[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

Ernst: Confused in roundabouts? So is law enforcement | HeraldTribune.com

I agree. There seems to be some contradictions int he Florida motor vehicle laws. They really should get them straightened out. I don't know why they have to change the laws for roundabouts. Juts follow the laws that are already in place.

In the case of this accident the woman on the inside should have been charged. She simply drove into the side of another car. How unaware do you have to be to do that?

On the other hand, this statement by Sousa says a lot as well.

"I never saw her car until I felt the collision," Sousa says.

How do you not know that there is a vehicle in the left hand lane next to you?

I swear a lot of people drive with blinders on. They see only what is in front of them. You need to constantly be aware of everything around you when you are driving a car. This comes pretty instinctively to me. I am constantly checking my mirrors without even thinking about it. Maybe that's why I have a hard time accepting that this is so hard to anyone. Driving a car involves more than just staring straight ahead.

[kittygilchrist]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

I'm not sure I understand what the problem is. Are there really thousands of accidents at these roundabouts? I've never seen one. is traffic back up on a regular basis? I don't think I've come to a roundabout where there was more than one or two cars waiting to enter.
Sometimes I think that when people are retired and have too much time on their hands they sit around and imagine problems that don't exist.
I agree with Kitty. Let's get some hard data on the number and frequency of accidents. It would be nice to have a study done to show whether or not the roundabouts are clogging up streets and slowing down traffic.
Frankly I don't see either of these, but if you're interested go and see how these kinds of studies can be done.

Gimme data, Dr. B, which exits do you use that are in effect a 270 degree turn?
Asking because you have no problem doing it and don't see accidents. Let's compare with the infamous St. James.

ps no time today to chase down answers to previous ???s

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

Gimme data, Dr. B, which exits do you use that are in effect a 270 degree turn?
Asking because you have no problem doing it and don't see accidents. Let's compare with the infamous St. James.

ps no time today to chase down answers to previous ???s

I see these accidents every single week at St. James gate. Every. single. week. You must live north of 466

Somewhat unrelated question: Why is there a traffic light at Bailey Trail and St. Charles, two busy streets, instead of a roundabout? I go past there four times a week, all year long. There's never a backup. The backup occurs at BT & BV with people trying to get into that roundabout.

[Steve9930]

Originally Posted by Bonanza

Kitty -- you are 100% correct!

Regardless of how many Villagers say they love them or whatever, the circles are hazardous. Why, they've even been glorified with the designer name of "round-abouts" (we aren't in England; this is the U. S.). Everyone will write in saying to do this or do that, but the bottom line is you never know what the other guy will do and in most cases, it's hard to guess what we should do! They are much too small to navigate safely and the painted lines instantly show you how to commit murder or suicide; take your pick. They never should have been installed in this community but I guess the developer thought this "eye candy" was a good idea.

I'll say again what I've said before: Our circles are nothing more than unsafe gas guzzlers. Morse and Buena Vista should have gone straight through with perhaps, an occasional traffic light. Villages entering these two main thorofares should have stop signs, just like in any neighborhood in the U. S. That is also what would have made it safe to enter each Village, but no -- they just keep putting in more of the damn circles!

Years ago I traveled to New Jersey and was confronted with one of these intersections (Round about). I thought they were dangerous then and I still believe they are dangerous. Today all of them that I saw in New Jersey no longer exists. They are standard intersections.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

Gimme data, Dr. B, which exits do you use that are in effect a 270 degree turn?
Asking because you have no problem doing it and don't see accidents. Let's compare with the infamous St. James.

ps no time today to chase down answers to previous ???s

At least once a week and usually twice I exit Morse onto either O'Dell or Stillwater Trail. Every time, I enter enter the roundabout, going southbound, in the left hand lane and I move into the right hand lane as I'm exiting or just after I exit. I've never had a problem. I do have to watch for cars entering from northbound Morse and of course I am always aware of any cars in the roundabout on my right.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Steve9930

Years ago I traveled to New Jersey and was confronted with one of these intersections (Round about). I thought they were dangerous then and I still believe they are dangerous. Today all of them that I saw in New Jersey no longer exists. They are standard intersections.

You are right; I forgot about that. We were living in NJ when they started taking them out.

The one in Morristown was murderous.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by CFrance

I see these accidents every single week at St. James gate. Every. single. week. You must live north of 466

Somewhat unrelated question: Why is there a traffic light at Bailey Trail and St. Charles, two busy streets, instead of a roundabout? I go past there four times a week, all year long. There's never a backup. The backup occurs at BT & BV with people trying to get into that roundabout.

