[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

I will yield to you before I enter the roundabout.

Problem is, some of the drivers are agressive and overtake drivers who are already in roundabouts. I have seen this mostly with the contractors who work in TV. They always seem to be in a rush and they are the ones to watch for.

[downeaster]

Please, folks, read, study and understand the rules for negotiating roundabouts. There is a fund of misinformation out there. This one says it should be this way and another says it should be another but the real answer is in the rules as clearly presented in the in the brochure provided at this site:


http://www.districtgov.org/PdfView/P...9;&ql=standard

It is in pdf form so may take a minute to load. Be patient. Print it. Study it. Remember, it is your responsibility to know the rules as they apply in Florida. I, too, have negotiated some of the aforementioned, roundabouts, rotaries, traffic circles, as well as others in the UK. But we are in The Villages, Florida so lets all get on the same page.

BTW, the lack of signs as well as confusing arrows and striping do nothing but add to the confusion.

The more I read on this and other "roundabout" threads the more concerned I become.

[Talk Host]

Does every circle in the villages have the same markings. I don't think so. I've pointed out to my passengers on occasion that the stipes are different in different circles. Has that changed? Are they all the same now? If not, how can there be a uniform rule?

Originally Posted by downeaster

Please, folks, read, study and understand the rules for negotiating roundabouts. There is a fund of misinformation out there. This one says it should be this way and another says it should be another but the real answer is in the rules as clearly presented in the in the brochure provided at this site:


http://www.districtgov.org/PdfView/P...9;&ql=standard

It is in pdf form so may take a minute to load. Be patient. Print it. Study it. Remember, it is your responsibility to know the rules as they apply in Florida. I, too, have negotiated some of the aforementioned, roundabouts, rotaries, traffic circles, as well as others in the UK. But we are in The Villages, Florida so lets all get on the same page.

BTW, the lack of signs as well as confusing arrows and striping do nothing but add to the confusion.

The more I read on this and other "roundabout" threads the more concerned I become.

[RichieLion]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

I will yield to you before I enter the roundabout.

Gee Thanks Bogie, and when you get every last other driver going through TV to do the same; Please let me know.

[RichieLion]

Originally Posted by Talk Host

Does every circle in the villages have the same markings. I don't think so. I've pointed out to my passengers on occasion that the stipes are different in different circles. Has that changed? Are they all the same now? If not, how can there be a uniform rule?

Thank you for pointing out the obvious.

[downeaster]

Originally Posted by Talk Host

Does every circle in the villages have the same markings. I don't think so. I've pointed out to my passengers on occasion that the stipes are different in different circles. Has that changed? Are they all the same now? If not, how can there be a uniform rule?

No they don't. Marion County differs from Sumter. None of them have directional signs. The markings are sometimes open to misinterpretation and that is why it is important to understand the brochure.
I have seen signs in other states that prepare you for entering a roundabout in the proper lane for your exit point. Beats me as to why they don't have them here.

[zcaveman]

Originally Posted by downeaster

No they don't. Marion County differs from Sumter. None of them have directional signs. The markings are sometimes open to misinterpretation and that is why it is important to understand the brochure.
I have seen signs in other states that prepare you for entering a roundabout in the proper lane for your exit point. Beats me as to why they don't have them here.

The Springdale/Piedmont circle is painted with the markings and the striped yellow line and the solid while line. Yet I constantly see cars in the left lane cutting across the solid line to exit in the right lane instead of staying on the left hand side of the solid line.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by RichieLion

Gee Thanks Bogie, and when you get every last other driver going through TV to do the same; Please let me know.

I did not say all the other drivers will yield. Nor did I say no one will run a stop sign, red light, speed, tailgate...on and on. The idiots are everywhere!

[Hawkwind]

Originally Posted by Talk Host

Does every circle in the villages have the same markings. I don't think so. I've pointed out to my passengers on occasion that the stipes are different in different circles. Has that changed? Are they all the same now? If not, how can there be a uniform rule?

TH
Since TV occupy three counties is it possible that each counties road maintenance department interprets things differently? Remember that the developer builds the roads and then turns them over to the county. It would be interesting to do a county to county comparison. One would think that by a state guideline all would be the same.

