Is is illegal to go around and around in a traffic circle/roundabout?

[Old Dominion Heather]

I'd tell you why I need to know, but then I'd have to silence you. ; )

[Parrothead]

When I was a cop and in the state I worked in it wasn't.

[myfunnybunch]

I hope not.

 

:leaving:

 

Cat

[ThatCyndiGirl]

Well, how many times are we talkin about here? Hours and hours? Yes, I would think that that would be illegal. I grew up/learned to drive in a city with a roundabout and sometimes you would end up driving around and around because someone kept changing their mind.

 

Smite me if you must, but why do you ask? ;)

[Another Lynn]

"Look kids! Big Ben!"

[Old Dominion Heather]

Our city recently put in a roundabout and my boys think it is hysterically funny to take that road and drive around the circle 3, 4, or 10 times (or so). My husband and I were discussing the legality of this maneuver and of the appropriate speed at which these maneuvers should be carried out for maximum hilarity...always assuming of course that we are not causing an accident.

[ThatCyndiGirl]

Too bad you can't take them to the one we used to navigate in Panama. It was called The Circle Of Death. (cue spooky music now)

[Happy]

I think going around a couple or three times to make sure you are taking the correct turn is perfectly okay. Going around until you are dizzy...not so much....although it is fun!

 

I love roundabouts...city planners in our area are terrified of them.

[TN Mama]

"Look kids! Big Ben!"

 

:lol::lol::lol:

[ChemMommy]

 

I love roundabouts...city planners in our area are terrified of them.

 

Any hints on roundabout etiquette...or how not to get killed using one????

[ChristusG]

I love going around in circles....the kids think it is funny. My dad used to do that to us as well. However, my husband starts saying "Stop! Stop! I'm going to get carsick!" So that takes a little of the fun out of it LOL. :tongue_smilie:

[pooh bear]

If you have problems with roundabouts, don't visit England. They use roundabouts a lot more than traffic lights.

 

And just to make your head really spin, look at this roundabout. It has 5 mini roundabouts around a big roundabout

 

The Magic Roundabout

 

 

[jenL]

If you have problems with roundabouts, don't visit England. They use roundabouts a lot more than traffic lights.

 

And just to make your head really spin, look at this roundabout. It has 5 mini roundabouts around a big roundabout

 

The Magic Roundabout

 

 

 

WHY??? How on earth do people get out of that safely??? For us Americans, it would go in reverse to what we're used to as well! Yikes!!!

[myfunnybunch]

Any hints on roundabout etiquette...or how not to get killed using one????

 

They look more complicated than they are. Think of it as a combination of a Yield sign and a merry-go-round. :lol:

 

Cat

[FourOaks]

Our county loves roundabouts and I like having them. THAT ONE, however, would probably be enough to keep me from driving! Just looking at the sign makes me want to cry.

[Cinder]

Our city recently put in a roundabout and my boys think it is hysterically funny to take that road and drive around the circle 3, 4, or 10 times (or so). My husband and I were discussing the legality of this maneuver and of the appropriate speed at which these maneuvers should be carried out for maximum hilarity...always assuming of course that we are not causing an accident.

 

 

Well, we did this once. Back in college my now dh's best buddy and buddy's fiance visited. We drove up to the next town, which had a traffic circle. On the way there we talked about how it would be fun to drive around it 10 times. It actually got old after about 6 times, but we just HAD TO make it to 10. Can't remember the speed limit--30, I think. And we stuck to the inside lane, of course.

 

 

Cinder

[Tutor]

It is here. You are welcome to drive around the square (circle, whatever) downtown three times, but four or more and you're in trouble. :001_smile:

[Mommyof4ks]

If you have problems with roundabouts, don't visit England. They use roundabouts a lot more than traffic lights.

 

And just to make your head really spin, look at this roundabout. It has 5 mini roundabouts around a big roundabout

 

The Magic Roundabout

 

 

 

I don't think I could drive on something that required instructions on how to use it lol. It does look like fun though. :D

[Tutor]

Any hints on roundabout etiquette...or how not to get killed using one????

