Driving in the roundabouts
 

Found this video on how to drive in the roundabouts, thought I'd share it with everyone. They should consider giving a copy of this to everyone that buys in TV.
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/eesc/CAE/des.../mpg_index.htm

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

Sadly, observing these safety rules in the Villages roundabouts will get the side of your car caved in. ???

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

That's why I said in another thread when I exit from the center lane I only do it if there's no one behind me or if they are to the right of me I watch for them to commit. Whether it's in TV or here at home in Michigan (we have a few here) it's all about watching out for the other guy.

By the way what did you think of the video, it should be enlightening for a lot of people.

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thanks for this post golfnut - the more people who know the rules- the safer we are ??? At least I personally like to know what I am "supposed" to do. Of course the #1 thing is to watch out for the other guy but that is a given in life anyway.

I have posted this link to the video on our Mallory Square website (http://www.mallorysquaresocial-lites.com )for my neighbors to look at - wish the Village website would do one and post it. Most of us didn't even know where to go for the rules and a very few percent will take the time to go to the instruction class on driving carts. A video might be something they would take the time to look at and this one is excellent.

Do you know if the same laws of the road apply in Florida as in the state where this video was made?

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

I am pretty sure that this video applies in TV but I am not 100% certain. Either way it goes a long way toward explaining the do's and don'ts.

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Watched the video with interest. Looks great when everybody does the right thing. Just won't work here in TV. Too many bad drivers. The inside lane in TV is used by the speeders who want to jump the entrance line and there is absolutely no reasoning involved when they depart the roundabout. There have been many discussions in TV about doing away with the inside lane (left). That would put everybody into one lane for entering the roundabout and eliminate the problem of cutting you off when they exit. Don't forget, there is an entrance for every exit. Enter the roundabout in the left lane intending to exit two exits later, and you have to cut-off the people entering from the first exit and intending to exit one or two exits later. Sounds confusing? Well, it is. Forget also about everybody exceeding the 20mph limit in the roundabout. Here in TV, the only safe thing to do is stay right and watch the idiot to your left. The roundabouts are too small to follow the rule in the video safely.

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Cliff, :agree: :agree: :agree:

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

Golfnut. Thanks for starting a new topic so we can all contribute!

I watched the video. Agree everyone should watch it - even though it is the state of Washington and not Florida it does tell the procedure. The important thing to remember from this video is to go slow and watch out for the other traffic. The inside lane does not have an automatic shot at exiting at exit number two, three, or four since he is on the inside and some one else could have entered from a later point.

For the most part, everyone does the roundabout correctly. Every once in a while you get some one shooting in from the left lane and whipping out from the left lane without even looking to see if there is some one continuing around the circle.

Every annual survey I ask that the Daily Sun includes the rules of the roundabout in grey or color once a month so that newbies and us oldies can be made aware of roundabout rules in TV. It has yet to happen.

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BOTTOM LINE IS ....JUST STAY IN THE RIGHT LANE AND YOU'LL BE FINE........BUT WATCH OVER YOUR LEFT SHOULDER...........

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GOLFNUT:
Thanks for the info. I always wondered what the rules were. Now they're clear as mud. lol
I believe I'll be more carefull :dontknow: :dontknow:

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It took me a little while to get used to the roundabouts but now I am just fine. I wish that everyone would follow the rules but sadly, day after day, someone crosses in front of me from the inside lane to enter into an opening. Good thing I watch both lanes of traffic regularly. I simply don't understand why people can't follow the rules and what is the big hurry anyway!!!!! :edit:

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

We took the golf cart driving class soon after we arrived here in Feb. The Sumter County Deputy Sheriff :cop: gave the presentation. During the Q&A a person asked how to negotiate our roundabouts. The Deputy Sheriff said, "Just stay in the RIGHT lane!" So, that is what I do .

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

Thanks! I remember that when we visited in June, I was doing some 'back seat driving' to my husband when we were in the Round Abouts. I can't remember what we disagreed on, but maybe this will help. It's good to hear the others' comments, too. Sounds like you just have to be cautious.

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From my experience, staying in the right lane makes complete and total sense. The most screwups that I've witnessed, some close up and personal, are those who are entering the circles and don't know that they have to yield to traffic already in the circle! It's like driving 101 yet you see it every time you go out. :dontknow:

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Looks like they are going to redo striping in roudabouts and make them all consistent, duh. hopefully this can only help make things better, but as some others have said it's not all that bad if you go slow and watch for the other guy.
http://www.ocala.com/article/2007090.../1131/REPORTER

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

If they still do newcomer orientation, then the golf cart safety film should be included along with a Sheriff's Dept. Deputy to explain the rules and correct procedures for negotiating TV Roundaouts. Hopefully more signs and road stripings at the roundabouts will help educate visitors and folks passing through TV. In the meantime, keep to the right, use your signals when exiting the roundabout and drive like no one knows what they are doing. Forget right of way rules and your interpretation of the laws. They don't protect you from the crazies out there. :cop:

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Have told everyone about this thread. Announced it at the Tall Trees Ladies Cllub. I really think everyone needs to see that video. Good work guys!!!!!!! I have been checking out the painted lines at the roundabouts that I use and they desperately need to be redone because they are wrong in a few places!!!!!

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

I've driven in roundabouts in the US and in Europe and I don't recall ever seeing one where the inside (left) lane can exit. I thought that was nuts the first time I was in TV but got used to it but always keeping an eye on what was going on around me. If you're in the left lane and you make a right turn out of the circle and you have someone in the right lane continuing around, you've got a problem. I think TV needs to change that.

