[kappy]

Even though we all received brochures on how to navigate the roundabouts, there is still much confusion. I spoke with a very nice gentleman at our postal box today who, I observed, proceeded to go 3/4 of the way around a roundabout, however was in the right, outside lane when he entered the gate. According to all the literature, brochures, You Tube videos, he should have been in the left, inside lane.

The posted diagrams and yield signs do not seem to be sufficient for many drivers. Now that the snowbirds are back, the problem seems to be getting worse.

I believe that one solution would be to have worded signs along with the diagrams. One sign should say, "Vehicles in the roundabouts have the Right Of Way". Another sign should say, "Vehicles making a left hand turn (going 3/4 around) MUST be in the left hand lane and vehicles making a right hand turn MUST be in the right hand lane".

I have no idea what it would cost to do this or even who is responsible for doing it. However, I certainly feel that the cost would be worth it if there were fewer accidents.

[Sandtrap328]

By the time most of the drivers would have read the signs, they would already be past their turn-off point, and knowing how these snowbirds and renters drive, they would most likely try backing up to their proper exit!

[tomwed]

What about having only 1 lane? It's called a Modern Roundabout

What is a Modern Roundabout?



Simply stated, a modern roundabout is a transportation management tool that moves traffic through an intersection without the aid of traffic signals. More specifically, a modern roundabout is an intersection with one-way circulation around a central island where entering traffic must yield the right-of-way to the traffic circulating within the roundabout.

A modern roundabout should not be confused with traffic rotaries or circles, which are much larger, with higher speeds and multiple lanes for entering and exiting. As traffic volumes increase, collisions and traffic jams can occur because vehicles are not required to yield to traffic before entering.

Traffic engineers recognized the deficiencies associated with traffic rotaries and circles, and incorporated slower speeds and "yield on entry" into modern roundabouts. for more click here

[delima2000]

I agree with tomwed one lane in the roundabouts. That would solve all of the problems

[romanpaula]

Yes, let's go for the modern roundabout! Pls no snowbird bashing, we're keeping this economy going! And the locals, the way they drive?? I always drive in the outer lane of the roundabout, since I'm afraid of those who quickly dart right and exit!!

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by kappy;100***4

I believe that one solution would be to have worded signs along with the diagrams. One sign should say, "Vehicles in the roundabouts have the Right Of Way". Another sign should say, "Vehicles making a left hand turn (going 3/4 around) MUST be in the left hand lane and vehicles making a right hand turn MUST be in the right hand lane".

I don't think posting two signs at each roundabout would help to avoid accidents.
People would be taking their attention off the road to read the signs at a time when they should be paying full attention to their driving.
We've never had a roundabout thread where everyone agreed on proper procedures.
If we all drive defensively, driving as if anyone, at any time, could do something unexpected and dangerous, we will all probably be OK.

[Bogie Shooter]

There are signs at the entrances to all roundabouts...............Read them!

[Phanatic Luvr]

Maybe a better idea is for someone to contact the Daily Sun and request they run a HUGE good driving campaign on the front page. This would also need to be re-run around March 1st or 2nd when the new wave of seasonals come in. And, continue to run it on occasion, throughout the year for newbies and some of the residents who still don't get the round-abouts. Just my thoughts ...

[twoplanekid]

I agree with the concept of the modern roundabout as that is what we have around our square in Urbana, Ohio. The two main roads through Urbana meet at this intersection.

If I am proceeding south along Buena Vista and then enter the left most turn lane for Hillsborough, I always have to look behind and to the right for a car that is also turning left onto Hillsborough. There are two lanes yet I now need to get into the right lane to access the residents gate and not the visitors gate which is on the left. Look at the Google Earth view of this situation which is probably duplicated many times over in the Villages. I am just more familiar with this turn as it's the turn for home for me.

[kcrazorbackfan]

"Sign, sign, everywhere a sign

Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind

Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?"

5 Man Electrical Band - 1971

More signs aren't needed; heck, people don't even see the stop signs in TV.

Simple roundabouts would be a lot easier to navigate, but, those in TV will never be changed.

[buzzy]

On Morse and Buena Vista, this would just move the accidents upstream, where the two-lane road necks down to one lane for the roundabout.

