See your Reverse Mortgage, and raise 150 covid masks.

Better Round-A-Bout Design
 

I have been navigating round-a-bouts for close to 50 years and find them extremely efficient when properly driven. Unfortunately, many, probability a majority, of people driving in The Villages don't drive them properly.

The design of the round-a-bout on Hilton Head Island shown below, while not optimum for traffic flow, would work very well in this area.

I think Roundabouts are fun! Where else can you make a right turn from the left lane, not look or use a turn signal? Try it on the interstate, people get ****ed and blow their horns! The nerve!

Okay, I'll change it up a little. Since John put up the diagram of the regular intersection left turn I'll throw this out. Why do people here when in the left turn lane stay behind the solid white line when the light is green or arrow flashing yellow? I already checked with a retired Florida LEO who said there is no law against entering into the intersection while waiting to make a left turn. The worst are the drivers who stay behind the solid white line and make their turn after the light turns red which is insane.

Why?? It's called defensive driving. Seniors have lived a long time and probably have seen people get hit out in the intersection.

I'm surprised the LEO officer advised you to enter an intersection when it wasn't clear to proceed.

Crossing the solid white line when there are oncoming cars means you are stuck sitting in the middle of the intersection. If you are fortunate and the oncoming traffic ends before the light changes, great. However, if there are enough oncoming cars then the light could change and you would be making an illegal left on red. Worse, the oncoming traffic may run their red light (seen this many times) and hit you while you are trying to make your left on red.

The only safe way to proceed is to wait behind the white line until the intersection is actually clear.

What if you’re discussing Reverse Mortgages, wearing a mask, in a round about and your dog poops?

In a lot of states the law is if your are in the intersection and light turns red and the oncoming traffic has stopped you may proceed to make your left turn. The vehicles that have the green must yield until your turn is complete. Since you are already in the intersection it's not disobeying a red light.

Traffic Circles? Boo-Boo! Hiss-Hiss!
 

There are a few problems with these circles (which is what I choose to call them):

1. The circles are too small; each exit/entrance street is too close to the next one.
2. If you've ever noticed, the signage before them (on Buena Vista and/or Morse) do NOT all give the same advice for navigating them!
3. Too many of those who drive them are too old (mentally) and should not even be driving.

If Buena Vista and Morse went straight through, and there were stop signs coming from all the access streets, it would be safer and more efficient. In addition, it would take a lot less time to get from one place to another.

That would be the considered straight lane and there should be nobody beside you if the yielded to ALL traffic in the roundabout before the entered. if someone in right lane entered the roundabout the same time you did then they are-turning and have turn, if they illegally want to go to 3rd exit they better yield cause the are crossing traffic just like crossing at stop sign.

I agree they are too round and don’t have to be so sharp right turn entering or exiting. But, that would required more space and that means few less houses crammed in. Don’t agree with stops signs on BV or Morse where roundabouts are. Takes too long to get through and intersection, no at 466 and 466A it makes since to have traffic lights at those intersections IMO.

The law enforcement officer was conveying the correct way to make left turns at a signalized intersection.

When the light is a green ball or flashing yellow arrow, you absolutely are supposed to proceed beyond the stop bar (white line) into the intersection, keeping sight of the signal. There is no danger. The opposing traffic have red lights. The oncoming traffic proceeds until the light turns yellow. At that time, you prepare to make your left turn, of course after carefully watching that the approaching traffic is stopping. There is even a clearance phase, where all signals are red for a second or two after a change. Part of its purpose is specifically to allow left-turners to clear the intersection.

And this is very important...when you do as I described above, you are NOT making an illegal left turn on red. You are simply clearing the intersection. You entered into the intersection on green, which is perfectly legal. Completing your turn after the signal change is not only legal, it is the proper way to handle your turn.

Only because of the topic of this thread, I will state (as I've done in other such threads) that I have a Masters Degree in Transportation Engineering from the University of Florida and spent my entire career as a Professional Engineer in the State of Florida in the field of traffic engineering.

Please do your own homework and look up the proper way to handle left turns at a signalized intersection to verify what I've conveyed above.

Stay safe out there...both inside and outside your vehicle. :)

I've done the long course at what was then the Northwestern Traffic Institute so I thought I was missing a new law here. Let alone 30 years experience albeit not in Florida.

You call it defensive, I call it obstructive. Especially when they refuse to turn when clear and wait for the next green light.:pray:

You're thinking like it's okay to take a right from the left lane is what causes accidents. The inner lane is not the "straight" lane. That would ONLY work if the right lane entering the roundabout HAD to take the first exit. They don't have to take the 1st exit.