Lack of directional use
 

I would like to put it out there to folks that are in the far-left lane coming into the roundabout and then decide to get off in that same left lane crossing over the right lane traffic that a directional WOULD BE HELPFUL!!!!!!! As a matter of fact, a DIRECTIONAL WOULD ALWAYS BE HELPFUL.

I can't think of a situation where you would NOT exit from the inner/left lane of a roundabout to the left lane of the road. To exit into the right lane would require changing lanes within the roundabout which is a bad idea. But maybe I'm missing something.

As for signalling - yes, this is supposed to be done. On the other hand, the ONLY time signalling would resolve a conflict is if you were waiting to enter but you couldn't tell if the vehicle already in the roundabout was exiting.
- If the car didn't signal then you would have to wait and see what it did.
- If the car used its signal then you could pull in front of it knowing it was exiting and wouldn't hit you
- If the car had left its signal on then you could pull in front of it "knowing" it was exiting and could later explain that to the officer writing the accident report.

Personally, I wouldn't bet my safety on the other vehicle using it's signals properly; I would wait for it to commit to exiting before I entered the roundabout.

I think the opposite is even worse, you're in the right lane and you cut in front of me (in the left) to go left.

Several close calls in both situations. Plan Ahead !
You could also look before you turn your wheel.

I was told that in FL, using a turn signal was a sign of weakness

Yesterday I drove across 441 to the roundabout at El Camino Real, heading onto Morse. There's a gate house there, and I was in the right lane, planning on using the resident's gate - on the right.

I got into the roundabout while someone on my left IN the roundabout was starting their approach toward my location, and they were in the inner "left" lane. They tried to go into MY lane - while they were inside the roundabout. There was absolutely no reason for this woman to move from the inner lane to the outer lane within the roundabout. She beeped at me, and yelled at me. SHE - beeped at ME.

If she had stayed in her own lane, she could've exited at the next exit, before I had gotten to it. That was WHY I entered the circle when I did. Because if she had done what she was supposed to do, everyone would've gotten in and out of the circle safely and correctly.

Moral of the story:

If you are in a 2-lane traffic circle, exiting to a 2-lane road, then stay in your lane. You have NO reason to shift lanes while you're in that circle. You can move to the right lane AFTER you exit the circle.

That I think is the inherent problem with roundabouts it is a matter of judgment, add to that the drivers who HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY, , my experience is that these drivers also seem to be traveling somewhat faster than the flow of traffic

Not taking sides, but "she" thought she had a reason.
Many times, at some busy entries gates, I have seen folks in the right lane enter a roundabout as a person planning to exit from the center lane cut off the exiting vehicle before they can move to the resident lane, causing a traffic backup. Once in line, you are pretty well stuck as most folks seem to fiercely resent giving way for others to merge.
IF people would drive defensively, slow down, be courteous, allow plenty of room, and "chill", we would all be better off.

The Sumter County Board of Commissioners publishes a pamphlet entitled “A Guide to Navigating Roundabouts in Sumter County, Florida.”
1. Within a roundabout, do not stop, except to avoid a collision; you have the right-of-way over entering traffic.
2. Do not change lanes in a roundabout.
3. DO NOT ENTER next to a vehicle in a roundabout, as that vehicle may be exiting at the next exit.
4. When you have passed the last exit before the one you want, use your right-turn signal and continue to use it through your exit.

https://www.sumtercountyfl.gov/Docum...d_Rev-02-08-12

She wasn't exiting at the gate exit. She was exiting onto El Camino Real. She had come FROM the gate, gone around. I was entering from the opposite direction, at 441. I was going around 2 exits, she was going around 3 exits. I saw her coming when she had just passed Paige Place, and she was in the inside lane. I was heading around from the outside lane, and knew there would be plenty of room, and time, for both of us to do our thing.

But as I was in the process of entering the roundabout, SHE cut over to MY lane, while she was still circling the roundabout. Which is something you're not supposed to do.

Even if she was going through the gate - the INSIDE gate is the visitor's gate - and the gate guy doesn't check to see if you're a resident or guest, he just opens the gate to let you through. So it wouldn't matter if she was headed all the way around (effectively performing a U-turn). She was in the inside lane, she should've stayed in it.

Right. I didn't enter "next to" her. I was -ahead- of her. Or would have been if she hadn't suddenly swerved into my lane as I was entering.

It still sounds as though a car was approaching in the roundabout and you calculated that you wouldn’t interfere because you would be using the inside lane while she would be using the outside.


The correct thing to do is to yield for traffic already in the roundabout. Period. No calculation, no inside/outside, just yield to any traffic already there. If you had done that then she would have been in no position to interfere with you (and vice versa)

Yup!

Absolutely, “correct thing to do is yield to every car already in the roundabout”. However, people are in a hurry and expect others to get out of their way. Works until it doesn’t. However, roundabouts are proven to be much safer than traffic signals.

I TOTALLY AGREE if we could/would do just that one simple thing, ALWAYS use your directional signals, no matter where or what the actual law requires... we'd save a TON of money and so many LIVES. Won't stop all the nearly daily carnage here, but sure would have a huge impact ! Best part, it's a no cost solution, no additional signs, painting, road work, etc., just use signals regardless. Doing same in golf carts would also BE GREAT. One last tip, when you intend to turn right, use the RIGHT signal, not the left ! Some cars seem to use the opposite, but a LOT of golf carts definitely do. That's a killer habit for sure !

#2 sounds very simple. But, is it?
You approach the RB from the inside (#1) lane intending to exit at exit 3. Passing exit/entrance 1 you travel in the center (#1) lane.
As you approach exit 2, you have options. Go straight ahead, which requires you to enter lane 2 to cross to your exit.
At this point I feel it is important to state that all entrances and exits must spend some time in the outer lane of the RB.
So, central lane (#1) decides to continue to exit 3. You can continue in the center lane. But if you continue as if you were going straight ahead, you will notice that you cross a broken line going into the outer lane. Once in the outer lane, you will notice that there is now a broken line on your left. A broken line can be crossed, so can't you make your lane change at that point? After all, there should be no traffic trying to pass on your right as going straight at exit 2 is one of your options.
Seems actually a better option than trying to cross 2 lanes at once at exit 3, as I often see cars approaching from lane 2, pushing in expecting center lane traffic to continue in the center going around.
Just a different point of view.