It looked like one of the lawn care trucks with a trailer had hit a small white SUV. The SUV left side hood was pushed up to look like it opens sideways rather than towards the front windshield.

This one inside the Belvedere/Buena Vista traffic circle at about 12:40 p.m. June 23, 2010.

I suppose no one was actually hurt in this accident though as there was nothing about it in today's Villages Daily Sun.

These traffic circles still make me extremely nervous even though I have been driving here in TV since July of 2005.

[JimJoe]

Roundabouts are safe when they are one lane only. When they are two lane the confusion begins. Who has the right away.. inside lane or out..

[rockaway]

Two lane roundabouts are very simple.

Entering the roundabout in the right lane you can make the first right
turn or continue straight.

Entering the roundabout in the left lane you can continue straight or
continue around.

Any car already in the roundabout has the right of way.

The paperwork at the district office should be handed out to every
new homeowner or renter plus it's availability advertised every day
in the Daily Sun.

[dillywho]

Roundabouts are much safer when drivers obey the posted 20mph speed limit. How many drivers do you see that don't even bother to slow down at all, much less to 20?

[JimJoe]

Originally Posted by rockaway

Two lane roundabouts are very simple.

Entering the roundabout in the right lane you can make the first right
turn or continue straight.

Entering the roundabout in the left lane you can continue straight or
continue around.

Any car already in the roundabout has the right of way.

The paperwork at the district office should be handed out to every
new homeowner or renter plus it's availability advertised every day
in the Daily Sun.

I dont think two lane roundabouts are safe. What happens when both vehicles choose to go straight and the first one reaches their exit and turns right in front of the second vehicle as it is going straight to get to its exit?
For example:
If car one enters from the south, goes half way around and exits going north going straight per your example, and car two enters from the east and does the same to exit going west, if car one enters from the center lane and car two enters from the right lane, who has the right a way at the northern exit of the round about? I think most people think the car on the outside ( car 2) has the right away at the north corner to continue to their exit and exit going west, but I think the rules state that car 1 on the inside lane that crosses over in front of car 2 to exit going north has the right of way and there lies the problem.
The other problem is in two lane roundabouts that since the vehicles are traveling in a tight circle, longer vehicles on the inside tend to crowd the right side of their lane to avoid the center curb, and longer vehicles on the outside lane tend to crowd the center lane with the rear of their vehicle naturally as they turn.

What is wrong with making it simple and have single lane roundabouts?

...While the lawn care vehicles were in the inside lane. It looked like the lawn care truck and trailer must have been trying to cross the outside lane to turn right and struck the white SUV.

I do often notice outside lane vehicles going much too fast and crossing the track of right turning inside lane vehicles.

[The Great Fumar]

Originally Posted by rockaway

Two lane roundabouts are very simple.

Entering the roundabout in the right lane you can make the first right
turn or continue straight.

Entering the roundabout in the left lane you can continue straight or
continue around.

Any car already in the roundabout has the right of way.

The paperwork at the district office should be handed out to every
new homeowner or renter plus it's availability advertised every day
in the Daily Sun.

SIMPLE !!???
The only thing simple are the people who designed these rouinabouts..They are based on a European design that covers a much larger space...............Small roundabouts are only meant for single lane traffic...

Be careful out there !!! fumar

[Bogie Shooter]

Here we go again.
The last thread on roundabouts had about a gazillion posts.

[RichieLion]

I remember a new Villagers posting here who said he goes around the round-abouts saying "Please don't kill me, Please don't kill me". I think his name was Vinnie.

Nobody ever agrees on on proper procedure in the round-abouts; not everyone is on this blog and not everyone on the roads in the Villages is a Villager; so I think it boils down to be careful, give way when in doubt, and chant Vinnie's refrain.

[cashman]

Roundabouts are dangerous if they are two lane.

Repeating the rules over and over accomplishes nothing. Most drivers will not heed to, understand or care about the rules.

If we don't change to a one lane approach those in charge are negligent and should be held responsible for damages and God help us death.

[army one]

I agree with you Fumar, the only simple thing about the roundabouts are the ones who designed them. When I was in Europe the roundabouts were very large. The only rule that you were concerned with is you could only exit a roundabout in Europe from the right lane. You could enter the roundabout from any lane but to exit you had to work your way to the right lane to exit no matter if you were going to take the first , second, third or do the U-turn thing.

The biggest problem here is that everyone has a different opinion of how to navigate the roundabouts. By going to a system of one lane only in the roundabouts the confusion would be gone.

I guess I'd better give up on the idea, after all, this is just like all government reasoning, if it is logical, reasonable and/or sensible It will never happen.

[joannej]

If you are in the inside lane and cannot get access to the right hand lane, go around the circle (roundabout) again, get into the right hand lane when you can with your blinker on, then make your turn, so cars behind you see that you are exiting. I use my turn signal all the time going around the circles here in TV.

[Whatever]

Too many times I have seen contractors, moving vans, landscapers, etc. who have no concern for Villagers driving as if the were on a speedway or obstacle course. I would like to see our local constabulary out there more often and more visible.

In addition, being on the cell phone while going around the curve only exacerbates the situation. It seems foolish to point at the design of the roundabout when the carelessness and care less attitude of the driver is to blame.

[Rag Bagger]

They do an amazing job of speeding up traffic at intersections.

It ain't that tough, if you are in the outside lane and there ia an inside lane you may have to exit at the next right turn. There are white lines that follow the next exit. Some are solid some are dashed. If it is solid you must exit. If if is dashed you may continue around the circle but only if there is no traffic in the inside lane because that inside lane can exit too. If you want to keep going around to 180 or 270 or 360 it's best to get to the inside lane then switch to the outside lane when you meet the exit quadrant that you want.

Always drive defensively most don't understand the concept. I personally never parallel another car in the round-about. I stager my car and make sure I am well ahead of the car behind me before I put on the turn signal and exit. I have on ocassion gone all the way around to avoid what seemed like a driver who was not going to do the right thing.

[paulandjean]

I have no problem. I have a gas pedal and a brake.Just drive thru on the defensive side.