Rules in a Roundabout

[spaynton]

Who the hell signals at the roundabout. Ain't nobody got time for that.

And it's pointless too - once I'm in the roundabout everybody should wait for me anyway.

It's the law to signal at your exit, just like any change of direction/lane....

It's not pointless. It helps smooth the flow of traffic. The traffic that is waiting to enter the roundabout, if they see you signaling your exit they know they know longer have to yield for you. Not a hard concept to grasp.

Not sure if you have noticed spaynton, very large amount of drivers have no idea there vehicle is equipped with signals. They reply on everyone around them having ESP. lol

Oh most definitely have... Also people don't tend to look around them when the drive either... Many close calls on my motorcycle have taught me that one... Signals and shoulder checks are often not things drivers in the okanagan tend to think they need... I also ride a tall, bright red motorcycle with LED headlights, hard to miss if you actually look my way..

[my5cents]

But that's not the person on your right.

There is no person on your right in a roundabout, other than those waiting to enter at the next turn, or someone who is already past your entrance. So ya, I guess, yield to that person so you don't smash into the back of them.

Actually at every entrance to a roundabout there is a vehicle on the left and on the right. The vehicle IN the roundabout has the right a way and the vehicle entering must yield. So the vehicle on the left (ie, IN the roundabout) technically has the right a way, but in this application I think it's more of a through street verses a vehicle entering the through street.

[Even Steven]

It's the law to signal at your exit, just like any change of direction/lane....

It's not pointless. It helps smooth the flow of traffic. The traffic that is waiting to enter the roundabout, if they see you signaling your exit they know they know longer have to yield for you. Not a hard concept to grasp.

Well it's a stupid law. Even cops don't signal in roundabouts. If you're close people yield at you anyway and if you're far nobody can see your turn signal.

Waste of time.

[dodgerdodge]

Good catch uniped27. They did leave out that the a vehicle entering a roundabout must yield to vehicles already in the roundabout. Then they find an "expert" who apparently is a "driving professional" from Young Drivers :

"If you are going to take your second or third exit, you can put your left one on to enter because then people at the next exits or entrances can see that you are continuing and they are less likely to pull out in front of you,"

Doesn't say much for Young Drivers, does it.

Shouldn't there be some onus or responsibility for someone writing an article on the procedure for doing something to make sure they have it correct ??????

Gotta love Castanet. Great story Madison Erhardt, well except for all the errors.

It's a concern to me, we have a person employed to teach driving that doesn't know the procedure for roundabouts in BC.

His statement "you can put your left [signal]", driving ISN'T a series of optional actions.

I don't understand your points here, the last sentence makes no sense. As for the use of signals once in a roundabout it may not be law in BC but make perfect sense to let other drivers know exactly what you are doing. Too many drivers fail to signal at all and that is worse.

[BGrigg07]

Who the hell signals at the roundabout. Ain't nobody got time for that.

And it's pointless too - once I'm in the roundabout everybody should wait for me anyway.

You wouldn't happen to drive a BMW, do you? I've noticed most of the entitled idiots seem to...

[my5cents]

I don't understand your points here, the last sentence makes no sense. As for the use of signals once in a roundabout it may not be law in BC but make perfect sense to let other drivers know exactly what you are doing. Too many drivers fail to signal at all and that is worse.

My point in the last sentence is that driving isn't an optional choice of actions. "You can" isn't a phrase one sees in the Motor Vehicle Act.

How about this... if I am stopped ahead of you at an intersection and I have my left turn signal on, then I decide that I'm going to go straight, I think it's a great idea to then put my right signal on to advise you (although you have no idea what I'm doing) that I'm cancelling my left signal, or perhaps my four way flashers ????

In BC we don't signal that we aren't going to do something, (although I think about 80% don't signal at any time) we are supposed to signal when we are going to do something, ie, turn.

The sad fact in this whole equation is that to see better compliance to the rules of law, there would have to be enforcement of those laws, something that doesn't happen any more.

[liisgo]

Roundabout, or just every time you want to give notice to other drivers and assist with better traffic flow.
That's what a signal is for. Dangerous situations happen everywhere because people just are not interested in thinking about what their doing out there, and of course are more privileged to not have to care about their actions.
People do not use theirs signals anywhere. They cannot even think that just maybe you are sitting there waiting for a "signal" from you as what your intention is. Driving in BC is just a guessing game.
Some people can drive smart and others do not have the ability too. Thats the sad part.
Maybe people should stop fighting what they think is right and just use your signals all the time, over use them for a change.

