Traffic circles

[dcipher]

The only thing it does help do is notify people that somebody who doesn't know how to use a circle is entering. It is an "ignorance signal"....but I'd prefer they just turned on their emergency flashers for that!

If nothing else, turning on your left blinker indicates that you're intelligent enough to use your signals in a roundabout. If I don't see any blinkers, I assume that person is an idiot and I can't count on them to properly signal their exit.[/quote]

That would be nice, but I have absolutely witnessed, more than once (I travel these at least a few times every day), people signalling to go in (left or right), but then not signalling to go out!

[Wally]

I actually dont see how it makes any difference to the flow of traffic in or out of a circle, I know the car in front of me is turning rigt going in to it and nobody slows down to exit so why does it matter, the only possible time it would affect me is when the car exits onto the access I am entering on but its not hard to figure that out real quick.I dont trust signals on othr cars anyway.

[French Castanut]

Why would I signal if I'm aint changing lane?

[Fancy]

Why would I signal if I'm aint changing lane?

Signal right to let the vehicle waiting to get into the circle know you are exiting so the traffic keeps moving and signal left to let those waiting to get into the circle that you intend on travelling past them - no confusion then. You must signal on exit.

[fluffy]

My first experience with traffic circles was in Edmonton in the seventies when large, two lane circles handled some of the busier intersections in the city. Many of them have disappeared as they do consume a lot of real estate. The rules of the road then was signal left to enter and navigate, signal right to exit. I follow these rules today as in my mind it is always best to make your intentions clear to other drivers. At the very least it sets you apart from drivers who don't signal at all. I do believe signalling both ways improves the efficiency of a traffic circle in that (like Fancy says above) if I am waiting to enter as someone is coming around to my left without signalling at all, safety dictates I wait until his intentions are clear. Only a matter of seconds to be sure, but seconds that could have been saved had the other driver's intentions been clear.

[underscore]

I actually dont see how it makes any difference to the flow of traffic in or out of a circle, I know the car in front of me is turning rigt going in to it and nobody slows down to exit so why does it matter, the only possible time it would affect me is when the car exits onto the access I am entering on but its not hard to figure that out real quick.I dont trust signals on othr cars anyway.

Because then you can start to go before the car coming up from your left has exited the circle, resulting in smoother traffic flow.

[Nom_de_Plume]

My first experience with traffic circles was in Edmonton in the seventies when large, two lane circles handled some of the busier intersections in the city. Many of them have disappeared as they do consume a lot of real estate. The rules of the road then was signal left to enter and navigate, signal right to exit. I follow these rules today as in my mind it is always best to make your intentions clear to other drivers. At the very least it sets you apart from drivers who don't signal at all. I do believe signalling both ways improves the efficiency of a traffic circle in that (like Fancy says above) if I am waiting to enter as someone is coming around to my left without signalling at all, safety dictates I wait until his intentions are clear. Only a matter of seconds to be sure, but seconds that could have been saved had the other driver's intentions been clear.

Yup, those rules sound similar to using a roundabout in the UK.
I do the same thing.

[LoneWolf_53]

@ fluffy

Large two lane traffic circles as in Edmonton = Apples

Small single lane roundabouts as we have in Okanagan = Oranges

Don't try and make it seem as if the same concept applies.

I hope some of you are aware that once activated, the left turn signal indicator automatically turns itself off when the wheel is turned to the right, so bearing that in mind, I eagerly await the explanation as to what earthly good it does for me to activate my left signal upon approach/entry to a circle, when those behind me know I have but one way to go, and the act of turning the wheel right to get into the thing, deactivates the indicator, and using Benvoulin as an example it's common for me to take the first Casorso exit which is less than two car lengths away from my entry?

The instant I'm in I activate my right indicator to show I'm leaving the roundabout so what on earth more do you persistent signal light addicts want? We aren't in Edmonton, and we don't have multiple lane circles!

