You are correct, this is an inherent problem with the two lane roundabouts. The cure for this problem is no one should enter the right lane directly side-by-side with someone in the left or inside lane.

....and with great fear and trepidation.

I have had the same problem on numerous occasions. I checked with the sheriff's department to clairfy this situation. Their reply:

Since you were in the roundabout first, you have the right of way.

great picture, for when I move down there.

This is my first reply on TOTV, but I feel very passionate about the roundabouts. They are very, very dangerous. I think they should all be reduced to just one lane and then the problems go away. You might have to wait a short time to get on, but I'll bet the wait would be shorter than a stoplight and we all endure stoplights.

The dangerous situation is when someone properly takes the second exit from the inside lane but crosses over into the curb lane of the exit street thus side swiping the car using the same exit from the outside roundabout lane (who may be just carefully taking his first exit). It is easy to understand how they work if you just think of it as a two lane road with curves and stay in your lane. If your are in the left lane, stay there. If you are in the right lane, stay there.

One more question..
 

I think I understand now about which lane goes which way, but what happens when there are cars coming from the other direction?

It doesn't matter how many people read the Brochures or examine the Diagrams, and drive correctly in the roundabouts. There will always be people who misunderstand the rules, or just don't care, for example delivery vehicles, contractors, short-term renters. So drive with caution!

It's easy
 

Right lane to turn LEFT. Left lane to turn RIGHT. Or is that the other way around? I wish my mother was still alive. She had eyes in the back of her head and she would make a great co-pilot in the circles.:eek:

Just do what most other people do...Close your eyes and proceed quickly....

Just make believe it's a 4 lane 4 way stop. To turn right or go straight you would use the right lane. To turn left you would use the left lane. Now drive the roundabout as if those 4 lanes were the same as the 4 way stop.

My favorite was last week I was turning from southbound Belvedere onto southbound Buena Vista, which is the first right turn. A car came up to my left alonside from Belvedere and also made the first right onto Buena Vista but they were using the inside lane. How anyone could think to go to the inside lane to make the first right turn would be OK is beyond me.

John W, I like your explanation-Now that is easy to understand! I grew up in a town with a circle for the square in the center of town. I understood how to navigate it and, yes, the car already in the circle always had the right of way. I do seem to have a problem with these roundabuts however.

Exactly. That is the most common mistake. If you are on the inside lane and the exit street is two lane you have to stay to the left lane while exiting. So many people change lanes as they exit and dive into the right exit lane. Confused yet? Hahaha. The first time I was here I studied the signs and brochures. I was northbound on Morse exiting to Odell at the Mallory Square area. A driver dove into my lane from the inside, blew her horn and glared at me. I told my wife, what the heck. She is suppose to stay left and you aren't to change lanes on the circle. Two errors. I see this mistake all the time. And TV veterans believe it's ok to do this.

need more opinions?


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I am from New Jersey, the home of the original "US circles." I have lived with them all of my life and they have always been a pain in the butt. NJ started to do away with them at least 20 years ago. I was really surprised to find them being so "fashionable" here. The trick is to NEVER be next to another car and to ALWAYS signal your intent...oh yeah, and pray a lot!