Traffic circles

[LivinginKelowna]

people dont know what the *edited by ferri* is going on when they approach a traffic circle Traffic circles are *edited by ferri* and so are four way stops

seriously if you don't know how to use a traffic circle you must come from the shallow end of the gene pool.

They are way more effective at keeping traffic flowing.

[___]

You would think it was easy, even without signs....

1. yield to traffic already in the lane at the circle
2. signal your intent
3. pull out when clear
4. keep going around and around until you see your turn
5. signal your intent
6. actually go the way you are signaling
7. go have a drink

...something about circles just messes up the mind...

...single lane width....and I have taken 65' + big truck thru them as a matter of necessity and forget staying in the lane and hope signs are well back....$hit happens.

..the funny part would be if we got two lane circles and the traffic in the outside lane had to realize they needed to give way to inside lanes signalling out to exit....*whew*...would have to post a wrecker at the circle 24/7

[Big Bacardi]

uhhmmmmm , I may be and idiot but if in a traffic cicle and you yield to the guy on the right? he will never hit you. its the guy on the left to be concerned with... NO?????

[BoB76]

uhhmmmmm , I may be and idiot but if in a traffic cicle and you yield to the guy on the right? he will never hit you. its the guy on the left to be concerned with... NO?????

You do have a point. Pretty sure it only applies to 4 way stops. I think you are supposed to yield to the person who's in the circle already.

[dirtrider]

I think he meant in a two lane circle, the cars on the outside circle would have to watch out for the cars in the inner one as they tried to exit....whew, is that right, MrBill...I think I confused myself.

[Nebula]

uhhmmmmm , I may be and idiot but if in a traffic cicle and you yield to the guy on the right? he will never hit you. its the guy on the left to be concerned with... NO?????

If you're talking about a two-lane traffic circle, no. The drivers on the inside lane have the right of way.

[John500]

Guess nobody on this post ever driven the traffic circle around the Arc de Triomph in Paris. 8 lanes wide. 6 or more (forgot the actual number) of feeding sidestreets, 2 and up to 4 lanes. Cars switching lanes constantly. And guess what, because everybody knows how to navigate that traffic circle, it works rather well. Here, a large number of drivers have no clue even with just the one lane around......and around and around it goes and nobody knows.......

[Nebula]

My first experience with a traffic circle was when I was 21 and visiting New Zealand. Driving on the right side of the car and going clockwise around a two-lane traffic circle. I needed a drink after that.

[dandynick5]

My first experience with a traffic circle was when I was 21 and visiting New Zealand. Driving on the right side of the car and going clockwise around a two-lane traffic circle. I needed a drink after that.

Is that how it all started?

[Nebula]

My first experience with a traffic circle was when I was 21 and visiting New Zealand. Driving on the right side of the car and going clockwise around a two-lane traffic circle. I needed a drink after that.

Is that how it all started?

All downhill from there.

[Saxon]

Being from the UK I would class the roundabouts here as mini roundabouts... some in the UK are just painted on the road so larger trucks with a big turning circle can drive over them...They are a great thng as traffic hardly needs to stop as you do with lights... I was told when I learned to drive to view a roundabout as a clock...if your turn is past 12 then keep in the right lane... before 12 then get in the left lane... But this is Canada so you have to reverse those instructions hehehe and most roundabouts here are just tiny with 1 lane at each entry/exit so its just a case of driving around the circle

[dsldriver]

I'm with most of you, I drive an f450 long wheelbase at work, and I pretty much have to cut onto the rounded curb to make the corner....I can only imagine how tight it would be in a bigger rig.

Hell, the campbell rd traffic circle is tight in my 81' datsun pickup....

And yet I can get a 45 foot bus around it without touching anything. Hmmmmm.......

You do have a point. Pretty sure it only applies to 4 way stops. I think you are supposed to yield to the person who's in the circle already.

Pretty sure.??!! Did you check the driver's handbook to find out FOR SURE?? That is the problem with the majority of drivers today. They are only pretty sure.

I think he meant in a two lane circle, the cars on the outside circle would have to watch out for the cars in the inner one as they tried to exit....whew, is that right, MrBill...I think I confused myself.

That is why in Europe they have signal lights on the fenders of the cars. You know when the guy on the left wants out. And they don't drive right beside each other there all the time. They leave each other an out.

Being from the UK I would class the roundabouts here as mini roundabouts... some in the UK are just painted on the road so larger trucks with a big turning circle can drive over them...They are a great thng as traffic hardly needs to stop as you do with lights... I was told when I learned to drive to view a roundabout as a clock...if your turn is past 12 then keep in the right lane... before 12 then get in the left lane... But this is Canada so you have to reverse those instructions hehehe and most roundabouts here are just tiny with 1 lane at each entry/exit so its just a case of driving around the circle

Perhaps you could post the complete set of rules that govern circles in the UK. That would give people at least part of the idea. The rules in the two countries are a little different. Here:
1. Approach the circle.
2. Yield to the traffic in the circle.
3. Enter the circle when safe to do so.
4. Follow around the circle and right signal at your exit.
5. Continue on your way to get a drink.

[Saxon]

Here are a couple of sites which give good clear instructions on roundabouts in the UK... here I would say just use some common sense, enter the circle when it's safe to do so... be aware of other traffic around you, signal your desire to leave the circle immediately after passing the exit previous to your own intended exit and exit the circle with other drivers in mind...... be considerate to other drivers and you wont go far wrong...I can see the trend growing here and even those who right now dont like them going the other way and seeing that they really are much better than lights as if we are all considerate and use them properly traffic just keeps on a flowing

http://www.driving-test-success.com/rou ... bouts.html

http://www.2pass.co.uk/roundabout.htm

[ami2much4u]

The unique octagan shaped one in Goderich, Ontario.

The town square is in the centre.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl= ... S%26sa%3DN

[fluffy]

I drove in Edmonton back in the seventies when traffic circles were the preferred method of handling busy intersections. My understanding in a two lane traffic circle was that you only used the outside lane if you were taking the next exit out of the circle. That way there would never be a conflict with those in the inside lane.