigate to the outside to exit. Still dangerous.

Since no-one can agree/understand on how to negotiate a roundabout, it is a great idea to have only one lane in a rotary. Entering yields = no accidents. Simplicity always works best.

And I agree with ricthemic, the rotary bypasses on Buena Vista South are great.

Massachusetts does a lot of dumb things but they have the right idea about rotary traffic.

The thing that bugs me in TV is that for some reason people seem to think it is OK to pass. Then they cut in front to exit.

Yoda

We had a driver get involved in a accident at the round-a-bout on Morse and Odell off of 466a, he was going north on Morse off 466a, entered the round about in the right lane. He was going 3/4 way around to continue on onto odell and was still in right lane. A young girl who was working in Lake Sumter Landing came up Morse in the same direction and entered the circle in the left lane. but she was going to contiue up morse so as she passed our truck, she tried to go right onto morse as our truck was continuing to go around, she caught the front of the truck and spun around. THis is what we were told.

Sumter County Sheriff's Office: Our driver was correct in his actions, he was in a large truck and should of been in the right lane (or outside lane) as he rounded the circle since the markings in the circle are dotted lines exiting the circle. Therefore he was not at fault. But since there was damage we had to await the FHP.

Florida Highway Patrol: They gave our driver the ticket for failing to yield the right of way in the traffic circle. he told us that our truck ( and all vehicle for that matter) should have entered the circle and went to the inside lane then switched back to the outside lane to exit on the other side. Even though we had 4 eye witness statements that said the young girl was flying around the circle and cut the truck off. I asked him what about the trucks blind spot if he goes into the inside lane. I also pointed out to the trooper about the markings being dotted lines. I took the trooper to the next circle north on Morse being Morse and Bonita and showed him on that circle the lines are solid at the exitiing points which mean you had to stay in that lane. He told us he didnt see it that way and we could take it to court and let the judge decide who is right.

So you got 2 different agency's and 2 different views. The SCSO is the one who pointed out the lines to us. One beind dotted and the other solid.

Mixed Signals
 

I have been in Round abouts all around the world and I find the way of the law in The Villages hard to follow. I know that both lanes have the right of way to leave the circle at each and every off shoot, but I have to concentrate on that every time I am in one. I seem to have a natural instict that I have the right of way to continue on my path from the outer lane and should not be concerned about the left lane traffic at all.
I think of Parliment and Big Ben in the Vacation Movie when in the inner lane and slow, look and shift to the right before I leave the round-a-bout. I know the law, but feel very strong that I am crossing into oncomeing traffic if I exit from the inner lane. Maybe the law needed a relook. Would making them all into one lane only slow down traffic significantly?? :shrug:

Lou

Wrong
 

You have the Village rule incorrect, Both lanes do not have the right of way.

Massachusetts native here....learned to drive and negotiate roundabouts at the same time. The system here is crazy. And what makes it even more difficult, law enforcement agencies each have a different "opinion" about the correct use of the roundabouts.
TOTV member Chelsea was in a mishap and the officer at the scene said something about the proper way to negotiate the roundabouts were suggestions and there was no law enforceable rules for navigating them . How strange is that.
Bottomline.....I am EXTRA careful when driving the roundabouts and always mindful that I am the only one who really knows the correct way to enter and exit same. I have often done a complete circle to avoid being hit.

The problem is very simple: bone heads that have no concept
 

of courtesy or logic or yielding. They are of the ilk the right of way is theirs to take....having been side swiped in the left lane of a circle where they reduce to one lane by an idiot speeding from behind me and in the right lane...tried to pass me while in the single lane area, actually hitting me and driving me up onto the planted circle on my left. He sais he knew he was in the wrong lane but figured he had plenty of time and room to make it.......I was in the one lane area when he hit me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bone headed, in a hurry to go no place, speeding inconsiderate. WHile in the minority, there are still too many of them.

Just nasty people.

btk

So agree with billiethekid.......the person who hit you was in a hurry......which brings up the good point about the roundabouts.......just imagine the speeding that would take place if Buena Vista and Morse Blvds had no roundabouts......not a pretty picture. Then imagine the traffic lights at each village entry....nope not a pretty pic there either. Guess the roundabouts are the devil we know and we will have to drive carefully and suffer with them.

At the risk of sounding sarcastic or mean, I think we should all just slow down and drive VERY defensively......

or

We might see speed bumps popping up ! :sigh:

Just allow a little extra time on trips and we'll all get there safe & sound.

It seems half the people around here don't know that straight ahead traffic at an intersection has the right of way to a left turn coming at them.

Don't expect much in a round-a-bout ~

I would like to see all roundabouts single lane. Is there any chance of that happening?

I do a lot of the driving and my husband hangs on for dear life when we enter a roundabout. Especially because I try to do it right and his side is the one that would get hit if a mistake is made.

April / May is fast approaching. Traffic will be a dead issue for eight months then start all over again!!!!

golf2140, the round about issue(s) is not relegated
 

to the volume of traffic during the busy season. There are just as many of the bone headed, drive to fast, inconsiderate get the ^$%^*&^ outta my way, road hog drivers here full time as not.....UNFORTUNATELY!!

btk

Oh...now I understand, but, the circumstance you mentioned is why I ALWAYS stagger with any car that is in the roundabout. Personally, I do not enter a roundabout at the same time as another motorist. I always allow the other car to enter the roundabout before me so I can see where they are going. I always stagger and entering the roundabouts is included in my staggering. I do know others don't do this but it's their risk, not mine.

Yikes!!! How dangerous is that!!!

Single lane roundabouts...ahhhh what a beautiful thing that would be.

Sounds like a good idea to me. Just let the other guy go a second or so in front to be safe. I think I'll try that. Of course be careful that no one is behind you and doesn't expect/respect your delay.

I know motorists must yield to anyone in the roundabout but I just think of it as being stopped at a stop sign. Most folks don't surge ahead and ram the car in front of them when the car in front of them is stopped. At least I hope that folks here wouldn't do that.

I don't think there is anything confusing or ill conceived about the 2 lane roundabouts in TV. If you read the brochure every negative issue discussed here is explained in the brochure. I see all kinds of issues with 2 lanes trying to enter a one lane roundabout, as many have stated, slow down, never pass in the roundabout, stagger your vehicle and if you are on the inside lane always make sure you know what the vehicle on the outside lane behind you is going to do before you exit. If you are not sure keep going around 360 degrees until you get back to your exit, I've done this several times, NBD....gn