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I turn right out of the left lane here in MI all the time, as it shows in the video it's not a problem but that doesn't mean you just blindly do it without being aware of surrounding vehicles, I have been in that position and had someone catch up on the right and not knowing his intentions I just went around again. Myself, I don't think TV needs to handle the traffic patterns in the roundabouts any different than anywhere else in the country.

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(Bump) Just thought I'd resurrect this thread for any newbies that haven't seen it.

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I'll preface this by saying that it is common sense that everyone should stay in the right lane in the roundabouts....because there is this ugly little secret that confuses people so I went to the Sumter Country Sheriff and asked point blank who had the right of way in THE VILLAGES roundabouts. At this point, the "idiot" in the left lane has the right of way if he/she/it wants to exit. If you are in the right lane, you must yield. At this point, it is law here in The Villages. Whoever designed these puppies really did a lousy job because to me there should be only ONE lane..I suppose it was designed for the type As who just have to get to the next light where we all catch up with them. :dontknow:

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You do have to really pay attention still, too, if you are that "idiot" in the left lane who wants to exit by going over the right lane at some point in the circle. :(

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Oh, yeah, you do...big time. To me, there isn't much reason to be in the left lane unless circumstances warrant..and even less to turn out of the circle from the left lane but if you do you takes your chances on getting crunched. Happy driving! ;D

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I think you may need to watch the video again, the only cars entering in the right lane should be those cars turning right at the next exit, if you're going straight or turning left you should enter from the left and get in the center roundabout lane. Exiting from the center lane what you're supposed to do, just make sure you watch out for any cars on your right. It ain't rocket science but that doesn't mean you won't come across someone who doesn't know what they are supposed to do.

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Even rocket scientists know you do not cross over a lane of traffic to turn right.

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I may be wrong but I believe the rules for roundabouts were established for larger traffic circles than the ones in TV. In the larger circles, there's more time and room to maneuver and to make a lane change. The circles in TV are too small for that type of maneuvering.

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

z you're tough, did ya watch the video, crossing over from the inside is what they want you to do, it's all anout moving traffic through. The round abouts in TV are the same size as the one's here at home.

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Sorry - always like rocket scientist comments.

Yes I did watch the video. There are a couple of roundabouts in NJ that I used to maneuver through. In one of them if you did not get in the right hand lane you could spend the rest of the day going around in a circle.

I will stick to the right lane in and right lane out no matter which exit I need to take. And I will keep my eye out for the left hand land drivers.

The ones that scare my wife are those that pull up to the circle at full speed while we are going around the circle. She thinks that they will not stop. I have faith.

But then I believe in stop signs, Stop lights and Yeild signs.

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Page 49 of the new Villages Phone Book is dedicated to traffic rotaries.

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Like that explanation more than the video. The Villages Phone Book on the first 49 makes it as simple as possible without going into any explanation about the left and right lanes that I can see.

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Hello

There are no left turns off a rotary circle, all right turns only. you should not be making right hand turns from the left lane, a good way to get killed

drd

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

who said anything about making a left turn?

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;D That would be a right turn from the left lane that causes the problems...not a left turn

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IMHO, originally from the UK i have driven thousands of roundabouts across europe where the rules follow quite closely those of Golfnut's video, i always move to the left lane when intending to leave at exits 2 (straight ahead) 3 (left turn) or 4 (u-turn). I have often experienced in TV traffic entering the roundabout parallel to me (or at the same time as i pass the exit they are entering from) and not Yielding to traffic (me) already on the roundabout which is a fundamental part of roundabout design, this leaves me having to either fall back behind this vehicle or go around again as passing on a traffic on a roundabout is not a good idea.

I do not believe the problem in TV is caused by those who use the right hand lane only or those who use the left hand lane as it should be used but those who fail to Yield to traffic already on the roundabout (this means yielding irrespective of the lane that the traffic already on the circle is in).

Roundabouts work great when used properly and in my experience are alot quicker and easier than traffic lights.

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From what I have heard from frequent travelers to the UK and Europe, a lot of the drivers are going quite a bit faster too than many drivers in the US and especially in TV?

I feel I should get closer to God-- by doing a lot of praying-- though every time I approach a roundabout in TV. :joke:

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:agree: :agree: :agree: There is only one traffic roundabout in the villages that can be driven as they are supposed to be. That is the one around Country Club Hills by the water tower. There is enough distance between the entries and exits to use the proper lanes. All the other circles are too small to use the lanes properly and were designed for large trucks to be able to make their turns. Making a short turn onto 2 lane street with an 18 wheeler with 53ft trailer is a nightmare at times. I've been there, done that being an over the road driver myself, (Just retired 3 weeks ago).

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Another problem with our TV roundabouts is that many of the exits have only one lane. If one car enters at 6 o'clock using the left lane to go 1/2 way around and another car enters the circle at 3 o'clock and stays in the right lane to go 1/4 way ,now they both try to exit at 12 o'clock and there is only one exit lane something has to give. Who has the "right of way" in this example???

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Bob, I would think if there is only one exit lane then the person on the right has the right of way, most of the roundabouts I use have 2 lanes you exit, can you tell me where some of the 1 lane exit roundabouts are, I suspect they are to the north near SS.

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Nice video! I guess we'll have to watch for other drivers when we visit TV next year. It sounds as though some people do not obey rules of the road. Roundabouts are very popular in certain parts of Europe and they do work. We'll keep our eyes open for other drivers when in TV.

Pili

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golfnut, the roundabout at Palmer has 2 single lane exits, into the restaurant and into Bridgport.