[Targo]

Clearly the handful of traffic circles we have here in VT overwhelm many drivers ability to cope with their clearly confusing and confounding nature. Here a few tips to help those people survive their encounters with the dreaded round-about.

1. Traffic circles are designed with the idea of traffic FLOW in mind. The ENTIRE idea is to MERG with the traffic already in the circle. You DO NOT have to slam on your breaks and come to a stop before entering the circle. This is especially important when they're NO OTHER VEHICLES IN THE CIRCLE! I mean really, do you see a stop sign ANYWHERE?

2. Conversely, traffic in the circle has the right away and does not have to yield to lame drivers that think people entering should have the right of way. Entering traffic must MERGE with vehicles already in the circle, not expect them to lock their brakes up throwing people/dogs/children and beer cans all around because you're a dork. Barge in if you must but please don't come whining to me if your get T-boned [you entitled/impatient jerk].

3. If you happen to miss your street exit to the right, PLEASE don't stop and BACK UP, continue around the circle. I promise you'll shortly have another chance to make the correct exit to your desired distention. Plan ahead this time, you will need to turn your steering wheel to the right [clock-wise] to exit.

4. Although while very thoughtful of you, PLEASE don't slam on your breaks while in the circle to let someone merge into then circle. Trust me, they will have ample opportunity to do so given the fact that many drivers have different destinations planned and gaps frequently form allowing waiting traffic to merge without you causing a pile up in the circle.

5. When entering the circle PLEASE pay the utmost attention to the traffic on the LEFT. While not impossible here in VT, you won't frequently encounter traffic on the right moving clockwise. On the other hand perhaps you should check right based on my observations of diver/traffic circle competence.

6. Bicyclist curb hopping through the center of the circle during heavy traffic should make sure their final wished are on file with their family and/or attorney.

If this all far to much for your pea brain to handle I suggest letting your dog drive.

Thank you and have a wonderful day.

Targo

Member CFSCD [Citizens For Semi Competent Driving]

[Oriz]

Traffic circles are awesome. They are the best thing to come out of france since baguettes. I honestly wish there were more of them in Vermont. I find stop signs to be insanely annoying and retarded in most cases.

[Mtneer12]

I like the free-for-all, chaotic nature if circles. Survival of the fittest at it's most democratic.

[Targo]

Clearly I understand traffic circles but not spelling/grammar.

Proof reading post edit time limit = bad.

[harpoonalt]

Go to France and stand at the Arc de Triumphe and you'll see traffic circles at their finest. I went as a kid and totally missed the arc watching those crazy Frenchmen navigate the circle. Ours just don't have the same panache. Just as much fun to watch though.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by Mtneer12

I like the free-for-all, chaotic nature if circles. Survival of the fittest at it's most democratic.

It's somewhat Darwinian and frustrating at the same time -- almost like waiting for some scaredy-cat kid who's afraid to jump into the moving jump rope.

[DauntlessDan]

Targo on your points 1 and 2...SOMEONE is going to have to stop and yield. When you have multiple vehicles in the traffic circle and someone wanting to enter, SOMEONE is going to have to stop or a resulting collision is going to occur. I am very mixed on traffic circles and you have to understand they are NOT a common traffic device across the US. Someone not familiar with them is at first going to have some difficulties (off of I-87 in NY state north of Albany there is a city, the name escapes me, that has 4 or 5 of them in close proximity to each other). And people familiar with them have to learn to people NOT familiar with them and have due patience!! Personally I believe that they are good in some applications but they can be overused/employed.

[Oriz]

The way I've learned and understand traffic circles, and where I'm from most intersections either have a traffic circle or a roundabout, in some ways it's kind of like a stop sign just without the stopping part, or, if you will, a yield sign. If you got to the circle, and see that you have enough time to merge in before the next car comes that is already in the circle or roundabout, then go right ahead, no need to stop, sometimes don't even need to slow down much. If, however, there are people in the roundabout that were there before you and not enough time/space for you to merge, then of course you do stop and wait. You don't just butt yourself in. Once that traffic is out of the way and there is no other traffic, or, they are far enough away then you can go.

[jackmccullough]

Here in Vermont, where roundabouts have been gaining popularity, each entering road has a Yield sign. I would have thought it was obvious, based on the sign, that entering traffic is required to yield to traffic already in the roundabout and usually they do, but I do see the occasional idiot who feels entitled to plow right in.

The Vermont Supreme Court has also had occasion to address whether an exiting vehicle is required to signal for the turn. I read the decision a while ago, but I think the answer was that it's not that clear. I think they found that failing to signal when leaving a roundabout did not give the police probable cause to stop the vehicle.

[harpoonalt]

We just got back from vacation. ON the way home we hit a traffic circle with 2 feed in lanes. What kind of holy hell is this? Not only do you need to watch the traffic in the circle, but the guy next to you who may or may not go where he's supposed to. All it takes is one person doing the wrong thing and the whole pattern gets disrupted. I'm not a fan.