[fluffy]

I eagerly await the explanation as to what earthly good it does for me to activate my left signal upon approach/entry to a circle, when those behind me know I have but one way to go...

It is more for the benefit of those waiting to enter the circle ahead of you. Knowing that it is your intention to continue past my position to an exit beyond affects my decision on when to enter and adds a greater degree of safety to the overall situation. Like I said above, it puts you apart from bozos who don't signal at all. I realize that the law in BC may not make it mandatory to signal left when entering/navigating but I believe it never hurts to make your intentions clear to other drivers. Someone who finds this confusing is going to be a hazard whether I signal or not but for the time being I will continue with my current strategy.

We aren't in Edmonton, and we don't have multiple lane circles!

Yes, but the principle is similar. The law in Alberta says that those in the outer lane of a two lane circle must take the first available exit so in reality left hand signalling is superfluous there as well, but that assumes that everyone on the road knows what they are doing and is following the rules of the road, a dangerous assumption anywhere.

[Bsuds]

assumes that everyone on the road knows what they are doing and is following the rules of the road, a dangerous assumption anywhere.

Drivers follow different rules as they see them. (and some ignore rules as the don't seem to care)
That's the real problem.

I signal left when my intention is to stay in the circle until I pass the last one before my exit. Then I signal right. I will continue to do this to inform other drivers of my direction of travel.

I also signal when I'm going to do a lane change as well.

[fluffy]

I also signal when I'm going to do a lane change as well.

Geez, you're a real fanatic aren't you ?

[underscore]

activate my left signal upon approach/entry to a circle, when those behind me know I have but one way to go

You would activate it after you've entered, to let people who are waiting to enter know that you are definitely skipping the exit next to them, and that they need to wait for you to pass by.

[LoneWolf_53]

It is more for the benefit of those waiting to enter the circle ahead of you. Knowing that it is your intention to continue past my position to an exit beyond affects my decision on when to enter and adds a greater degree of safety to the overall situation. Like I said above, it puts you apart from bozos who don't signal at all. I realize that the law in BC may not make it mandatory to signal left when entering/navigating but I believe it never hurts to make your intentions clear to other drivers. Someone who finds this confusing is going to be a hazard whether I signal or not but for the time being I will continue with my current strategy.

OK I'm going to try this one last time. You and some others are making these blanket statements/suggestions that people should signal left when entering a roundabout, I'm doing my best to get across the point that such a demand doesn't work for everyone using the roundabout.

If I were to enter a roundabout at one point, then planned to stay in it until the last available exit, I could perhaps see your point, but the thing is it's not a one size fits all situation. It just so happens that about fifteen minutes ago I used the Berry Road roundabout in Winfield, and had this thread in mind when I did so. In my case having come off of Hwy 97 I went down Berry Rd. and needed to get onto Main Street southbound which is the first exit.

from the time I entered and exited, the space is so short that my steering wheel was turning right the whole time, and I put my right turn indicator on, so just exactly at what point is it that you picture it making any sense at all for me to have attempted to use the left hand signal? Plain and simple it didn't, doesn't, and never will. If you doubt me go and drive the thing, then come back and tell me again it makes any sense.

Most of our roundabouts are too small to be able to use the left indicator signal, if the driver is going to take the first exit back out of the roundabout. My take on that is that when the laws were put in place, for once the powers that be, took into consideration the size of roundabouts used in BC and realized mandating left upon entry was not feasible, thus it's not a requirement. Considerate drivers who plan on using the whole roundabout, during high traffic volumes, are already bound to use their left signal to indicate staying in the roundabout, and I do that if I feel it's in everyone's best interests, but to suggest that everyone should be doing the same thing is completely wrong.

[Bsuds]

If you are taking the first exit out then you would signal right when in the circle, only signal left if you are continuing past the first exit. As with a lot of things it doesn't work all the time. Some circles may be too small to make it practical but I use the one on Casorso daily and have no problems with that one.

[fluffy]

Yeah, what he said.