Originally Posted by CFrance (Post 890868)

Yes. And the roundabout lovers, of course, win. They're not going away (that would be the roundabouts, not the lovers). But can we agree that us roundabout haters who lose get to b**** ad nauseum? Because we will, every time the subject comes up.

Right, Bonanza?

Originally Posted by Bonanza (Post 891161)

Originally Posted by Bonanza (Post 891171)

Originally Posted by Skybo (Post 891185)

Fewer accidents than what? How many accidents have you seen or heard about in roundabouts here? And of any roundabout accidents you know of (if any) how many have been serious? There have been many, many serious accidents caused by red light runners at lighted intersections on Buena Vista, Morse, 466 & 466A. And the traffic backups that would be caused by lights or stop signs all the way up Morse and Buena Vista would be crazy



What "never ending problems"? Large volumes of traffic have been successfully maneuvering through the roundabouts in The Villages for years, with very few incidents. I feel totally comfortable in roundabouts, as does everyone I know who have been here for awhile and are half-decent drivers. You're right about one thing, traffic lights are safe unless someone runs them...which happens much more frequently, and with much more serious results than the occasional fender bender in a roundabout.

The traffic engineers got it right.

And for all of the folks out there who are thinking about moving here, and might be worrying about roundabouts...don't worry. They work, and once you get the hang of them, they are easy and efficient.

Originally Posted by CFrance (Post 891187)

There are more accidents at the St. James gate roundabout than there are at BV and 466A or Morse and 466A. they happen a few times a week, as opposed to at those big intersections where they happen maybe once a month.

Originally Posted by buzzy (Post 890937)

I guess that some residents are too proud to be seen in a visitor lane.

Originally Posted by l2ridehd (Post 891232)

The deputy sheriff is wrong. There is a very legal way to do what you want. The rules of a round-about state that you must yield to anyone already in the circle. THIS MEANS BOTH LANES. If you follow the rule of law, you should never be side by side another vehicle in a round about unless you are both entering from the same entrance in which case you would be taking a different exit in the example used. So as you approach your exit if you look, the center white line becomes a dotted white line meaning it is legal to change lanes for your exit. The real problem is that people do not follow the law and do really stupid things in these circles. Like go around 270 degrees in the outside lane, or enter using the left lane and take the first exit, or a new one in this thread, straddle the lanes.

A round about is a traffic light replacement. Nothing more. Would you go a four lane traffic right and make a left turn from the right lane? Would you make a right turn from the left lane? I certainly hope not.

Originally Posted by SantaClaus (Post 891237)

We used to have a plain stop sign intersection at the end of our road, which teed into a more heavily travelled road. It would sometimes back up 20 cars deep because someone was trying to make a left and just couldn't get a break. They have since replaced it with a roundabout and traffic never backs up and I can't remember the last time I even had to come to a full stop before entering.my biggest problem is the folks who completely ignore the 15mph signs and barrel through at 35-40! But even with such dolts the roundabout is better since accidents are prone to be glancing blows instead of right angle impacts.

The best multi-lane roundabouts I've seen are at Hilton Head, they keep the right turn traffic completely isolated:
https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...chmentid=36749

Originally Posted by dewilson58 (Post 891251)

But which one is the Visitor Lane and which is the Resident Lane???
:1rotfl::1rotfl:

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist (Post 891195)

The official brochure for navigating roundabouts specifically states "do not change lanes..as you exit"...therefore, if I change lanes to get in the RESIDENT lane, that is a violation of traffic law. (as in the OP, there is no legal way...)

http://www.districtgov.org/community...t-02-08-12.pdf

What if we all just forget whether the gate says visitor or resident, and stay in the legally designated and safer lane: inside for a left turn, outside for a right turn?

Originally Posted by l2ridehd (Post 891232)

The deputy sheriff is wrong. There is a very legal way to do what you want. The rules of a round-about state that you must yield to anyone already in the circle. THIS MEANS BOTH LANES. If you follow the rule of law, you should never be side by side another vehicle in a round about unless you are both entering from the same entrance in which case you would be taking a different exit in the example used. So as you approach your exit if you look, the center white line becomes a dotted white line meaning it is legal to change lanes for your exit. The real problem is that people do not follow the law and do really stupid things in these circles. Like go around 270 degrees in the outside lane, or enter using the left lane and take the first exit, or a new one in this thread, straddle the lanes.

A round about is a traffic light replacement. Nothing more. Would you go a four lane traffic right and make a left turn from the right lane? Would you make a right turn from the left lane? I certainly hope not.

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist (Post 891271)

In my opinion, drivers acting on the belief, as stated in the last paragraph that one may change lanes while exiting, is precisely what causes chaos and accidents.

One may NOT change lanes across the dotted lines when exiting. The brochure states in the blue box.. Best Practices "Do not change lanes within the roundabout or AS YOU EXIT."

A review of the diagram in the brochure demonstrates that more than half of the area of the roundabout has dotted lines between lanes. The dotted lines for crossing a lane applies only to those entering the roundabout and not to those exiting.

While incoming traffic may be expected to yield when those in the roundabout are staying in their lane, if one changes lanes while exiting to get in the resident lane, an incoming driver often does not have time to brake.

I thank you, and sincerely so, for your post. That one considers a roundabout to be a traffic light replacement underscores the need for all of us to understand how they are different. That dotted lines mean something different in a roundabout....well, no wonder CF is beside herself.