[livsea2]

I have to agree with ole coffebean’s logic. Laws were made to be altered for one’s own convenience. Once I was going through an intersection and my light was green. Someone ran through the opposing red light and if I hadn’t yelled and my spouse swerved we would have crashed! From then on whenever we approach a red light we slow a little and if a car is coming we speed up so we miss em. Now if we don’t think that will work we slow a little and swerve around em . That makes us feel safer than following the law and stopping for any ole red light!

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by Taj44

Coffeebean, if you stay in the right lane to make a left turn at 270 degrees, you will be potentially causing an accident to those in the left lane who are going straight. No matter how "comfortable" it makes you feel, you are engaging in a dangerous driving practice.

I can easily see a car in the left lane and I slow down to "stagger" with the car in the inside (left) lane. This is why I feel safer in the right lane.

On another thread I already stated that I will try to travel in the inside (left) lane when I'm leaving the roundabout at the third exit (making a left turn). I'm willing to try this and hope that I feel comfortable doing this.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by coffeebean

I can easily see a car in the left lane and I slow down to "stagger" with the car in the inside (left) lane. This is why I feel safer in the right lane.

On another thread I already stated that I will try to travel in the inside (left) lane when I'm leaving the roundabout at the third exit (making a left turn). I'm willing to try this and hope that I feel comfortable doing this.

well, that only took a week!

[herbaru]

Originally Posted by Ooper

I have seen 100's of posts on the proper procedure of navigating a roundabout and we still seem to be no closer to this solution than we were back in the 90's when the 1st roundabout was built. I have seem many recommendations, by drivers, observers and even the police. IMHO, I can only see one fool proof way of navigating a roundabout without the possibilty of getting into an accident. The sheriffs pamphlet does not even accomplish this. If everybody followed this simple procedure, I think it would solve all the problems. One simple rule... if you enter a roundabout with the intention of exiting on the first exit, then enter in the right hand lane and exit from the right hand lane. All others, need to enter the roundabout in the left hand lane, and exit on the left lane of the exit road without making a lane change. There would be no overlapping of exits and therefore, no accidents. If somebody can find fault with this, please post a reply so we can all learn. Even with the sheriffs suggestion of staying in the right lane for up to 2 exits, there could be possibilities of somebody from a previous entrance cutting you off if you do not exit on the first exit. There are some roundabouts in TV with 3 exits, some with 4, and even with 5. Sometimes, "going straight" thru a roundabout, does not necessarilly mean "going staright". But most important of all, and safest, yield to anybody in the roundabout to begin with, and always keep your eyes moving.

Yes, Yes, Yes, I agree!
This is what I was saying in another thread, the one about the car/truck going through the roundabout. So to all those who keep saying if you are in my way when I am going straight (from the left lane) than you are at fault because you are in the right lane is just wrong. You must keep in mind the person can go past their right turn to keep going straight.

As the brochure says:

4. EXITING: As you exit the roundabout, be aware of
vehicles traveling on the outside of the circulatory
roadway that may continue to circulate around the
roundabout.

So give coffebean a break!

[djplong]

memason & roackaway: I know well the rules of the rotaries, having been exposed to them my entire adult life.

Massachusetts has spent millions to eliminate them because of how bad they are.

But my point was that, yes, I know the one IN the rotary has right-of way. When you have two cars coming into a rotary, if someone taking a left turn gets there just before you, THEY have the right of way because they got 'in' first and you have to wait until they get through. In the worst case in Nashua NH, there are two new roataries on heavily traveled roads. One is at the south end of Main Street (which should tell you something about the traffic). If someone is coming south on Main Street and "turning left" (towards the Nashua Country Club), THEY will have the right of way over someone coming north and continuing north - so you've stopped up the main flow of traffic.

The same thing holds true for a rotary put in at an intersection to an access road to the new high school. A string of left-turn vehicles (presumably going to the school) ends up taking the right-of-way away from the majority of eastbound traffic in the morning (which is heading in town). This would be MUCH better served by a timed traffic light programmed to handle the traffic flows that change their characteristics during the day.

They are *bad* news in high-traffic areas.

[l2ridehd]

djplong. If traffic circles are not improving traffic, then they are designed wrong. And Massachusetts spent millions removing them to put political cronies in make work projects. The next step will be to keep them working putting them back. Virginia is in the process of replacing traffic lights with them.

Example. At the intersection of route 15 and 50 in Aldie VA there was a traffic light. The majority of traffic heading West on 50 used to turn South on 15 or go straight through. Back ups in the evening were always over a mile at that light. They replaced the light with a loop of 3 circles. No more traffic back up. Traffic flows much better.

In England they have had round abouts for years, with very few lights. Traffic flow is significantly better. They work, they work well, just need to be designed correctly. The ones in TV are designed correctly. The problem is a user issue.

If you have circles in Nashua NH not working, blame the design, not the circle. And if that doesn't work for you, you could always move back to MA. But having lived in that area for many years, I know why you moved.

[NJblue]

The same thing holds true for a rotary put in at an intersection to an access road to the new high school. A string of left-turn vehicles (presumably going to the school) ends up taking the right-of-way away from the majority of eastbound traffic in the morning (which is heading in town). This would be MUCH better served by a timed traffic light programmed to handle the traffic flows that change their characteristics during the day.

All traffic situations are different so there is no "one size fits all" to their solutions. In the case of the community college by my old house, the addition of a roundabout GREATLY enhanced the flow of traffic from the old traffic light approach.

