Talk of The Villages Florida - How to Navigate Roundabouts

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- The Villages, Florida, General Discussion (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/)

- - How to Navigate Roundabouts (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/how-navigate-roundabouts-155158/)

Roundabout Navigation

The .pdf brochure covers almost all of the "etiquette" of the traffic circles except for one point that needs a lot more emphasis: USE YOUR SIGNALS !!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Villagerjjm (Post 1571657)

The .pdf brochure covers almost all of the "etiquette" of the traffic circles except for one point that needs a lot more emphasis: USE YOUR SIGNALS !!!!

Signals? Signals? This is The Villages.
We don't have none of those new fangled things here!
Some people! You will be wanting us to get in the correct lane next!

I agree signals are a good thing.

But I think they are far less important than simply driving the roundabouts properly in all other respects...yield to both lanes before entering, use proper lane for your movement, never drive beside another vehicle.

If you do these things, you will have no conflicts anyway so signals are just a further caution.

Little humor: I mentioned to my neighbor that I assume nobody knows what they are doing in the round a bouts, including myself. He commented, no problem , I just take up both lanes.

please signal roundabout

Villagers please, please signaling if you are leaving the roundabout! It helps everybody to let flow the traffic and everybody knows what you are planning to do.

It would help if everyone would just follow one simple rule, NEVER change lanes in a roundabout, yes, even when you are thinking it will help you line up better to the resident gate. NEVER do this. NEVER

Quote:

Originally Posted by j_vermilya (Post 1617343)

This is illogical. If it's a two-lane circle with arms coming and exiting off in all 4 directions, then the only way you can get from the inside lane to any of the arms is to cross into the outside lane.

That means - quite literally - changing lanes. Even if it's for just a split second, you are, by definition, changing lanes the moment you move from your inner lane onto one of the exit arms.

Going south to north on an inside lane. You're going just fine. But then someone who is coming in from the east, and heading west, on the OUTside lane..which he has the right to do - will be already in his own lane when you are trying to cross that lane onto the northern exit.

Regardless of "who has the right of way" this makes for awkward driving. In addition, it requires that the person on the inside lane - change lanes - in order to get out of the circle.

If you didn't change lanes you would just continue around the circle and never leave it. You're also crossing the outside lane while in the process of entering the circle, to get into the inside lane.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazuela (Post 1617528)

"Changing lanes" in the context of navigating a roundabout does not mean what you think it means.

Patience is a virtue.

Patience is a virtue.

Patience is a virtue.

:ohdear::ohdear::ohdear::ohdear:

All new residents should be informed via a class held by the villages on how to navigate roundabouts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kappy (Post 1492850)

If you look at the roundabout brochure, it specifically states that you should “Never change lanes in a roundabout”. This means that if you are going 3/4 around, you should enter a gate in the visitors lane. The statement is written in red on the brochure. If you follow the lines that show a left hand turn, (3/4 around), you’ll see the line going into the visitors’ gate.

I will not enter my gate in the visitors lane. Then I have to get to the right very quickly to make the first right turn as I leave the gate. I'm a resident and I will always use resident gates. I will not wait for the visitors to ask questions and get directions. I will not wait as the visitor can not figure out what to do when they passed the non manned red button.

As I exit the RAB in the inside lane, I always look in my mirror to make sure my path is clear. Then I proceed to change lanes as I exit the RAB. I'm not actually in the RAB but just leaving it as I change lanes. Then I go through the resident entry.

I know I'm retired and I have all the time in the world to spend sitting at the gates. Sorry, just not going to do it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CFrance (Post 1493049)

We go round-a-bout on this issue every year.

I still say, you cannot be in the left lane and get to either of the entrances without crossing over the right lane. I think the statement means not to change lanes while driving inside of the roundabout. Once you're in whatever lane you entered in, stay there till you exit. Obviously, you have to cross over the outside lane from the inside lane in order to exit the roundabout. Both visitor's and residents' gates are on the right.

Unless your car turns into a hover board and you go above the traffic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazuela (Post 1617528)

The Yield sign means yield TO BOTH LANES in the roundabout. So nobody should be entering from the side of you while you're already in the roundabout. That takes care of the problem of somebody entering (illegally, because you were there first) and going halfway around on the outside while you're trying to (legally) go three-fourths' of the way around on the inside. (Although people don't adhere to this yield protocol, so you still have to have eyes peeled all around your head.)

Do not enter the roundabout until whoever is already in it has passed your entry point.

What "they" (whoever "they" is) should do is change the Yield signs to read Yield to Both Lanes.

If I can get to 466, 466A, and/or 301 to get where I'm going, I can avoid most roundabouts. I've seen many a fender bender at the St. James/Buena Vista roundabout. I do acknowledge that 466 & 466A have their own set of problems. Oh well. Drive safely; be alert We need more Lerts.