Roundabout Driving Instructions

[joe smo]

1. no need to signal as you enter - its a one way
2. signal left as you move around the circle
3. signal right when you want to exit

Here's a problem
Drivers heading north on bottom wood lake used to have the right of way. now bottom wood lake road is part of the round about, if you are travelling from bottom wood lake north from the park side to the highschool, use your turn signal so we know that you will exiting and continuing down bottom wood lake road. Otherwise, traffic entering form bottom wood lake on the Memorial Hall side think you are going around the round about.

In short - use those darn tunr signals.

[Struts 'N' Stuff Auto]

In short - use those darn tunr signals.

Aww come on, how can they use their darn turn signals if they have one hand holding their cell phone and the other trying to steer!
Didn't you know that since cell phones became popular in nearly every operators hands, they can only use their other hand for holding timmies coffee, lipstick, cigarettes, or sometimes the steering wheel!

No flippin kidding people need to start practicing the basics again, and that is showing your intentions to turn!
Signal lights are real easy to use, and every car has the switch on the column.
Thank God some people use them, can you imagine still using arm signals!

[musiclover]

I was driving around the traffic circle the other day (entered from the highschool on bwlr, exiting on the slip road up to IGA) and an old couple nearly t-boned my car. They were coming from Berry and the old lady driving just drove right into the circle, she was looking right at me so I guess she thought she had right of way even though I was already in the circle. Edmonton had quite a few traffic circles so I am used to driving them but I am actually starting to avoid it because so many people seem to have no idea how they work.

[zzontar]

Most people don't signal at all going in or out of a circle, so with no signal you have no idea where they're going. For this reason the best thing is to always signal left before entering and right before exiting unless you're going out the first exit in which case you just signal right, and don't always trust the other driver's signal as lots of people signal right going in even if they're going past the first exit.

[f350lariat]

signal your intentions before entering the traffic circle, and signal when exiting. i find people respond to that alot pretty well, if they are paying attention anyways. i was using the one on the westside this afternoon, someone actually stopped in the circle to let people in..i was shocked. some drivers should not have a license, thats for sure.

[acockrell]

Most people don't signal at all going in or out of a circle, so with no signal you have no idea where they're going. For this reason the best thing is to always signal left before entering and right before exiting unless you're going out the first exit in which case you just signal right, and don't always trust the other driver's signal as lots of people signal right going in even if they're going past the first exit.

There is no need to signal when entering the traffic circle, and signaling is not required for entry. It would in fact be confusing if you signaled left.

If you are at an intersection with a roundabout, and you are using that intersection, you will be entering the roundabout, and will be doing so headed in a counter-clockwise direction. Signaling left would indicate that you intend to go clockwise, against the direction of traffic.

Upon exit, you are required to signal the exit that you intend to take (signal right).

http://www.icbc.com/licensing/RoadSense ... MV2075.pdf - Page 44 gives an incredibly simple write-up.

[zzontar]

acockrell, you're right about not always being required to signal into the circle, but again, most people who don't signal in don't signal out, and there's no debating that signaling your intentions is better than letting people guess wher you're going, and to signal left into the circle is definitely not points against you on a road test.

If you travel to somewhere like Edmonton where there are two lane circles, you'd also want to signal your intentions before entering, and having lived there for many years, never saw anyone think someone was going to go in clockwise because they were signalling left.

[acockrell]

acockrell, you're right about not always being required to signal into the circle, but again, most people who don't signal in don't signal out, and there's no debating that signaling your intentions is better than letting people guess wher you're going, and to signal left into the circle is definitely not points against you on a road test.

If you travel to somewhere like Edmonton where there are two lane circles, you'd also want to signal your intentions before entering, and having lived there for many years, never saw anyone think someone was going to go in clockwise because they were signalling left.

Signalling's purpose is to indicate your traffic flow intent prior to it occurring. I never signal going in, as it's bloody obvious what the intent is. I'm going into the roundabout.

As for the two laners - again, no need to signal going in. You're not supposed to lane-change while in the roundabout, and are expected to exit to the same lane in which you entered. While we don't have two-laners up here, there are a few down in the coast. The Mt. Lehman exit in Abbotsford has two of them - one right after the other. One is the entrance/exit for Highway 1, the other is for Fraser Highway. I have a feeling that most drivers here would be "eaten alive" trying to use those two.

And speaking of travel - you should check out some of the roundabouts in England.... specifically the ones they refer to as "magic roundabouts". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Swin ... ut_eng.svg

Not sure why they're magic? Perhaps they make one dizzy?

