[Russ_Boston]

While visiting for the better part of 3 weeks in May I came across many bizarre methods of navigating the roundabouts. I thought "geez, maybe they have a different method down here than we do in MASS?"

I mean it always seemed so simple:

Don't enter the roundabout if someone is in it. i.e. YIELD
Stay to the right (outside lane) if you want to take the first right or continue straight through.
Stay to the lift (inside) lane to go straight through or take an exit past that or do a u-turn.

That's it, real simple 1-2-3 rules

After reading this forum again it seems that some of you have other ideas about this. So I went to source and found this document: http://www.districtgov.org/images/Wh...INAL070908.pdf

You know what? It says exactly what I thought - IT IS REAL SIMPLE.


Am I off somehow? Isn't this relatively easy to understand? Sure beats having red lights everywhere in my opinion.

[downeaster]

Actually, Russ, since the rules of negotiating a roundabout have been published I think I have seen an improvement in their use. You still have to look out for those who don't understand and there are many as not all states have roundabouts.

[chuckinca]

What's wrong with staying in the outside lane until you want out - who would know or care where you got into the roundabout?

.

[tony]

There seems to be a hitch in this.

1. Car One is going north and wants to end up going west.
2. Car Two is going south and wants to continue going south.

If both follow protocol they have to avoid a possible collision when Car 1 is exiting the circle from the "inside" lane to go west and is crossing the "outside" lane where Car Two is staying traveling to continue going south?

No? Help me through this, New Englanders.

And also, the circles seem so small compared those I used when I worked in Philadelphia.

[KathieI]

Does this help?? Oh Dear, I hope this link works:::

http://www.virginiatrace.com/2009/im...INAL070908.pdf

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by tony

There seems to be a hitch in this.

1. Car One is going north and wants to end up going west.
2. Car Two is going south and wants to continue going south.

If both follow protocol they have to avoid a possible collision when Car 1 is exiting the circle from the "inside" lane to go west and is crossing the "outside" lane where Car Two is staying traveling to continue going south?

No? Help me through this, New Englanders.

And also, the circles seem so small compared those I used when I worked in Philadelphia.

Well that would assume that both enter the circle at/near the same time and if they did they would be approx. 1/2 the distance of the rotary apart from each other - therefore no issues.

If either one saw the other in the rotary going around then they are not supposed to enter until clear (i.e. yield). There should be no way for the south bound car to be next to the now west bound car.

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by KathieI

Does this help?? Oh Dear, I hope this link works:::

http://www.virginiatrace.com/2009/im...INAL070908.pdf

Is this different than the link I posted? Or is my link not working for you?

[KathieI]

Sorry, Russ, didn't see your link.

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by chuckinca

What's wrong with staying in the outside lane until you want out - who would know or care where you got into the roundabout?

.

This is exactly what happens. Two cars enter the rotary both going north. The outside line has to exit at either the first right or the straight through. Otherwise the outside lane can cut off the inside line if that inside guy is going straight through and the outside keeps going around.

This happened many times to me. I was careful so no accidents happened but it is not acceptable driving rules according to the rotary rules published.

[Bogie Shooter]

A picture is worth a thousand words.
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/eesc/CAE/des.../mpg_index.htm

[chuckinca]

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston

This is exactly what happens. Two cars enter the rotary both going north. The outside line has to exit at either the first right or the straight through. Otherwise the outside lane can cut off the inside line if that inside guy is going straight through and the outside keeps going around.

This happened many times to me. I was careful so no accidents happened but it is not acceptable driving rules according to the rotary rules published.

It wouldn't happen if you didn't get in the inside lane. The people in the inside lane shouldn't be there.

(I believe that there is an earlier thread on this subject wherein someone stated the sheriff's dept recommend using only the outside lane in TV due to the small size of the roundabouts).

About the only place I know that using both lanes is normally OK is the roundabout just south of 466 on Morse where 99% of the cars in both directions are going to go straight thru but it could get ugly if someone in the outside lane decided not to go straight.


.

[billethkid]

it does require a dash of common sense and a smidge of courtesy.
And there will always be the clowns and clownettes who assume rules, courtesy and common sense do not mean them.

You know several of the circles merge down to one lane as one continues in the inside lane. Well two weeks ago I was in the inside merging down lane and
one of the clowns tried to get around me....yup he hit me....drove me onto the curb in the center of the circle. Fair amount of damage to my car....more to his. Thank goodness nobody was hurt.

I see this type driver every single day on the road in TV.
I just wish they had a citizens' arrest law here in FL....unfortunately they don't.

The solution...more cops....more tickets...let the counties revenues triple and beyond....but get these peopel who are either in a hurry and speeding or cutting others off. More cops....more patrols...more tickets...

btk

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by chuckinca

The people in the inside lane shouldn't be there..

No offense - but that's just plain wrong. Hundreds of times (probably ALL the time in the winter season) you have two lane traffic heading in the same direction as they approach the roundabout. Heck to take a left you HAVE to be on the inside lane. I'm not sure what you are suggesting. I do agree that getting to the outside lane to go straight is preferable if you can.

It is very simple. Don't cross from the outside to the inside at ANY time while IN the rotary and you can't have an accident. Of course if it merges to one lane then that outside lane is supposed to take that cut through they provide. This is the only times that the lanes merge I think. If you are taking a left (or u-turn) then you need to navigate to the inside lane PRIOR to entering the rotary.

That was my point for starting this thread again. I can't believe how some people think there are other options beside what is called for in the link I provided.

If you have an accident in the rotary it is because someone didn't follow these very simple rules.

[Ooper]

I've watched these threads on rotaries since day one. And everybody has an opinion. In my opinion, I would think the weight of safely exiting a rotary would fall on the driver of the inside lane if there was one. Normally, ( although many people in TV don't exhibit that behavior ) but normally, a driver driving down a straight street would never think of turning right from an inside (middle) lane and cutting off a driver in the outside lane... why should they do that in a curved road or a rotary? I would think that if 2 cars adjacent to each other in a rotary, the inside car should yield to the outer lane... just common sense. The inside lane driver needs to slow down well before he/she exits to make sure it is safe, or, continue going around for another try if not. Again, this is just my opinion. I agree, the round-a-bouts were built too small... if you get a large truck in them, they will effectively take up both lanes throughout the rotary. I don't think a car will argue with a truck exiting. Why not practice the same caution with all vehicles, no matter what lane you're in.

[EdV]

If the rules for navigating roundabouts are so simple, why does it take two pages and five diagrams to explain it?

As long as they continue to build roundabouts with two lanes and multiple exits, there will be problems, accidents, and angered drivers.