In Ohio, roundabouts are not common but I read that one is being planned for a very busy intersection very close to where I live. There is one located in the city of Tallmadge that is a major traffic circle that is very large and has 8 major roads feeding it. The one big difference in this traffic circle and TV roundabouts is that each road narrows down to one lane when feeding into the circle. The circle itself is two lanes wide and again when you exit the circle the road you are turning into an exit that is only one lane wide. The design makes for some interesting driving but the circle has been there since the horse and buggy days.

[EdV]

Some time ago, I made a mock up of a roundabout that attempts to eliminate the vagaries of negotiating them. Here’s a link to it:

http://edv100.home.comcast.net/~edv1...roundabout.jpg

It is a right lane for right turn only configuration that also has (red) barriers that prevent the driver in the right hand lane from making anything other than a right hand turn. It’s not perfect but does eliminate the situation where vehicles end up crossing each other’s paths.

I fully understand the roundabout rules and agree that if everyone understood and followed them precisely, there wouldn’t be problems. But that just isn’t going to happen. So the next best thing is to try to make the roundabouts idiot proof.

[RichieLion]

Originally Posted by EdVinMass

Some time ago, I made a mock up of a roundabout that attempts to eliminate the vagaries of negotiating them. Here’s a link to it:

http://edv100.home.comcast.net/~edv1...roundabout.jpg

It is a right lane for right turn only configuration that also has (red) barriers that prevent the driver in the right hand lane from making anything other than a right hand turn. It’s not perfect but does eliminate the situation where vehicles end up crossing each other’s paths.

I fully understand the roundabout rules and agree that if everyone understood and followed them precisely, there wouldn’t be problems. But that just isn’t going to happen. So the next best thing is to try to make the roundabouts idiot proof.

Look like your plan would work except for the tractor-trailers that use our roads. The roundabouts are not big enough for a big truck to stay in one lane. Good try and good idea though.

[EdV]

If turning space for big rigs was an issue they could add a truck apron to the inner circle. This is a raised section of pavement around the central island that acts as an extra lane for large vehicles. The back wheels of the oversize vehicle can ride up on the truck apron so the truck can easily complete the turn, while the raised portion of concrete discourages use by smaller vehicles.

Being from massachusetts where (rotaries) roundabouts are quite common I don't have any problems negotiating these roundabouts.When entering you always yield to the traffic already in the rotary.The difference here is there are two lanes in the roundabouts.If I'm in the right lane I should be exiting.If I'm in the left and I want to exit I should stay in the left as I exit and not move to the right.There will always be folks in the right lane not exiting and there lies the problem.So just be aware of their ignorance and proceed with CAUTION!!.Where are we all going in such a hurry?

[downeaster]

Originally Posted by Bosoxfan

Being from massachusetts where (rotaries) roundabouts are quite common I don't have any problems negotiating these roundabouts.When entering you always yield to the traffic already in the rotary.The difference here is there are two lanes in the roundabouts.If I'm in the right lane I should be exiting.If I'm in the left and I want to exit I should stay in the left as I exit and not move to the right.There will always be folks in the right lane not exiting and there lies the problem.So just be aware of their ignorance and proceed with CAUTION!!.Where are we all going in such a hurry?

With emphasis on ".There will always be folks in the right lane not exiting and there lies the problem."

Well said, Bosox fan.

[Don H]

Originally Posted by EdVinMass

The roundabout laws state that you must yield to the traffic in both lanes before entering a roundabout. So I don’t see how a double lane roundabout improves traffic flow all that much over a single lane roundabout.

That said, I think the best solution is to make the roundabouts in TV a single lane and replace the inner lane with red brick pavers that creates a truck apron to allow big trucks to make wide turns when necessary to exit the roundabout.

Now, drivers would need to remember only one rule, yield to the traffic already in the roundabout.

The problems with the current design and complicated rules of roundabouts are never going to be resolved with wishful thinking about better driver education.

Excellent Idea! Roundabouts are ok but their design assumes EVERYONE will follow the rules on the fly. Obviously, that doesn't work all that well.