Round About Question- Yikes!!!
 

We were in a double- 2 lane round about, in the right lane. As I was about to pass a right hand turn and continue on in the round about, a driver next to me in the left lane made a sudden turn in front of me to exit the round about. I had to slam on the brake to avoid getting hit.

This started me thinking- If you are in the left lane of the round about you always run the risk that someone in the right lane will be in your way when it's time for your exit. Just because you have been passing right turns without taking them- someone just entering on the right could be in your way when you take the 3rd exit.

What am I missing? is there a way for someone in the right lane to avoid getting hit by a driver turning in from the left- or is it 100% trusting every driver in the left to not hit you? Seems like a crap shoot.

Thanks

1) Yield to approaching vehicles in both lanes of the roundabout;
2) Never drive next to another vehicle in the roundabout.

It's about understanding the proper way to navigate through a two-lane roundabout. When everyone does it correctly, it is not a crap shoot.

Did you enter the right lane as a vehicle was approaching in the left lane, did a vehicle enter the left lane next to you and at the same time, or did the vehicle already in the left lane race up and overtake you before you passed the first exit? The first one is definitely your fault, the second is definitely his fault, and the third is unlikely.

As I recall we entered the circle at the same time.

Did you enter at the same time and from the same entrance? Or did you enter at the same time but he entered to your left?

If you both entered at 6, you have to exit at 3 or 12 and he has to exit at 12 or 9.

If the accident takes place at 3, it is his fault. If it takes place at 12 or 9, it is your fault.

If he entered at 9 and you entered at 6, he would have to be going fast or you would have to be going slow if you both reached 3 at the same time. Always be aware of other cars in the roundabout.

I always thought the that the rule of thumb is that when you're approaching a roundabout and you plan to exit from the 1st or 3rd (right or left exits) of the roundabout, you should always be in the outside lane well before entering the roundabout.

All I know is when drivers all obey the rules, it’s like watching a ballet.

It's just like a 4 way intersection. The right lane can turn right or go straight. The left lane can go straight or turn left.

Whenever a vehicle is in the left lane in a round about, I automatically yield. The vehicle may need to crossover your path to exit It takes just a few seconds to allow the person in the left lane to maneuver out of the roundabout.

No one should have to yield in the roundabout.
That is the whole idea of them. Continuous flow.
If you have to yield, there are basically only two situations that are to blame.
1. You or the other vehicle, even both, are in the wrong lane.
2. Driver enters roundabout before both lanes to left are clear.
Speeding, changing lanes in roundabout could be added, but the two main reasons are those.
It is a very simple procedure if basic rule is followed.

When you enter the roundabout in the right lane ….you have to exit the 1st or 2nd right exit, if you go to the third then you are in the wrong.
Enter in the left lane you have to exit the 2nd or 3rd right exit.
It’s posted at every roundabout it’s not that hard

Not everyone uses the roundabout correctly, that said at least once a week, (normally north of 466) the car next to me in the left lane, will turn right from the left lane.
No they don’t notice or care if there is a car next to them. They need to go that way, and will, turn in front of you.

I will hold up for a second to let that left lane enter first, so I don’t have to break so hard, when they incorrectly turn right (in front of my car.)

I also have the ability, of driving our larger second car, whenever traveling to the northern parts of TV. No fondness for it so if it’s sacrificed in a roundabout incident I should be ok.

Traffic education is the answer
 

Motorists have to be educated on the proper driving entering, driving and exiting a roundabout. With all the roundabouts in TV this can be accomplished by written print and televised education. Lastly the enforcement of traffic laws and signals (summons enforcement) will help to accomplish this education.

If by "3rd" exit, you mean the one at 9 O'Clock, (assuming there are exits at 3, and 12) you should enter the roundabout from the left lane of a two lane entrance, and stay in the left lane until you exit.
As described previously, if you enter from the right lane, you MUST take the first (3 O'Clock) or second (12 O'Clock) exit. You may not stay in that outside lane past the 12 O'Clock exit, as the person in the left lane may properly take that 12 O'Clock exit from the inside lane. If you are in the outside lane and proceed to the next exit, you may collide with the inside car, which is properly taking the 12 O'Clock exit.

Here is a link explaining it in pictures. Open the link in the first post of the thread. The pictures explain exactly how your "rule of thumb" is incorrect. (if I am understanding you correctly)https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...abouts-155158/

If I’m in the left lane & want to exit when the right lane is at all occupied, I just continue around again in the left lane & wait for the opportunity to move to the right lane to exit.

