[chuckinca]

use your golf cart.

[Ooper]

I know this forum will never end, but, as far as I am concerned, there is only one sure fire way to navigate the roundabouts here in TV that will insure everybody a safe passage. The one rule to follow is: If you are going to exit the roundabout at the very next exit after you enter it, enter and exit using the right and outside lane only. ALL OTHERS, regardless of where you will be exiting, enter using the left hand lane, navigate the roundabout in the inside lane, and exit into the left lane of your intended street. Nobody has to change lanes, nobody cuts in front of anybody, everybody is happy. And as nice as this sounds, it will never happen because everybody needs to follow this simple rule to work and they won't. Remember, this is The Villages where drivers follow their own rules!

[uujudy]

Originally Posted by chuckinca

use your golf cart.

Good idea Chuck! Does anybody have a granchild I can borrow to drive it for me?

[Boomer]

Originally Posted by uujudy

.......

It scares the beejeebus out of me to use this roundabout, and it seems that I'm wrong no matter what I do. All I can say is watch out for the idiot driving the black (yes, black!) car in Florida! LOL...........

uuj,

I do not like those roundabouts one single bit. Mr. Boomer loves them. I feel like I am on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. And when we show up there eventually, I will not even be able to issue a warning about watching out for me by announcing the color of my car. At least you have a black car in Florida. Both of ours are white. In Florida a white car will be like camouflage. I guess people will see me though when I am a passenger because I will be the one screaming blood-curdling screams out the window of the white car while Mr. Boomer drives merrily along in the roundabouts.

And when I try to decipher the varying directions, I feel like I am trapped inside some hideous story problem that is straight from hell.

Boomer

[uujudy]

Boomer, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride just about sums it up for me, too! The speed limit in the roundabouts is 20, but I think I'm the only car in TV that actually does the speed limit in them. Some cars go around them on 2 wheels! Really!

[Stub3434]

I have been a resident of TV for 14 years. When we arrived the only roundabout was the one surrounding the OB Hills country club. Shortly after that the north Morse Blvd roundabout came into being. Population of TV at that time was just short of 11,000 so not much traffic. With no experience or information as to how to navigate the roundabouts, I stuck to the outside lane regardless of where I intended to exit. As more roundabouts came into being, many conflicting opinions arose, including those of local newspapers and law enforcement organizations. About a year ago I came across a brochure put out by Sumter County and the Sumter County Sheriff Department. Some time later an identical brochure was published by the State of Florida. The rules set forth by these brochures are the same ones repeated and explained by Russ Boston in this forum. These rules are simple: 1. Don't enter until both approaching lanes are clear. 2. Use the outside lane if you want to take the first right or continue straight through. 3. Use the left lane to go straight through, turn left or make a U-turn. I have been driving roundabouts using these rules for over a year now with no problem. I think rule #1 is the most misunderstood and causes most of the problems on the roundabouts. Another major problem (in my estimation) is that various law enforcement personnel hand out the brochures, but at the same time advise you not to use those methods and that you should only use the outside lane. Another advisory is stay alert and use your turn signals.

[Ooper]

I agree with you Stub3434 but there are some roundabouts that have striping that forces you to change lanes to the outside lane if you enter the left hand lane to say, go straight thru or make a u-turn. This in itself causes a lot of confusion.

[rsandstrom]

It seems quite simple to me. What's the only thing you can do when you exit a roundabout? Yes, it's make a right turn, so stay in the right lane, why get into the left lane if you are going to make a right turn? That's where the problem is. Sure, if you miss your exit, just go around again. The guys who get into that left lane are in a hurry & want to pass the slowpokes in the right lane. Lane changing is the cause of most of the accidents in the roundabouts.

[NJblue]

Originally Posted by rsandstrom

It seems quite simple to me. What's the only thing you can do when you exit a roundabout? Yes, it's make a right turn, so stay in the right lane, why get into the left lane if you are going to make a right turn? That's where the problem is. Sure, if you miss your exit, just go around again. The guys who get into that left lane are in a hurry & want to pass the slowpokes in the right lane. Lane changing is the cause of most of the accidents in the roundabouts.

No, the cause for most close calls and accidents is people who use the outside lane as you do. When you use the outside lane to make a 270 degree or U turn you will be crossing right into the path of those who are following the established rules. You may not agree with the rules and they may be counter-intuitive, but they are the rules. Those who don't follow the rules will be at fault if an accident occurs.

[Bogie Shooter]

I agree.

[chuckinca]

Originally Posted by NJblue

No, the cause for most close calls and accidents is people who use the outside lane as you do. When you use the outside lane to make a 270 degree or U turn you will be crossing right into the path of those who are following the established rules. You may not agree with the rules and they may be counter-intuitive, but they are the rules. Those who don't follow the rules will be at fault if an accident occurs.

As noted above, the local polizei recommend staying in the outside lane!

Who keeps track of where the users of the outside lane entered the roundabout to know where their required exit is located?


Wouldn't have to deal with "counter-intuitive" traffic laws if there were stop lights like 99% of the major street intersections in America.

.

[imbrennan]

Hi,

I have to say that coming from the UK where we have thousands of these things (and more speed cameras than you can even imagine so be careful if driving over here) the way Russ described it in the very first thread is the way it should be done.

OK, I know we do it the other way round over here as we drive on the other side, but the principle is the same. Good on you Russ - you got it just right!

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by chuckinca

As noted above, the local polizei recommend staying in the outside lane!

Who keeps track of where the users of the outside lane entered the roundabout to know where their required exit is located?
If the enter when the lanes are clear, and only turn right or go straight, it make no difference.

Wouldn't have to deal with "counter-intuitive" traffic laws if there were stop lights like 99% of the major street intersections in America.
And we would continue to waste gas and time, not to mention the red light runners.
.

....

[mom2five]

Does anyone else feel like this is hopeless? No matter how many times they are told the correct way some people will always use the right lane. The rest of us will just have to continue to watch out for them.

[BarbinNH]

Does anyone else feel like this is hopeless?

Yes.