Roundabout Driving Instructions

[keelanl]

zzontar,

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/popular-topics/roundabouts/4501m001.swf

From the government of BC website. No mention is made of a left turn signal. I don't know why you continue to argue this.

[zzontar]

zzontar,

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/popular-topics/roundabouts/4501m001.swf

From the government of BC website. No mention is made of a left turn signal. I don't know why you continue to argue this.

Wow, did you even read my last post? Actually, aren't you the one that says as you're approaching a circle it's impossible to see the left signal on a car entering the circle from your left? Ah.... makes sense now.

[Phoenix Within]

How about we all agree to disagree and move on? There's a whole lot of bickering and no headway being made whatsoever.

[zzontar]

How about we all agree to disagree and move on? There's a whole lot of bickering and no headway being made whatsoever.

Now THAT is logic and reason.

[dsldriver]

The original posting is correct on the canadian procedures on how to drive a roundabout. Myself I follow the European way of doing things. (I think it has something to do with having an international license) I signal left when entering and keep signalling left to let all traffic know that I am staying in the circle and then signal right when leaving. That is the reason that most european cars have signal lights on the front fender.

THOSE WHO AREN'T SIGNALLING ARE SLOWING DOWN TRAFFIC AND DEFEATING THE VERY PURPOSE OF THE ROUNDABOUTS.

[acockrell]

The original posting is correct on the canadian procedures on how to drive a roundabout. Myself I follow the European way of doing things. (I think it has something to do with having an international license) I signal left when entering and keep signalling left to let all traffic know that I am staying in the circle and then signal right when leaving. That is the reason that most european cars have signal lights on the front fender.

THOSE WHO AREN'T SIGNALLING ARE SLOWING DOWN TRAFFIC AND DEFEATING THE VERY PURPOSE OF THE ROUNDABOUTS.

No - idiots who can't figure out how the heck to enter and exit a roundabout correctly are defeating the very purpose of the roundabouts. Yield to oncoming traffic (traffic in the circle) and pedestrians. Enter and travel counter-clockwise. Signal before your exit, and exit.

You don't need to signal when entering. If there is a car there, then don't enter. If there is a car *entering* to your left at the same time you are entering, it is safe for you to enter.

When exiting, signal your exit (right signal), and exit

Yield to pedestrians at all times

Do not stop in the roundabout

It's pretty simple. There's far more traffic in the UK, with the entire population of Canada and then some, crammed into a land mass a third the size of Vancouver Island - and somehow they've managed to figure it out. Why is it so freakin' hard for a community of 5000 homes to figure out how to use a single one-lane roundabout?

[acockrell]

(I think it has something to do with having an international license)

I would actually think that if you have a UK driver's license, then you might do it "the UK way". An International Driver's License isn't really a license, but more or less an international translation of a license issued from your home country, and in and of itself is not a valid license anywhere.

So which European country are you licensed to drive in? I'm also quite surprised that you would consider signaling upon entry into a roundabout to be the "European" way as I have yet to see any Europeans not go ballistic when others do that.

It could be me, but I smell a story and nothing more.....

[LoneWolf_53]

I tend to suspect what's at work to some extent is a comparison akin to apples and oranges since all we have in Kelowna and Winfield is very small one lane roundabouts which does not compare well to multi-lane large roundabouts where I can certainly see signaling left being of some benefit.

[ImRight]

I tend to suspect what's at work to some extent is a comparison akin to apples and oranges since all we have in Kelowna and Winfield is very small one lane roundabouts which does not compare well to multi-lane large roundabouts where I can certainly see signaling left being of some benefit.

EXACTLY.

These so called traffic circles are a joke. Thou they are better than nothing, they are still silly.

[bentwheel]

The other two issues with this circle are

- Large transport management, many trucks run North on Bottom Wood Lake and struggle to negotiate the circle. It is only a matter of time before it gets damaged. A tractor with a 53' trailer has to use every piece of road available to turn up Berry to get on to the highway. With the snow build up it only makes it tighter.

-The service entrance for the Creekside Theater, Gess, is located on the East side of the circle. Last weekend I had to back a pickup and trailer into it. Even at 7:30 in the morning with very little traffic it was a daunting task. I pulled up on the inner circle, waited for it to clear and then began to wiggle my way around into the entrance. Usually we can pull in, but with the snow, the area is too tight to negotiate.

I admit it is a nice looking addition to the area and the "village" look that is trying to be achieved.

[WhatIAm]

With the new traffic circle near completion on BWLR (Lodge), I am compelled to resurrect this thread...

A left signal is important when entering or continuing a traffic circle in order to keep the flow going. Hear me out! One yields to circulating traffic for safety - but ensuring efficient flow is the purpose of the left signal - alerts those AHEAD of you, not those behind you...of course those behind you know your intent. Myself and a coworker (I'm from Edmonton, she's from Britain) were discussing how frustrating it is that people slow one another down by not signalling correctly. I passed my driver's test in Edmonton 20 years ago successfully by following these rules:

Signal left to enter and continue in the circle - this alerts the person at the NEXT entry point that they must yield/wait until you go by - they glance at you, see left signal, apply brake. It is a strong mental signal for me...left signal=brake.

Signal right when your intent is to exit at the next exit point - this alerts the person at the next entry point that they do not have to wait...you are leaving so they can go ahead - this is key to keeping the flow going!!! Right signal=gas. I strongly support previous posts of those arguing in favour of left signals to enter and stay in the circle - courtesy to the drivers AHEAD of you.

Signal right when ENTERING the circle, telling the person at the next entry point that you are exiting at the exit and they do not have to sit there and wait until you are out of the circle - again, key to keeping the flow going.

Not rocket science! Signal left when entering and staying, right when exiting, including when you are leaving at the first exit. Very easy with practice, and braking is drastically reduced. Traffic circles are instituted in order to avoid traffic lights...improves flow of traffic.

Currently, hardly anyone is signalling at all, so even a right signal to exit would make me happy at this point. Use of brakes is drastically reduced when signals are used. Driving in Europe is a pleasure, because people do it right and the traffic flows so, so well and far less stopping for lights.

[LoneWolf_53]

So basically you're saying those ahead of you in a traffic circle can't discern your intent, even though you have nowhere to go but into the roundabout?

I guess given that our traffic circles are nothing more than a round merge, and we all know how well locals grasp the concept of merging traffic, it's understandable that there's so much difficulty in coming to terms with the roundabout concept.

Somewhat perplexing to see those who themselves lack understanding, opting to step forward to educate others on how to use a roundabout.

You might consider that -

a) if as you yourself state, people behind you don't require a signal, as they know where you are going, the same might well apply to those in front of you in so far as entering a traffic circle goes.

b) there's good reason that the law only requires drivers to signal on exit so if in fact they agreed with your logic it would have been made into law.

[rlconzatti]

Hi! You guys are hilarious! Why would you think people that don't know how to stop at stop signs would automatically know how to signal?! That takes too much thought process!
LConzatti

[metallica]

Hi, I drive a 2007 Dodge Pickup and when you turn and signal the headlight goes out so you can see the signal light, however the people can't see it because the turns are so tight in the roundabouts. I apologize for having to make you wait, even though my signal light is on. Sorry.

[LoneWolf_53]

Hi, I drive a 2007 Dodge Pickup and when you turn and signal the headlight goes out so you can see the signal light, however the people can't see it because the turns are so tight in the roundabouts. I apologize for having to make you wait, even though my signal light is on. Sorry.

Exactly, yet this important aspect of the discussion, emphasizing a characteristic common to the small roundabouts installed in our area, still eludes those who insist that drivers signal into the circle.