I do live north of 466 but I travel south of 466 and south of 466a all the time.

I have no idea why there is a light at the intersection of Bailey and St James but now that you mention it, it is a bit odd. I go through that intersection quite often as I have friends in that area. I wouldn't say that I've seen backups there, but I do often have to wait for the light.

[DougB]

Enjoy this Roundabout

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Tdu4uKSZ3M]Yes - Roundabout - YouTube[/ame]

[kittygilchrist]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

At least once a week and usually twice I exit Morse onto either O'Dell or Stillwater Trail. Every time, I enter enter the roundabout, going southbound, in the left hand lane and I move into the right hand lane as I'm exiting or just after I exit. I've never had a problem. I do have to watch for cars entering from northbound Morse and of course I am always aware of any cars in the roundabout on my right.

odell crosses morse at a north and a south point? which one?
my interest is first whether there is or is not an exceptionally long stretch after exiting to shift lanes...at st james and gilchrist ya can't shift lanes after exiting...til maybe after midnight.

[champion6]

Originally Posted by CFrance

Somewhat unrelated question: Why is there a traffic light at Bailey Trail and St. Charles, two busy streets, instead of a roundabout?

I believe it's because those streets have diamond lanes for the golf carts. The carts certainly can't safely enter a roundabout with the vehicles!

[Neal2tire]

Chevy Chase in European Vacation
Roundabout scene in Italy

[Skybo]

Originally Posted by CFrance

I see these accidents every single week at St. James gate. Every. single. week. You must live north of 466

Somewhat unrelated question: Why is there a traffic light at Bailey Trail and St. Charles, two busy streets, instead of a roundabout? I go past there four times a week, all year long. There's never a backup. The backup occurs at BT & BV with people trying to get into that roundabout.

Because all of the roundabouts are on Buena Vista and Morse.* They are the two main roads that run north and south through The Villages at 35 miles per hour (south of 466). The roundabouts are designed to efficiently move a high volume of traffic through these two main roads and into various villages.

*disclaimer: there may be some roundabouts that aren't on Morse or Buena Vista that I'm not aware of.

P.s. I'm still not seeing all of the "accidents" at the St James gate.

[kittygilchrist]

Originally Posted by George Bieniaszek

The easiest fix would be to make the roundabouts one lane only. Traffic should have no issues during the non-snowbird season when The Villages is not at full capacity.

I do understand that they were designed as two lanes due to the traffic volumes.

I do understand your concern and my wife and I had many discussions when we come back "on campus". We drive 466A to BV Blvd north and take the ST. James gate to enter The Villages. We legally go into the inner or left lane and 3/4ths around change over into the Residents gate. Lots of times, due to traffic and yielding to some cars that don't know or are a bit more aggressive, we just stay in the left lane and go thru the Visitor gate.

Question for those who have witness accidents or aftermath, does this describe the focal point of most accidents? A mix up between incoming traffic to the roundabout and a resident attempting to exit the roundabout into the resident lane?

Lots of residents have posted that they get into the resident lane while (not after) exiting the circle, and some say they think they are allowed to change lanes there because there is a dotted line.

Neither of those practices is in keeping with the guidelines of the official TV brochure (which is based on federal highway administration research)...

[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

Question for those who have witness accidents or aftermath, does this describe the focal point of most accidents? A mix up between incoming traffic to the roundabout and a resident attempting to exit the roundabout into the resident lane?

Lots of residents have posted that they get into the resident lane while (not after) exiting the circle, and some say they think they are allowed to change lanes there because there is a dotted line.

Neither of those practices is in keeping with the guidelines of the official TV brochure (which is based on federal highway administration research)...

To me, the bulk of the problems are due to two mistakes. One, people not entering the RAB in the proper lane for their destination leaving it. The signs are clear as to which lane to use. The second is people failing to yield to ALL traffic to their left already in the RAB no matter which lane they occupy. If these two errors did not occur, there would be no problems exiting into either lane at the gates.

[kittygilchrist]

Originally Posted by mikeod

To me, the bulk of the problems are due to two mistakes. One, people not entering the RAB in the proper lane for their destination leaving it. The signs are clear as to which lane to use. The second is people failing to yield to ALL traffic to their left already in the RAB no matter which lane they occupy. If these two errors did not occur, there would be no problems exiting into either lane at the gates.

video of accident exiting from wrong lane...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDGNNHbeICU

and....failure to yield
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pBYsLmH3ZQ

the proposed roundabout into fruitland park square..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6-IWrzrCOY