Accident at the Caroline Gate 12/14
 

I passed the Caroline gate today before the police or ambulance arrived at the scene of an accident. No one appeared injured except the cars. From what it looked like to me, the guy left Caroline at Morse Blvd and entered the round-a-bout just as the woman was coming around the RAB in the outside lane.

It looked to me like he was at fault for entering the RAB when another car was already in the RAB. His driver's side front and back panels were smashed in and her passenger side bumper was hit.

Anyone see this accident? Just wondering if you surmised it was the fault of the guy entering the RAB. My husband said the woman may be charged with the accident because she hit him. I don't know how it works but I wouldn't think the woman should be charged with the accident because she was already in the RAB in the outside lane. All vehicles should yield to anyone in the RAB. Isn't that the way it works?

Sounds like the woman was making a left turn from the right lane. Lot of that goes on here and is one of the major causes. Why people can't follow the arrows painted in the lanes is a mystery.

I'm not following how you can surmise the woman was at fault. How can you figure out at what point she entered the RAB? She was in the RAB and the man was not. He entered the RAB while she was in the RAB already. She may have entered the RAB at the entrance right before the site of the accident which would have been Morse going northbound. She was in the RAB and should have had right of way. He should not have entered the RAB when there was a car already in the RAB.

Anyone have any input?

I saw the accident after I agree with OP

I don’t like that particular RAB. It’s misleading as to traffic patterns. I’ve seen many near misses there.

It looks and functions like any other RAB around The Villages. Markings on the road are easy to understand. There is no bypass to deal with but there are two busy roads intersecting at that RAB......Morse Blvd. and Stillwater Trail. I still see no difference with this RAB than most other RABs in The Villages.

I saw the aftermath and I agree with the observations of the OP.

I had a near accident on that circle. I wanted to go over the bridge and entered the circle from the left lane on Stillwater. I went three quarters of the circle and a car on my right cut me off and headed down Stillwater. Because of that I had to go around the circle twice before I could exit. Another time on that circle I was in the outside lane heading for the bridge when a car came out of the Caroline exit. I headed for the outside lane after making a signal and he (or she) almost collided with me. Nothing like waiting at the exit. Thank God I have a blind spot monitor in my car. Personally I hate that roundabout.

John

Yeah...eastbound traffic on Stillwater who want to go north and use the bypass lane on Morse often stay (wrongly) in the outside lane all the way around the roundabout. More outside lane left turns there than I see anywhere else.

Just be alert...as usual.

I understand very well that when making a left turn, you must be in the inside lane to make your exit out of the RAB. I do that 100% of the time when I am preparing to make a left turn.

However, having said that..... anyone in the outside lane (even if they are not supposed to be in the outside lane depending where they entered the RAB) still has right of way to anyone entering the RAB. Isn't that correct? Should someone entering the RAB cut off someone already in the RAB and driving in the outside lane? The person who is entering the RAB is supposed to wait until the RAB is clear of any cars and yield to any car already in the RAB. Isn't that correct?

Hubby and I recently saw a near miss when someone came barreling into the RAB when a car was driving in the outside lane. I know some people like to time it to the Nth degree and scoot in to the RAB but.....sometimes timing is off. That is when accidents happen. I wish folks wouldn't time it so closely when entering a RAB. Enter when the coast is clear.

Yes. That is absolutely correct...and I never said otherwise. (A bit defensive are we?!? ;) )

I was merely stating my observation regarding that particular roundabout and why there are more outside-lane-left-turners than most places.

If the woman was on Morse and continuing north on Morse I agree....but if she was entering from Stillwater and in the right lane and heading north then she created the problem. If everyone waited until the roundabout was empty they would be waiting a long time.....and driver here won't do that. Watch out for the other guy.

I will reiterate what I said a couple of posts ago...........

"..... anyone in the outside lane (even if they are not supposed to be in the outside lane depending where they entered the RAB) still has right of way to anyone entering the RAB. Isn't that correct? Should someone entering the RAB cut off someone already in the RAB and driving in the outside lane? The person who is entering the RAB is supposed to wait until the RAB is clear of any cars and yield to any car already in the RAB. Isn't that correct?"

From where I sit, the man caused the accident because he entered the RAB when there was a car coming around in the outside lane. He should have yielded to that car and stayed put before he entered the RAB.

You don't have to wait on the roundabout to be empty. But you do have to wait until there is a gap in BOTH lanes of the roundabout to enter. If you don't, you're the one causing the problem...irrespective of where the vehicles in the roundabout came from or are headed to.