 

Generally, circles/ roundabouts are pretty easy to maneuver and well-posted. The general rule-of-thumb is that traffic in the circle has the right-of-way and incoming traffic yields to it as at a yield sign. When you have an opening, hop in. When you get to your pull-off, put on your signal and merge off just like you were taking an exit ramp. You have the right-of-way coming off the circle.

 

I grew-up in Flemington, NJ which is notorious for its three circles that are lined up in a string. This wouldn't be so bad except that the circles aren't posted (at least, they weren't for a long time... a couple may be now). Local tradition dictates how you go around the circles. The rule there is that traffic on the main road gets the right-of-way. Problem is, you have to be local to know which road is the main road on two of the circles. :001_huh: There is a lot of tourist traffic on weekends, and it can be either very amusing or very terrifying to watch the tourists try to figure out the rules and dash through the circles (one of which has inner and outer lanes - which you also have to know the local rules for). My dh just asks me to drive so we can survive getting through... he's learned rather quickly, though. :D

[Starr]

I think some countries have different rules so watch out. I think I could stay on the one in Paris forever or until traffic thinned out. It's scary if I'm not driving.

[KidsHappen]

I would think that unless your city had a no cruising ordinance, you could do it as many times as you like. In my family that would lead to many people getting car sick.

 

They have been adding round-abouts here lately and you can tell that people are not quite sure how to drive on them. They had to put instructions in the newspaper. You are supposed to enter the circle when it is clear and then move to the inside lane until your exit comes up. The problem with that here is that there is frequently less than 100 feet between exits making it hard to accomplish that manuvor smoothly even without other cars on trying to do the same thing.

 

I do like going on them when there is no traffic and then slingshotting myself off at my exit. Woo-hoo!:tongue_smilie:

[Sugarfoot]

Our neighborhood entrance is off(?) of a round-a-bout. Our city planners like them, but many people don't use them well. It can be a bit scary! Luckily, our city is small, so our round-a-bouts aren't huge.

 

Oh! I forgot to say that here, at least, things are small enough that if only a few people were in the round-a-bout, it's very likely that someone would notice that you hadn't exited at any of the previous spots and assume that you were getting off at the last one before they wanted to enter. They would then enter the round-a-bout right in front of you, thinking that you were exiting and not expecting you to keep going around and around. Here, at least, you'd probably crash right into them. If your round-a-bout has an inner lane, though, and that's where you're circling, then obviously this wouldn't apply.

Edited December 14, 2009 by Sugarfoot
forgot the main point of post

[Laura Corin]

Not in Britain.

 

Laura

[Laura Corin]

Any hints on roundabout etiquette...or how not to get killed using one????

 

Indicate as you approach as you would any junction. Then give way to any traffic already on the roundabout. Drive onto it when there's space. Indicate as you leave it. Easy.

 

Now four-way-stops (as in California) scare me. Who would legislate for a four-way game of chicken?

 

Laura

[keptwoman]

They are very common here and in NZ too. I like the look of that magic roundabout! There was a big 5 road intersection not far from my home in Auckland. It was like the magic one but without the extra little ones. 3 or 4 lanes of crazy circular traffic. Terrifying!

[Pip]

When we were in England I watched how the roundabouts are handled. Once you get the hang of it, it makes sense, to me at least. my parents were saying that people who drive on the right hand side of the road have problems with the ones in Commonwealth countries. I guess some Americans were killed in one in Australia when my folks were there; they got confused with the whole thing and then the driving on different sides of the road threw them off.

 

Agreeing with 4 way stops. At least with roundabouts you are kind of forced to slow down. They had 4 way stops in the desert where we lived in CA and I blew through some of the more desolate ones while singing loudly to music and not paying attention.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

Several years ago we moved to a house near a round-about (which we call a traffic circle). As it turns out, that is the easiest route to get just about anywhere b/c it avoids the major intersections near my house. So, the first time I encountered it, I was driving and my husband and daugter were with me. As I approached it, I said, "Oh, Dear, what do I do here?" My husband said, "You get into it as you get into any 4-way by yielding to the car to the left. Once you're in, everyone has to yield to you."