Likewise, as big as a potential source of accidents the roundabouts in TV are, I would certainly not advocate for them being replaced with traffic lights which, with our traffic flows, would always add to the average transit times. One person I know astutely observed that the quality of life in a community is inversely proportional to the number of traffic lights in that community. While perhaps a bit overstated, I think he was on to something.

I would like to see a greater enforcement of the existing rules (or perhaps have the rules changed as noted above*, which I think would remove the biggest source of the problem - i.e., allowing cars in the outside lanes to do anything but make an immediate right turn). We also need a concentrated driver education program about proper procedures. The suggestion about putting them on before movies start is an excellent one. They should also have a car and golf cart safety session at each newcomer orientation meeting.

*Note: the problem with a rule change is that this would probably be contradictory to the way roundabout navigation is prescribed in the rest of the country. Hence, to differ from the established norm might create an even bigger safety problem.

[Donna2]

....at lights VS. roundabouts? We have had whole families wiped out when someone goes through red light. I bet death rate less at roundabouts?

[Ooper]

Originally Posted by Talk Host

Anytime you exit a roundabout from the left lane in The Villages, you stand a good change of engaging another vehicle in the right lane which is going all the way around.

Not if everybody uses the inside lane if they do not make an immediate exit upon entering. I challenge anybody to tell me how a collision will take place if there are no vehicles in the outside lane driving past an exit and those in the inside lane exiting to a left hand lane of the exit road. But, the problem is, that is in a perfect world... there are always people who are ignorant of what to do and make their own rules. This is what we have to be cautious of.

[RichieLion]

Not one so called solution I have read in this tread really addresses the issue that a few people like Talk Host and Coffeebean have addressed, and that is if you enter the roundabout in the left lane to take the second exit as in "continuing" in same direction and then when you are trying to turn right you are cut off by the person entering at the intersection you passed who is going around the roundabout in the right lane because you are already occupying the left. I'm sorry folks, but I have to agree with Coffeebean because the design of the roundabouts are too ambiguous to indicate who has the "right of way" The safest course is to remain in the right lane and drive slowly to be able to give way to the aggressive drivers and then be able to make your turn without incident. I'm sorry if this aggravates you, but Coffeebean and I will drive slowly and get where we're going without incident and you can go on telling us we're wrong to do this.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by RichieLion

Not one so called solution I have read in this tread really addresses the issue that a few people like Talk Host and Coffeebean have addressed, and that is if you enter the roundabout in the left lane to take the second exit as in "continuing" in same direction and then when you are trying to turn right you are cut off by the person entering at the intersection you passed who is going around the roundabout in the right lane because you are already occupying the left. I'm sorry folks, but I have to agree with Coffeebean because the design of the roundabouts are too ambiguous to indicate who has the "right of way" The safest course is to remain in the right lane and drive slowly to be able to give way to the aggressive drivers and then be able to make your turn without incident. I'm sorry if this aggravates you, but Coffeebean and I will drive slowly and get where we're going without incident and you can go on telling us we're wrong to do this.

Now there are two potential accidents waiting to happen.

[RichieLion]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

Now there are two potential accidents waiting to happen.

Says you, but you might just be that driver who enters in the right lane and continues going around because I'm already in the left lane you want me in, and prevents me from turning right to continue down the same road I was on. Some roundabout are clearly defined like the one at Bonita Blvd. and Buena Vista, but most are not. I've been forced around the roundabout when I wanted to continue straight too many time to be bound by your "rules". Sorry, but I'll go slow and let you make whatever turn you want to make and then I'll make mine.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by RichieLion

Says you, but you might just be that driver who enters in the right lane and continues going around because I'm already in the left lane you want me in, and prevents me from turning right to continue down the same road I was on. Some roundabout are clearly defined like the one at Bonita Blvd. and Buena Vista, but most are not. I've been forced around the roundabout when I wanted to continue straight too many time to be bound by your "rules". Sorry, but I'll go slow and let you make whatever turn you want to make and then I'll make mine.

I will yield to you before I enter the roundabout.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by RichieLion

Not one so called solution I have read in this tread really addresses the issue that a few people like Talk Host and Coffeebean have addressed, and that is if you enter the roundabout in the left lane to take the second exit as in "continuing" in same direction and then when you are trying to turn right you are cut off by the person entering at the intersection you passed who is going around the roundabout in the right lane because you are already occupying the left. I'm sorry folks, but I have to agree with Coffeebean because the design of the roundabouts are too ambiguous to indicate who has the "right of way" The safest course is to remain in the right lane and drive slowly to be able to give way to the aggressive drivers and then be able to make your turn without incident. I'm sorry if this aggravates you, but Coffeebean and I will drive slowly and get where we're going without incident and you can go on telling us we're wrong to do this.

It's nice to know there is someone who understands the point I'm trying to make. As you said Richie, I proceed with EXTREME caution and always look to my left as I'm driving around the roundabout in the right lane. I will always stagger and allow any car who is beginning to overtake me to go ahead of me and I stay clear of them.

Today I did enter a roundabout in the left lane to take the third exit and sure as shootin', there was a car who cut me off as they were proceeding to the next exit in the right lane. That just doesn't feel safe to me. Oh, my...what to do!!!

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by RichieLion

Says you, but you might just be that driver who enters in the right lane and continues going around because I'm already in the left lane you want me in, and prevents me from turning right to continue down the same road I was on. Some roundabout are clearly defined like the one at Bonita Blvd. and Buena Vista, but most are not. I've been forced around the roundabout when I wanted to continue straight too many time to be bound by your "rules". Sorry, but I'll go slow and let you make whatever turn you want to make and then I'll make mine.

By George, I think you've got it. That's exactly what I do.