Huh????? If you are in the inside lane, you do not have to move into the right lane to exit unless you are improperly trying to exit at the first exit. Just stay in your lane and exit at the 2nd or third exit, as you should. If someone is to you right at that time, they improperly entered the RB when you were coming around on the inside lane, or they entered with you and are trying to go to the third exit in the outside lane, and they are wrong. Of course, much better to go around once that get in an accident.

The brochure is very clear. Does anyone disagree with this?

And away we go……..:popcorn::popcorn::popcorn:
Prediction 65 posts!

I'll raise, and go all in.

Yes, it's true. This ground has been covered many times, but every time it comes up it becomes clear that too many people misunderstand the rules, so it's worth the time and trouble to try to educate folks in this regard.

The fender you save may be your own.

The ones who don’t know don’t read TOTV.

A absolutely false. From reading the posts, many who read TOTV also don’t know how to drive in a roundabout!

...............

That makes it too simple to understand. :BigApplause:

I never enter a roundabout next to another driver... I always expect them to cut me off, especially with out of state drivers who may not know how a roundabout works here.

Take each picture, make copies and overlay with rotating each copy by a quarter rotation. Now you have multiple cars entering and exiting in multiple lanes, with multiple combinations of the "right way" to travel.

Look at traffic entering and exiting from all 4 feeder roads. Notice now those specified travel lines now cross between copies when you look at the whole picture of all traffic from all directions. There are 24 potential collisions by following the directions in those diagrams.
So yes, I disagree.

I propose something very simple.
The right (outside) lane of the round about must always exit at every side road. Car cannot continue going in circles using the right lane.
Cars in the left lane (next to center of round about) have absolute right of way, and never yield to cars entering.

Please use turn signals when exiting.

Five out of the six pictures have a Yield sign showing and the one that doesn't have the sign has text stating, "YIELD to all traffic in the roundabout," and, "DO NOT ENTER next to a vehicle in the roundabout." NONE of the 24 potential collisions exist if the driver entering the roundabout Yields to traffic in the roundabout.

The brochure is very clear. If portions of it are ignored, the problem is not with the brochure, the problem is with the person reading the brochure.

UOnly crap shoot if you enter roundabout without yielding to traffic in both lanes of roundabout.

You didn’t yield to traffic in roundabout. I see this a lot, vehicles in right lane think they can enter roundabout when they’re no traffic in right lane of roundabout. You have or yield to both lanes in roundabout. It means approaching you entry coming around the corner. Another problem people don’t use there blinker light when existing roundabout.

You may disagree, but you are absolutely wrong. The RBs work perfectly when drivers follow the rules. There is no crossing in front of or cutting off as long as no one:
a) follows the rule of which exit they can take from which lane and
b) More importantly, no one enters the RB with traffic coming IN EITHER LANE

To the OP........NEVER drive next to anyone in the RAB. You never know what they are going to do. I vary my speed to never be next to anyone. I also NEVER enter a RAB at the same time as another vehicle. So far...........so good after several years of driving in these RABs.

That is incorrect. When you plan to exit at the 3rd exit (AKA a Left turn), you must be in the inside lane. You also must enter in the inside lane if you plan to make a U Turn (AKA the 4th exit).

It is really not confusing at all. What is confusing is not knowing what other drivers are going to do. That is why I NEVER drive next to another vehicle in the RAB.

Seems to be the same posters..

Slow learning curve????

You keep track of these things?

Naw, no need. One can almost predict who will post on any thread mentioning round-a-bouts.

The idea is not continuous flow. The idea is no traffic light to sit at for several minutes. Instead of sitting at a red light, allowing other cars to cross your path, you YIELD. Whoever is in the round about before you has the right of way.

Sometimes, you can move through seamlessly. But, when a vehicle is in the left lane there is a possibility they will need to cross over your path to exit. You YIELD to them and allow them to do so.

Again, THERE SHOULDN'T BE IF PEOPLE FOLLOW THE RULES. For that to happen, EITHER
a) a driver who doesn't understand entered the RB when a vehicle was coming around in the inner lane, or
b) a driver, even more ignorant, entered with you and was proceeding to the 3rd exit in the outer lane while you were going to the 2nd exit

And btw, is there a substantial difference (not semantic) between NOT sitting at a light for 2 minutes and "continuous flow"???

What I wrote was correct.