Originally Posted by tomwed

What about having only 1 lane? It's called a Modern Roundabout

What is a Modern Roundabout?



Simply stated, a modern roundabout is a transportation management tool that moves traffic through an intersection without the aid of traffic signals. More specifically, a modern roundabout is an intersection with one-way circulation around a central island where entering traffic must yield the right-of-way to the traffic circulating within the roundabout.

A modern roundabout should not be confused with traffic rotaries or circles, which are much larger, with higher speeds and multiple lanes for entering and exiting. As traffic volumes increase, collisions and traffic jams can occur because vehicles are not required to yield to traffic before entering.

Traffic engineers recognized the deficiencies associated with traffic rotaries and circles, and incorporated slower speeds and "yield on entry" into modern roundabouts. for more click here

[sunnyatlast]

Originally Posted by twoplanekid

I agree with the concept of the modern roundabout as that is what we have around our square in Urbana, Ohio. The two main roads through Urbana meet at this intersection.

If I am proceeding south along Buena Vista and then enter the left most turn lane for Hillsborough, I always have to look behind and to the right for a car that is also turning left onto Hillsborough. There are two lanes yet I now need to get into the right lane to access the residents gate and not the visitors gate which is on the left. Look at the Google Earth view of this situation which is probably duplicated many times over in the Villages. I am just more familiar with this turn as it's the turn for home for me.

It's been discussed at length on TOTV about the fact that the county highway engineers required the 2-lane roundabouts, because of the high volume of traffic that needs to keep moving.

As for trying to turn left and then scramble to get into the Resident's lane for the gate coming up, that, too has been discussed at length:

Forget about the Resident's lane at that type of entrance, and use the Visitor lane so you can safely stay in the same lane in which you came 3/4 of the way around the circle. Both Visitor and Resident lanes have the gate card readers and the red button to raise the gate.

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by sunnyatlast

...Forget about the Resident's lane at that type of entrance, and use the Visitor lane so you can safely stay in the same lane you came around the circle 3/4 of the way in. Both Visitor and Resident lanes have the gate card readers and the red button to raise the gate.

What sunny said.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by tomwed

What about having only 1 lane? It's called a Modern Roundabout

What is a Modern Roundabout?



Simply stated, a modern roundabout is a transportation management tool that moves traffic through an intersection without the aid of traffic signals. More specifically, a modern roundabout is an intersection with one-way circulation around a central island where entering traffic must yield the right-of-way to the traffic circulating within the roundabout.

A modern roundabout should not be confused with traffic rotaries or circles, which are much larger, with higher speeds and multiple lanes for entering and exiting. As traffic volumes increase, collisions and traffic jams can occur because vehicles are not required to yield to traffic before entering.

Traffic engineers recognized the deficiencies associated with traffic rotaries and circles, and incorporated slower speeds and "yield on entry" into modern roundabouts. for more click here

Perfect.

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by delima2000

I agree with tomwed one lane in the roundabouts. That would solve all of the problems

Not at all, most especially the ones created by halving the capacity (or worse) trying to funnel all traffic into a single lane.

By the way, TV roundabouts...even with two lanes...meet the definition of a Modern Roundabout. From the Transportation Research Board:

DEFINITION OF THE MODERN ROUNDABOUT:
The term modern roundabout is used in the United States to differentiate it from the nonconforming traffic circles or rotaries that have been in use for many years, primarily in the Northeast. Modern roundabouts are defined by two basic operational and design principles:
1. Yield-at-Entry: Also known as off-side priority or yield to-left rule, yield-at-entry requires that vehicles in the circulatory roadway have the right-of-way and all entering vehicles on the approaches have to wait for a gap in the circulating flow. To maintain fluidity and high capacity, the entry control is a YIELD sign. As opposed to nonconforming traffic circles, modern roundabouts are not designed for weaving movements, thus allowing smaller diameters. Even for multi-lane roundabouts weaving movements are not considered a design or capacity criterion.
2. Deflection for Entering Traffic: No tangential entries are permitted, and no traffic stream gets a straight movement through the intersection. Entering traffic points toward the central island, which deflects vehicles to the right, thus causing low entry speeds.