 

" . . . Everyone has to yield to you."

 

" . . . Everyone has to yield to you."

 

" . . . Everyone has to yield to you."

 

I actually dreamt of that phrase.

 

About a week later there were two issues I needed to discuss with my family. I told them we were going out for ice cream, which we did -- through the drive-through -- but then instead of going home I went to the traffic circle. I entered the traffic circle and then stayed there going around and around addressing the issues that needed addressing -- help around the house and the busy-ness of our schedule. Entering I reminded everyone that I was now driving in the traffic circle and they should prepare to yeild . . . which they eventually did.

 

Now it's a joke. Anytime I feel I need some compliance I threaten them with ice cream and the traffic circle. My daughter gets excited and and begs for it. My husband says it'll save him about $10 (in ice cream and gas) to just go ahead and agree.

 

I feel a need for another trip through the magic traffic circle.

[Susan in KY]

They look more complicated than they are. Think of it as a combination of a Yield sign and a merry-go-round. :lol:

 

Cat

 

I wish we had a "like" button here. :lol::lol:

[Susan in KY]

Oh, my, I am laughing so hard I can't see my screen and tears are running down my cheeks. This. is. hysterical!:lol:

 

Several years ago we moved to a house near a round-about (which we call a traffic circle). As it turns out, that is the easiest route to get just about anywhere b/c it avoids the major intersections near my house. So, the first time I encountered it, I was driving and my husband and daugter were with me. As I approached it, I said, "Oh, Dear, what do I do here?" My husband said, "You get into it as you get into any 4-way by yielding to the car to the left. Once you're in, everyone has to yield to you."

 

" . . . Everyone has to yield to you."

 

" . . . Everyone has to yield to you."

 

" . . . Everyone has to yield to you."

 

I actually dreamt of that phrase.

 

About a week later there were two issues I needed to discuss with my family. I told them we were going out for ice cream, which we did -- through the drive-through -- but then instead of going home I went to the traffic circle. I entered the traffic circle and then stayed there going around and around addressing the issues that needed addressing -- help around the house and the busy-ness of our schedule. Entering I reminded everyone that I was now driving in the traffic circle and they should prepare to yeild . . . which they eventually did.

 

Now it's a joke. Anytime I feel I need some compliance I threaten them with ice cream and the traffic circle. My daughter gets excited and and begs for it. My husband says it'll save him about $10 (in ice cream and gas) to just go ahead and agree.

 

I feel a need for another trip through the magic traffic circle.

[unsinkable]

"Look kids! Big Ben!"

 

:lol:

 

This is the first thing I thought of when I read the title.

 

"And there's Parliament!"

[BritAnnia]

:lol: How funny to see a picture of MY HOME TOWN on these boards. wow!

 

I wish there was a decent picture of the magic roundabout full of rush hour traffic. The pictures here show the road and markings clearly but it's more difficult (I think) to see how it all plays out for drivers.

It's a crazy scheme but it works brilliantly, there are rarely accidents on the roundabout itself.

I feel like a proud mum seeing the roundabout grow and gain fame :tongue_smilie: . I remember it when it was first introduced as a temporary idea and had old tires in the centre as markers. (Swindon is a test town where governmental ideas are often put into practice.)

Last year they plonked the town's Christmas tree right in the middle. Odd idea, but thankfully one they seem to have forgone this year!

[Jeannie in NJ]

they are actually getting rid of our traffic circle, my kids are so bummed I had never driven a circle till I moved to New Jersey. I think at our circle , the rule is that whoever has the least fear or has an old car that they don;t care about has the right of way. No-body ever stops before entering the circle, they just speed up and cut off all the rest of traffic. I have never seen an accident at our circle, but sometimes lots of honking.

[Georgiana Daniels]

:lol:

 

That's a funny question.

 

Our town has ONE roundabout, and so far I've almost been hit TWICE by two different big trucks that didn't even look before entering. Sheesh.