Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

Ther roundabout exit to Sweetwater Trail is one lane

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

Z, do you mean Stillwater Trail? I'll check these out and let ya know, thanks guys.

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

I guess. I live on the north side and am not that familiar with all the names. It is the roundabout that takes you by the new motel/hotel.

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

Wow, the opinions expressed here explain the confusion. No wonder we all have to pray before entering a roundabout. Everyone claims they are right. TV, each state, country has it's own design. In Wisconsin and Minnesota the inside lane is raised slightly to discourage left lane access and yet allow flexibility. The Villages definitely needs to clarify its design intentions. I was shocked to read the sheriff says the person in the right lane is suppposed to yield to the center lane >:( >:( >:(

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

It should not really be a shock as roundabout/traffic circle rules are the same worlwide and Traffic in the Center lane always has right of way, however this should never cause a problem as if you are in the right hand lane you should be exiting anyway.

Roundabouts and Traffic Circle designs do differ across the US and the World but nowhere does the right hand lane have right of way as if this was the case traffic in the center lane would be unable to exit!

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

If you're in the right lane you should be taking the next exit, nothing complicated about it.

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

Absolutely, it really is that simple.

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

Simple as ABC.

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

Sumter County Deputy was giving a presentation on golf carts. A question was asked about Roundabouts. His answer, "Just stay in the right lane." Works for me.

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

About a year ago it was published in the paper what the law enforcement agencies (Lady Lake Police, Sumter and Marion Sheriff's office) said about turning right from the left lane. They claimed that if you turn right in front of someone in the right lane, you would be at fault for not yielding right away as the person on right has right away if they collide with you. There is only one circle in the villages that can be driven as they should be, that being the one at Orange Blossom Hills on the historic side. It is large enough to drive the left lane and then switch to make your turn to the right. All of the rest are too short to do this properly. I you are in the left lane and can't make your turn, you are supposed to go around move to the right lane then turn. I have driven in different countries all over the world and has always been the same, except for the countries that drive the left side and then it was just the opposite. I have driven in all of the states in the US and Canada Providences as an Over The Road Driver (18 Wheeler) and driver trainer for years.

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

I guess we are going to keep having near miss accidents as long as folks continue to drive all the way around in the outer/righthand lane which is incorrect all over the world and yes! even in TV, just search google as i would love to see an official document stating otherwise!.

This link to a Kansas website shows the correct way to use a roundabout such as the one on Morse.

http://www.opkansas.org/_Res/Traffic...ts/driving.cfm

I do agree traffic that is exiting from the center lane should not cut-off traffic in the outer lane as this is plain dangerous, however the only reason, while travelling in the center lane, you would find yourself level with another is if that vehicle did not yield to you and entered paralllel which breaks the most basic principle of roundabouts/traffic circles, namely When entering a roundabout Always yield to traffic in the circulating lanes.

If drivers entering the circle would just wait until the vehicle/s already on the circle have passed there would be no problems.

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

Sound good, but your "right lane always exits" is refuted by the KS web site you cited. In that plan, the right lane always has an option to bypass the first exit and proceed to the second. Therefore, left lane can take the 2nd or 3rd exits or do a u-turn but cannot take the first exit. For a similar demonstration, see the video from Washington or Oregoin ??? cited in the first post of this thread.

Regardless, the laws of KS and Oregon or Washington do not apply in Florida. In fact, the laws of Lake County do not apply in Sumter. Until there is a federal guideline that is implemented by and throughout each of the states, there will be no consistency. As I've said before, all drivers in TV know exactly how roundabout/traffic circles/rotaries should be driven. Unfortunately, few agree on that method.

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

The Villages Roundabouts are small. I was told the 2nd lane was there primarily for the trucks that need the space to navigate. If we are to move to the left land and then back to the right--that is an awful lot of lane changing for an short space. I would consider all this lane changing dangerous.

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

READ MY LIPS , stay in the right lane and you'll be fine...

the round-a- bout fumar

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

It is absolutely correct not to use the inner lane for the 1st exit and also that the outer lane can use exits 1 or 2 (straight on) however my point remains that as long as everyone abides by the yield to traffic already circulating rule then trafffic circulating in the inside lane will not find themsleves with a vehicle parallel to them in the outer lane and blocking their exit.

This really means that a vehicle in the inner lane that was circulating the roundabout before you entered has right of way over you after all surely it makes sense that drivers in the inner lane do intend to exit the roundabout and not keep on going around so why enter parrallel to them, just let them pass your exit watch for their turn signals and you will know when they are going to exit, if you entered before them then they will just exit behind you.

As for TV roundabouts being too small or just for trucks, they were deemed large enough by the engineers who designed them to support 2 lanes and the generally used roundabout design for extra truck space is to use a concrete apron around the circle and not a vehicle lane.

As for going all the way around in the right hand lane i would still love to see any official document from anywhere across the world that offers this as the correct way to use a 2 lane cirlce.

Must agree though everyone in TV does know how to use the roundabouts, just cannot agree on the method, spot on!

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

Z, I so agree with your comments. I stay in the right lane and keep a sharp eye out on the left lane.

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

Johnny Cochran might have said it like this::

STAY RIGHT AND YOU"LL BE ALL RIGHT! ;D 8) :cop: :bigthumbsup: :arrow:

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

Sounds like we all agree on one thing about driving the roundabouts...to disagree ::) As far as I'm concerned TV should decide on the rules and distribute those to all homeowners. Everyone should be on the same page driving these rotaries here in TV. However, visitors would be unaware still putting us all at risk (which I feel I am every time I manuever a roundabout). My rule of thumb is to drive defensively at all times always looking over my left shoulder (at the left lane) and all entering traffic. Kinda like an arcade game seeing if I can get out unscathed! 040

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

Too many new people moving in to really make sure that people are following just one set of rules. I just pray a lot when entering the roundabouts and give myself neck pains from looking around so much.

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

Unfortunately, TV does not make or enforce traffic laws. :cop: That is the purview of the counties and the state. Since Lake, Marion, and Sumter evidently do not agree on this, there cannot be a Villages-wide policy. :cus:

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

What part of "stay right and you'll ALL right" isn't clear?

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

In a lot of roundabouts there are two lanes entering and you can get stuck in the left lane going into them.

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

They don't know how to design round-a-bouts here, they are way too small in diameter for the traffic intended. They would have been safer with only a single lane, but then nobody could get in during high flow. Fo the normal two lane type they need to at least double the diameter so that there is greater side vision visibility between drivers in both lanes.

Like I learned when driving on the wrong side in Great Britain, just enter at a very high rate of speed say 20-30 over the speed limit and the traffic will give way to you ;D

Re: Driving in the roundabouts
 

Mel1,
Did you ever live in Massachusetts? You'd feel right at home there.
I'm not sure where the "Yield to traffic in the rotary" thing came from ( in recent years). Some new PC thing I guess.
For many years, at least in Mass. it was every man for himself. The problem with yielding to traffic in the rotary is that it slows down (or stops, if someone doesn't know what yield means) the incoming traffic which is the very thing the rotary is intended to eliminate.
If everyone in the rotary keeps moving and adjusts their speed (not stopping!) to allow incoming traffic to blend the system works perfectly.