Traffic circles

[zzontar]

The simpler the rules, the more education on the rules, the fewer people doing what ever they feel is best for them equals fewer accidents.

Well, I'll shoulder check even if it's not the law, and I'll signal into a circle as signaling one's intentions is better than not, and if there's a pedestrian I will still pick the safest way which is not stopping in the circle. I remember the book saying if your gas pedal is stuck to the floor to put it in neutral, but as I have an older car where the engine would blow if I did that, I'd turn the car off first. But I'm just crazy that way.

[GordonH]

In many years I've used traffic circle at Guisachan Rd to Byrns Rd, I've not seen 1 pedestrian anywhere near it.
I've seen all the combination of signal use possible......... and the most common one none at all.

[Dizzy1]

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.

Close but not quite, many European cars have the fender signal lights (mostly on the mirror now) is because their front or rear signal lights are not visible from the side. Look at a VW Golf or Jetta, the front signal lights are only visible from the front, not the side, thus the requirment by European law to have the side marker. Now look at a Dodge Caravan, their front signal lights are visible from the front and the side which in Europe would not require the additional side marker light. However, most manufacturers or importers will add the side signal light as well as rear fog lights just to make it less of a hassle to import and get it through TUV.

Myself I follow the European way of doing things. (I think it has something to do with having an international license).

You posted this in another thread, and I just have to ask. What the heck is an "International License"? If you mean the IDP from BCAA, thats not a license, its merely a translation paper showing other jurasdictions what licensing and restrictions you have and they are not required in most parts of the world but are a good thing to have if planning on driving abroad. No testing, no qualifying, just need your current license, your picture and the $25 fee. And if IIRC, the permit even states that it in itself is not a valid license.

Also, depending on where you are in Europe, the rules are different, for example in Germany it is illegal to use your signal light by entering a roundabout, you are only to use and must use them while exiting. The reason for this (and I mentioned this in another thread once before) is because if a person is wanting to enter a roundabout and the car entering is signalling left, the other driver may misinterept this as wanting to exit and proceed into the circle even though he doesn't have the right of way ...

"In Deutschland ist die Betätigung des Fahrtrichtungsanzeigers (Blinken) beim Einfahren in den Kreisverkehr verboten, bei der Ausfahrt Pflicht, in Österreich und in der Schweiz ist das Blinken beim Einfahren nicht verboten, beim Ausfahren jedoch ebenso vorgeschrieben. Grund für das Blinkverbot ist, dass ein Fahrer B, der an der nächsten Einfahrt einfahren möchte, das Blinken eines vorher einfahrenden Fahrzeugs A missverstehen könnte als Signal, dass A vor Bs Einfahrt den Kreisverkehr wieder verlassen möchte, und deshalb selbst zu schnell einfährt."

Translation is provided above. In Austria and Switzerland, you may but are not required to signal while entering a roundabout but must while exiting.

Well, I'll shoulder check even if it's not the law, and I'll signal into a circle as signaling one's intentions is better than not, and if there's a pedestrian I will still pick the safest way which is not stopping in the circle. I remember the book saying if your gas pedal is stuck to the floor to put it in neutral, but as I have an older car where the engine would blow if I did that, I'd turn the car off first. But I'm just crazy that way.

If you are making a lane change or a turn it is absolutly 100% your responsibility to make sure the other lane or crosswalk is clear and void of any collision possibilities and that includes checking all your mirrors, blindspots via shoulder checks, etc. So yes, in order to make a safe lane change/turn checking your blindspots via a shoulder check is in fact the law.

[goatboy]

Well, I'll shoulder check even if it's not the law, and I'll signal into a circle as signaling one's intentions is better than not, and if there's a pedestrian I will still pick the safest way which is not stopping in the circle. I remember the book saying if your gas pedal is stuck to the floor to put it in neutral, but as I have an older car where the engine would blow if I did that, I'd turn the car off first. But I'm just crazy that way.

As long as turning your engine off doesn't lock the steering wheel, which it could. Had my gas peddle stick behind my floor mat when I floored it to pass a truck one time . That made me pucker up for a few seconds until I got my foot under the peddle and pulled the pedal free. Amazing what passes through your brain in a situation like that, scary.

[underscore]

Well, I'll shoulder check even if it's not the law, and I'll signal into a circle as signaling one's intentions is better than not, and if there's a pedestrian I will still pick the safest way which is not stopping in the circle. I remember the book saying if your gas pedal is stuck to the floor to put it in neutral, but as I have an older car where the engine would blow if I did that, I'd turn the car off first. But I'm just crazy that way.

But if you turn the car off you lock up the steering wheel (the vast majority of cars), lose power steering (all cars equipped with it), and lose your brake booster (all cars).

Pop it in neutral, pull over as fast as you can, and THEN shut if off. I'd rather have a blown engine than a massive accident.

[Dizzy1]

But if you turn the car off you lock up the steering wheel (the vast majority of cars), lose power steering (all cars equipped with it), and lose your brake booster (all cars).

Pop it in neutral, pull over as fast as you can, and THEN shut if off. I'd rather have a blown engine than a massive accident.

I had a friend who had an old '86 Pontiac Sunburst and he could take the key out of the ignition while driving to open the glove box ... true story

[zzontar]

But if you turn the car off you lock up the steering wheel (the vast majority of cars), lose power steering (all cars equipped with it), and lose your brake booster (all cars).

Pop it in neutral, pull over as fast as you can, and THEN shut if off. I'd rather have a blown engine than a massive accident.

If you turn the key off one click it will be in the "on" position in which case it won't be locked. Every car I've ever driven also had to be in park before the key could be turned to the "lock" position. Turning it off has the same effect as stalling out or running out of gas, the steering and brakes take some muscling to work, but it's not really that difficult to navigate a bit and pull over.

[underscore]

I'm not sure how we got here, but anyways.

I had a friend who had an old '86 Pontiac Sunburst and he could take the key out of the ignition while driving to open the glove box ... true story

In my oldest car I can do that too, you can remove the key from the ignition at any time. Handy for grabbing the mail.

If you turn the key off one click it will be in the "on" position in which case it won't be locked. Every car I've ever driven also had to be in park before the key could be turned to the "lock" position. Turning it off has the same effect as stalling out or running out of gas, the steering and brakes take some muscling to work, but it's not really that difficult to navigate a bit and pull over.

It's in the "on" position when you're running, if you turn it one click back you're either in "off" or "accessory" depending on the car (some you have to move it back past the removal spot to get to acc). If it's off, you're locked up for sure, and some vehicles will let you turn them off at any time but not remove the key until they're in park (and that only works for autos, not manuals).

As far as steering and brakes, it's definitely doable without the power assists, but to someone who isn't used to trying to turn or stop like that, let alone in a panic situation, it can cause a whole mess of problems. So again, the safest bet that works for all cars is pop it in neutral, pull over and stop, then shut it off should your throttle jam.