Guide to Navigating in Sumter County, Florida Roundabouts
 

http://www.districtgov.org/images/Wh...INAL070908.pdf
Not that hard to understand!

:popcorn::popcorn:

Thank you Eddie. If only ALL people would read it and do what it says.

"teaching the pig to dance"
 

Showing this navigation map is like trying to teach a pig how to dance. The pig will never learn how to dance. You just irritate the pig. There is a navigating sign before every circle and it seems there is a high percentage of people that are in no better words, ignorant to the rules of the road and put the rest of us in danger every time we leave the house. Unfortunately, the Sumter County deputies are more interested in writing speeding tickets on Buena Vista on a long straight road rather than busting the real hazards on the road.

I hope they continue to issues tickets on Buena Vista!

I saw the police this afternoon north of CR 466 doing that very thing. :highfive:

I think the best idea is to try to stay away from other cars, keep a watchful eye, and expect that a few people will drive with a total disregard for anyone in the circle.

Kinda hard for people to do the 'right' thing when I see the sheriff's deputy car go around and turn left from the right lane with no turn signal!

We were told by the Sumter County Sheriff's office that the only law governing roundabouts is that vehicles approaching roundabouts must yield to cars in the roundabout. The guide about which lane you should be in is only a guide not the law.
While I see the value of roundabouts vs stop signs, they are confusing especially for visitors. If you had never read the guide how would you know which lane you were supposed to be in?

Read the signs
 

As you approach any roundy in TV, there is a sign on the right side of the road that "splains" what lane you need to be in for what direction you are going. All one needs to do is read the sign and stay in the proper lane. This is not rocket science!

In theory, I agree that every driver should be able to read and understand the sign before the roundabout. However some of our more senior drivers may find it difficult to divert their attention from driving to read a sign explaining the lanes in the roundabout (even though it only takes a few seconds).

My husband met a younger woman going the wrong way around the roundy. And she shook her fist at him. I guess she didn't read the sign.

Yea, I would tend to believe that the vast majority don't understand the circles.

And, what is it you are suggesting we do for these "more senior" drivers?

Well, I guess there's a silver lining to everything... The roundabouts are the best thing TV has going for it, to keep traffic moving at a reasonable pace. Just the thought of replacing the roundabouts with 4-way stops or traffic lights would be a horrendous move.

Silver lining.... No one is going to get killed in the roundabouts! Cars are only going 20-25mph and would hit a glancing blow, so car damage, but little else.

No matter what, some people will continue to argue the proper way to traverse the roundabouts and no amount of reasonable logic will change their opinions or their driving habits.

So, just drive however you want and try not to hit anyone else... :laugh:

How about Motorcycles?
 

How about when I'm riding on my $42,000 Harley Davidson that was my lifetime dream to finally own and I get one of those little "glancing blows' at 20 mph? Just wondering if that's okay? Keep in mind that there are around a thousand motorcycles in TV. I think the State of Florida needs to start giving driving tests with roundys in that test every 2 years after you reach 70 years young. That includes me also. Unfortunately people are clueless to the fact that they are a hazard on the road. Pass the test, you drive for two more years. Fail the test, your driving is over until you can take a safe driving course and pass the test on the first try. And again, That includes me. :spoken:

Even with the signs, it can be unnerving to those unfamiliar with roundabouts to be instructed to exit (i.e., make a right turn) from the left lane.

Thanks for posting! It's great information especially if they are not accustomed to traffic circles.

And which roundabout would you make a right turn from the left lane?

Well. I ride a motorcycle too and I just assume everyone is going to run me over! Not only roundabouts, but everywhere....

Navigating Round-a-Bouts in TVs
 

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.

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.

Roundabouts are just like any two lane road. If you want to turn right stay in the right lane. If you want to turn left stay in the left lane. You can go straight from either lane, but you can't turn left from the right lane or turn right from the left lane

Exactly.

Even more about roundabouts.