[BGrigg07]

What most people seem to miss is it isn't "right a way" but "right OF way". Doesn't only apply to vehicles on your right! A vehicle traveling straight through an intersection has right OF way over people turning left. Grammar counts!

[Even Steven]

You wouldn't happen to drive a BMW, do you? I've noticed most of the entitled idiots seem to...

You wouldn't be a million years old? I've noticed most sticklers for rules, policies, regulations, and by-laws are old people with nothing else to do in life and whos kids don't even talk to them so they need to lash out online at anything they perceive "illegal" like it will fix their life.

[my5cents]

What most people seem to miss is it isn't "right a way" but "right OF way". Doesn't only apply to vehicles on your right! A vehicle traveling straight through an intersection has right OF way over people turning left. Grammar counts!

I never thought of someone taking the word "right" as in "right of way" meaning anything to do with the direction.

Although when two vehicles arrive at an uncontrolled intersection at the same time the vehicle on the right has the "right of way", "right" in this application, meaning "legal entitlement".

Having said that, at the intersection with a roundabout the vehicle within the roundabout has the right a way, even though that vehicle is on the left.

[BGrigg07]

You wouldn't happen to drive a BMW, do you? I've noticed most of the entitled idiots seem to...

You wouldn't be a million years old? I've noticed most sticklers for rules, policies, regulations, and by-laws are old people with nothing else to do in life and whos kids don't even talk to them so they need to lash out online at anything they perceive "illegal" like it will fix their life.

Oh no, I'm no stickler for rules. I break'em all the time. I just use my signals whenever necessary so other people can tell what I'm going to do. I've no intention of dying in a car accident just because I'm too stupid to use my signal properly.

I'm guessing you're as young as my sons, neither of which is an entitled idiot, and who use their signals...

[BGrigg07]

What most people seem to miss is it isn't "right a way" but "right OF way". Doesn't only apply to vehicles on your right! A vehicle traveling straight through an intersection has right OF way over people turning left. Grammar counts!

I never thought of someone taking the word "right" as in "right of way" meaning anything to do with the direction.

Although when two vehicles arrive at an uncontrolled intersection at the same time the vehicle on the right has the "right of way", "right" in this application, meaning "legal entitlement".

Having said that, at the intersection with a roundabout the vehicle within the roundabout has the right a way, even though that vehicle is on the left.

Again, you're using "a" instead of "of" right away means next or soon! Right a way isn't a proper sentence! You understand the term, you just don't use the right words...

Another thing people (not necessarily you!) get wrong is when you approach a roundabout, and a vehicle is already stopped at the yield sign on your right, THEY have the Right Of Way, you're supposed to yield to them and not "train" your way through simply because it's convenient.

[my5cents]

Again, you're using "a" instead of "of" right away means next or soon! Right a way isn't a proper sentence! You understand the term, you just don't use the right words...

Another thing people (not necessarily you!) get wrong is when you approach a roundabout, and a vehicle is already stopped at the yield sign on your right, THEY have the Right Of Way, you're supposed to yield to them and not "train" your way through simply because it's convenient.

Sorry that one time I typo'd "a" you'll notice the other two were "of"

I don't understand approaching a roundabout "and the vehicle is already stopped at the yield sign on your right", are you talking about a two lane roundabout ? I'm not getting your point.

[BGrigg07]

Sorry that one time I typo'd "a" you'll notice the other two were "of"

I don't understand approaching a roundabout "and the vehicle is already stopped at the yield sign on your right", are you talking about a two lane roundabout ? I'm not getting your point.

That's ok, it's a simple mistake, it's just that in forums we only have the written word to convey our meanings, and small mistakes can lead to large misunderstandings!

No, I'm referring to the single lane roundabouts we have in Kelowna. Think of a roundabout as a 4 way stop except with yield signs. When you approach a 4 way stop, you stop and whoever is there before you, goes. When you approach a roundabout and the next exit (the one on your right) has a car already yielding to traffic in the circle, you yield for them so they can go. This reduces congestion and allows the traffic to flow properly. You don't have to actually stop, just slow enough so the person can go. I see this happening all the time, one car yields and everyone just keeps driving into the roundabout as there isn't a car approaching on the left.

And to all the people who do yield, will you PUH-LEEZE go when someone yields for you?

[Fancy]

You shouldn't have to yield for the person at the next yield sign - there's plenty of time for that person to enter if they are paying attention. You shouldn't be stopping unless someone is already in the roundabout you should be yielding to. 20km is posted for a reason.