Re: Scary Roundabout Story
 

If you have navigated the gigantic traffic circle in Portsmith, NH, traffic circles in TV are less of a traumatic encounter. I have not yet seen anyone in TV going the wrong way which would freak me out but have also seen cars stop in the middle a couple of times.

Re: Scary Roundabout Story
 

I spent 1/2 of my adult life in eastern Massachusetts, and a good deal of time not far from the afore mentioned Portsmouth, NH circle. There are several roundabouts there...we called them rotary's. The difference being they were open, no buildings or high vegetation, so you had the whole picture of the traffic pattern in the rotary. Here they are landscaped and some have buildings, so it is hard to see the vehicle flow. Perhaps that contributes to the confusion for some who aren't familiar with their proper use. :dontknow: :dontknow:

Re: Scary Roundabout Story
 

Are the MA roundabouts bigger or the same size than the ones in TV? Heard that they were quite a bit bigger in eastern MA?

This link has an interesting picture. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundabout_intersection

Re: Scary Roundabout Story
 

Good point Tal:
Yes, they are bigger and several of them connect major road ways, so it is imperative to know how to negotiate them.

Re: Scary Roundabout Story
 

As long as there are roundabouts in the Villages there will be driving issues with the navigation.

Drive defensively, please. :cop: :bow:

Scary Roundabout Story
 

Speaking of roundabouts and driving errors, I've seen people doing such ridiculous things it's as if they're on Candid Camera and just trying to provoke a reaction. Unfortunately they just sail along impervious to those around them.

The worst thing I've seen so far (and I've seen it twice) is automobiles driving in golf cart paths and approaching tunnels. :yikes: This seems to happen when there is no marker showing it is a divided path, and I guess drivers "mistake" the golf cart path for a roadway.

Be alert my friends!

Re: Scary Roundabout Story
 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, TV roundabouts are small and allowing double turn lanes in such a small circle is dangerous.

Re: Scary Roundabout Story
 

It seems to me that if everyone just used the right lane in a roundabout, you couldn't go wrong.

Re: Scary Roundabout Story
 

Amen to that! In fact, when we moved here we took the class on golf cart driving. The Sumter County deputy was asked about driving ones car in a roundabout. That is exactly what the Sumter County deputy told us. "Just stay in the right lane!"

Re: Scary Roundabout Story
 

That's fine until the person on your left makes a right turn and you don't.

Re: Scary Roundabout Story
 

We always have to watch out. Seems wrong to make an exit from inner lane.

Re: Scary Roundabout Story
 

My experince --- roundabouts only make sense to people from Boston and London. All others are almost always confounded by the functioning aspects of a roundabout.

Re: Scary Roundabout Story
 

The right thing to do is obviously to be on the defensive,

Correct usage is to be in Rt lane only if you are taking the first Rt turn.
You need to be thinking as you are approaching the roundabout, where you will exit.
If it is any one except the first turn, you need to be in the left lane.

As an example: you are traveling south on Buena Vista and approacing the circle at Belvedere and Winifred. If you are exiting for Belvedere, you need to be in the Rt lane.
If you need to continue on Buena Vista, or exit to Winifred or U-Turn to go back north on Buena Vista, you would need to be in the left lane.

Ok , My wife and I are both civil engineers (wife specifically a traffic Engineer) and understand what is correct, and what actuallty happens.It will never be perfect, but believe me it would be much worst with traffic signals at each 4 way intersection.
If you nchecked accident statistics of accidents from folks running red lights down here, it would be scary.

Re: Scary Roundabout Story
 

:agree:
Exit from the right lane only... continue in the center lane.

Re: Scary Roundabout Story
 

You are correct on what lane to be in BUT the local law says stay in the outside lane. These roundabouts are real small compared to most so they say stay out of the inner circle. As stated before we have been told that the roundabouts have the two lanes so trucks can get around them.