[zzontar]

When I'm coming up to a circle and someone is entering the circle on my left, it would be nice to know if they're going to proceed in front of me or take their first exit in which case I could proceed... with no signal I have no idea where they're going, for this reason I think it's good to signal into the circle as it's not obvious where you're going without one.

In the two lane circle it's even more important to signal before entering as legally you can go out any exit from either lane as long as you don't change lanes in the circle, so if you were in the right lane going out the second exit you'd want to know if the car to your left was going out the first exit as he'd have the right of way.

That circle in England is crazy, but then here it's the drivers that are crazy!

[acockrell]

When I'm coming up to a circle and someone is entering the circle on my left, it would be nice to know if they're going to proceed in front of me or take their first exit in which case I could proceed... with no signal I have no idea where they're going, for this reason I think it's good to signal into the circle as it's not obvious where you're going without one.

In the two lane circle it's even more important to signal before entering as legally you can go out any exit from either lane as long as you don't change lanes in the circle, so if you were in the right lane going out the second exit you'd want to know if the car to your left was going out the first exit as he'd have the right of way.

You're still not granting any compelling reason to signal upon entering the circle. The person to your left is either in the circle, or entering the circle. If they are coming around and wish to exit at your entrance, then they should signal and indicate that they are leaving.

If they are entering the circle, and you are entering the circle (ie, you're heading North from the south of the circle, and they're heading east from the west side of the circle), then you *know* they're entering the circle. Period. No point for them to signal that they're entering.

If you both arrive at the same time, you can both enter the circle at the same time. If he's already in the circle, you should yield. You don't need to signal that you're entering the circle - he already knows that's where you're headed.

Ignore the fact that there are far more complicated roundabouts in the world than what we have here. Focus on the single-lane roundabouts in Kelowna for a moment, and think of traffic patterns. What can one possibly contribute by signalling a left while trying to enter a roundabout?

[LoneWolf_53]

The whole idea of the circle is to force speed reduction and keep traffic flowing.

There's absolutely no reason to signal entrance to something when you have no other options but to drive into oncoming traffic nor is their a legal requirement to do so.

Personally I'd even go so far as to say that there's also not much value in signaling exit either since for one thing I don't trust half the indicator lights I see due to so many executing a move contrary to what they're indicating and the circle is nothing more than four merge points so it really isn't hard to enter the flow smoothly.

Oh I forgot we're in the Okanagan and merging is akin to brain surgery when it comes to complexity.

The problem stems from the clueless ones who insist on coming to a full stop and gawk around contemplating what to do next the irony there being that were they at a stop sign they'd more than likely be rolling through it.

Also I've noticed that depending on the vehicle the indicator light canceling cam can enter the equation too and frankly with all the crosswalks present on the one here in Winfield not to mention the abundance of white hairs afraid of the thing to be watchful of using the indicator seems suddenly a low priority.

[zzontar]

I still say when you're entering a circle it good to let the guy approaching from the right know whether you're going to go in front of him or not, you have the choice when entering of exiting immediately or continuing around the circle... two different options, two different signals.

[LoneWolf_53]

I still say when you're entering a circle it good to let the guy approaching from the right know whether you're going to go in front of him or not, you have the choice when entering of exiting immediately or continuing around the circle... two different options, two different signals.

I sort of get your point but I don't agree with it simply because if you haven't entered the circle yet (which in your example both of you are about to but haven't) and the other vehicle is about to enter as well even if he's at the next closest entry point to you both of you have enough time to enter so where's the problem?

They're "yield" signs not stop signs ergo if used ideally traffic should continue to keep moving.

It only stops when you add incompetence and or paranoia to the mix.

[Fancy]

Someone in front of me signalled with their right hand turn signal when ENTERING the roundabout - are you kidding me? Did you actually think you could turn left? Gad, it's not rocket science!!! Signal when you're LEAVING thanks so much. For those that aren't sure, stay off the roads and take a driving course.

[zzontar]

Someone in front of me signalled with their right hand turn signal when ENTERING the roundabout - are you kidding me? Did you actually think you could turn left? Gad, it's not rocket science!!! Signal when you're LEAVING thanks so much. For those that aren't sure, stay off the roads and take a driving course.

Let me explain this a different way... picture arriving at a circle... you're deciding if you want to go out the first or second exit... picture this as coming up to a "Y" intersection... there's also someone approaching the circle from your right, if you take the right branch of the Y you won't be in his way, if you take the left branch you will be. Signaling your intent before you enter lets the other driver know your intentions way ahead of time.

Why signal when you're past the car that's waiting to see where you're going? Then why signal in advance before you turn at an intersection? No one will ever convince me that no signal is better than signalling in advance when you have two choices, and if you ever make it to a two lane circle and you're not in the habit of signalling before you enter, you're going to screw everyone up.