[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

It depends on exactly what everyone is talking about. I think that we have to start using different terminology when talking about round abouts. "Making a right hand turn" is a confusing phrase. We are making a right hand turn every time we exit a round about.

We should be talking about entering and exiting the round about.

In a four way round about it is possible for two lanes to exit at any point.

Think of the round about as a clock and you are entering at 6:00. You should stay in the right hand lane if you want to exit at 3:00. If a car has entered at 12:00 or 9:00 they could be exiting that same exit from the left hand lane.

There are several possible scenarios where a car can be LEGALLY crossing in front of another car in a round about. It is the responsibility of every driver to be aware of this and anticipate what other cars in the round about may possibly do. Personally, I try to make sure that I am never directly beside a car in a round about and always expect other cars to change lanes in front of me especially if I am in the left hand lane while exiting the round about but also if I am in the right hand lane and going around to the next exit. I try to assume that a car in the right hand lane will be going around. It is important that we use our directionals when exiting or changing lanes.

Most of the time cars are entering round abouts at different times so as not to be side by side in the round about.

Gracie, take a look at your picture. If a car enters the round about from Buena Vista in the left lane and a car enters from O'Dell Circle in the right hand lane, they can both either exit at Buena Vista at the top of the diagram. In that case the car entering from O'Dell would be what jkomoros calls making a right hand turn, but the car that entered at Buena Vista could also be making that turn.

VERY good advice and I am well aware of that possibility. Everyone should try to stay behind or in front of other cars and keep their eyes on them. Signal when turning too.

[ajbrown]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

stuff cut for brevity from original post by Alan
Gracie, take a look at your picture. If a car enters the round about from Buena Vista in the left lane and a car enters from O'Dell Circle in the right hand lane, they can both either exit at Buena Vista at the top of the diagram. In that case the car entering from O'Dell would be what jkomoros calls making a right hand turn, but the car that entered at Buena Vista could also be making that turn.

In the case you mention, IMO the car entering from Odell needs to yield. By yield, I mean the car entering at Odell should allow car that entered at BV to go past before entering. This way they would not be in the roundabout at the same time....

[gomoho]

Just got back from another trip - this time entered Morse from Rainey Trail and took it down to Stillwater. If you pay attention to the arrows drawn clearly on the street as you approach the round-a-bout they will clearly tell you what direction your lane is allowed to continue going. Most of the big circles that have 2 lanes and 2 entrances to the neighborhood allow for the le ft lane to enter (make a right) or go straight thru and the right lane to only go right and not straight thru.

[n8xwb]

Forget the road markings they are not solid because the folks entering morse from pinellas can enter into the right or left lane depending on the way they wish to travel. The gate guards are incorrect. The traffic signs, as well as the flyer say it all. IT IS CLEAR AND SIMPLE. If you enter the roundabout in the right lane, you must make the first right turn, or continue and exit at the ysecond. If you enter the roundabout in the left lane, you may not make the first exit regardless of how many lanes that exit has. You can use the second, or third exit. Regardless of which lane you use when entering the roundabout, you must yield to all traffic already in the circle.

[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by n8xwb

Forget the road markings they are not solid because the folks entering morse from pinellas can enter into the right or left lane depending on the way they wish to travel. The gate guards are incorrect. The traffic signs, as well as the flyer say it all. IT IS CLEAR AND SIMPLE. If you enter the roundabout in the right lane, you must make the first right turn, or continue and exit at the ysecond. If you enter the roundabout in the left lane, you may not make the first exit regardless of how many lanes that exit has. You can use the second, or third exit. Regardless of which lane you use when entering the roundabout, you must yield to all traffic already in the circle.

Perfect! As you say, the signs designate how each lane must travel through the roundabout.

The worst roundabout, IMO, is the one on Morse at Stillwater. Probably 75% of cars heading east on Stillwater go around to northbound Morse in the outside lane, causing a backup at the Caroline gate.

[jkomoros]

Here is the link to the roundabout guide:
strictgov.org/PdfView/PdfView.aspx?path=%27%2fPdfUpload%2fRoundaboutBroc hure+-+FINAL070908.pdf%27&ql=standard

Looking at this, it is very clear to me that you MAY NOT turn right from the left lane. Accidents will happen if you don't follow this guide. And the signs right before each roundabout are very clear on how this works for each specific roundabout.

[Ping-Anser]

There is a very simple solution. Yield to BOTH lanes of traffic and you will never have a problem.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Ping-Anser

There is a very simple solution. Yield to BOTH lanes of traffic and you will never have a problem.

This is the answer! So many people read the yield sign to mean only the lane they wish to enter has to be yielded to, when it is both lanes. Do not enter the roundabout if there is traffic in either lane. This avoids the situation of traveling next to a car while in the roundabout.

And don't enter the roundabout at the same time as the car next to you, although this is hard to accomplish when there is heavy traffic, because as you wait for the car next to you to enter, another fills its slot.

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by Bonanza

All the roundabouts (or circles as we used to call them in the old days) are a disaster....While they are lovely to look at nothing can take the place of 4-way stop signs for safety.

But a 4-way stop sign also reduces the capacity of the intersection to a small fraction of that of a circle.

As has been said by others, problems are eliminated if you...yield to both lanes and avoid driving next to others vehicles.

[looneycat]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

This disagrees.

that is not the intersection being discussed, the signs vary depending on the most expedient traffic pattern for THAT circle.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by looneycat

that is not the intersection being discussed, the signs vary depending on the most expedient traffic pattern for THAT circle.

Looneycat, where in TV is there a different roundabout signage than the one shown?

[tommy steam]

Originally Posted by Happy Snowbird

Sorry but you are wrong. Both lanes can turn. The painted road markings show that. I'm not saying I agree or like it but it is what it is.

You are not correct.

[Bogie Shooter]

http://sumtercountyfl.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/3939

[JB in TV]

I've said this before and I will say it again. I believe part of the problem (NOT all of it) is the solid white line seperating the two lanes as one enters the 3 o'clock exit...approaching a gate that has both a visitor side and a resident side. This solid line tells people not to cross it, so when they see the broken line (within the roundabout) they tend to cross it to get to the "visitor's side" before they get to the solid part, which they believe is not to be crossed.

Would it make sense to have that solid line changed to broken line? It is certainly against my training to cross that solid line. With that said, I believe this is part of the problem... folks think "How can I get to the Visitor's side without crossing that solid line?" Yet the broken line is within the roundabout, where one is not supposed to change lanes!

Does this make any sense?

EDIT...changed the word to "broken" that had been ***ed (was d o t t ed)

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by JB in TV

I've said this before and I will say it again. I believe part of the problem (NOT all of it) is the solid white line seperating the two lanes as one enters the 3 o'clock exit...approaching a gate that has both a visitor side and a resident side. This solid line tells people not to cross it, so when they see the broken line (within the roundabout) they tend to cross it to get to the "visitor's side" before they get to the solid part, which they believe is not to be crossed.

Would it make sense to have that solid line changed to broken line? It is certainly against my training to cross that solid line. With that said, I believe this is part of the problem... folks think "How can I get to the Visitor's side without crossing that solid line?" Yet the broken line is within the roundabout, where one is not supposed to change lanes!

Does this make any sense?

EDIT...changed the word to "broken" that had been ***ed (was d o t t ed)

Which is the three o'clock exit? They're all three o'clock exits, depending on where you entered the roundabout.

Forget the broken lines and the signage if that confuses you. It's simple just to think of the roundabout as an intersection of two roads that are two lanes wide in each direction.. You would not ever make a left-hand turn from the right lane of that intersection, so don't do it in a roundabout.