Motorists remaining clueless

[mstone]

@GB 95804 wrote:

Sorry to hear that you were on a motorcycle.

But how does someone not know to yeild to traffic on the circle, that’s about the only unique rule to traffic circles.

It’s not actually universal for american circles.

[dasgeh]

@Steve 95808 wrote:

In your situation, you were clearly right. Because almost everywhere now the entering traffic yeilds.

However……this is going to be a bit crazy, but……in some instances, it works the other way. Technically, in many “traffic circles,” the people in the circle yeild to those entering. In “roundabouts” it happens the way we handle it. Almost all current ones work the way described previously in the thread, but in much of Europe, France I think in particular, they often used to work the other way around. Sometimes this comes about by the fact that the interior, to exit, technically had to switch lanes. The oncoming cars just got to drive right on, holding an outside lane. To exit, cars technically had to switch lanes to the outside, thus yeilding to entering cars, and then exit. It’s kind of like if an oncoming highway lane keeps a lane, and it eventually becomes an exit only (think I-66W from Glebe to Sycamore). Here, the oncoming traffic gets its own lane, not needing to yeild, and exiting traffic has to get over and thus yeild. Circles used to work like that, believe it or not.

Again, not saying you were wrong in your situation, as OBVIOUSLY you weren’t, just a little background.

Even if this guy was more familiar with former rules of the road in France than current rules in the US, how miserable of a person does he have to be to think it’s ok to HIT a PERSON with his CAR??!?!?!? I see people without the protection of a car do stupid stuff pretty much every time I drive, and a lot of times I means I, the driver, have to yield when not required or whatever, but regardless of who’s legally right, I don’t want to HIT PEOPLE with my CAR. UGH!

[CaseyKane50]

Just came back from a vacation in Europe. Several days were spent driving in France. There are lots of roundabouts and using them couldn’t have been easier. We certainly went around some of them more than once to get to the right exit. Here is a double one we used in Caen, France.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]6723[/ATTACH]

[ShawnoftheDread]

@Mantadiver 95805 wrote:

They probably had to listen to him rant on about how it was not his fault and the insurance company knew he was wrong and didn’t want me to sue. I didn’t.

Sometimes the obstinately stupid need additional negative reinforcement/punishment.

[Steve O]

@CaseyKane50 95811 wrote:

Ju Here is a double one we used in Caen, France.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]6723[/ATTACH][/QUOTE

Is that a bikeway running through the middle? It seems rather narrow for cars.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@Steve O 95817 wrote:

@CaseyKane50 95811 wrote:

Ju Here is a double one we used in Caen, France.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]6723[/ATTACH][/QUOTE

Is that a bikeway running through the middle? It seems rather narrow for cars.

Google maps shows it as a bike path, though it seems to have some abrupt disconnects.

[CaseyKane50]

@Steve O 95817 wrote:

@CaseyKane50 95811 wrote:

Ju Here is a double one we used in Caen, France.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]6723[/ATTACH][/QUOTE

Is that a bikeway running through the middle? It seems rather narrow for cars.

Yes, it is. The bikeway runs underneath the roundabouts and continues in the median for a couple of blocks in each direction.

[Supermau]

@dbb 95806 wrote:

I think it involves use of the right pedal on the floor

[ATTACH=CONFIG]6724[/ATTACH]

[PotomacCyclist]

@Supermau 95790 wrote:

Roundabouts aside, it seems no one knows what YIELD means anymore.

This is what they are thinking:

[Powerful Pete]

@Steve 95808 wrote:

quote snipped… However……this is going to be a bit crazy, but……in some instances, it works the other way. Technically, in many “traffic circles,” the people in the circle yeild to those entering. In “roundabouts” it happens the way we handle it. Almost all current ones work the way described previously in the thread, but in much of Europe, France I think in particular, they often used to work the other way around. …quote snipped

All true – in Italy traffic yields coming into the circle, in France it’s the opposite. I notice each time I drive in France that most circles have huge and very legible signs for traffic in the circle that say VOUS N’AVEZ PAS LA PRIORITE (you do not have the right of way) – pretty clear if you ask me. Still needs getting used to (for example, getting off the ferry from Italy and driving through Bastia in Corsica… causing massive traffic jams as I wait to enter a circle and traffic backs up in the circle waiting for me to enter)… :o:rolleyes:

Or rather… it happened to a friend of mine… no really.

[baiskeli]

@CaseyKane50 95811 wrote:

Just came back from a vacation in Europe. Several days were spent driving in France. There are lots of roundabouts and using them couldn’t have been easier. We certainly went around some of them more than once to get to the right exit. Here is a double one we used in Caen, France.

That photo reminded me that we have our very own highway traffic circle here in Arlington, at Shirlington:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/38%C2%B050%2725.0%22N+77%C2%B005%2707.0%22W/@38.8402871,-77.0852639,466m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0

[jrenaut]

@Powerful Pete 95849 wrote:

…VOUS N’AVEZ PAS LA PRIORITE…

I want that on a t-shirt

[DCAKen]

@Steve 95808 wrote:

In your situation, you were clearly right. Because almost everywhere now the entering traffic yeilds.

However……this is going to be a bit crazy, but……in some instances, it works the other way. Technically, in many “traffic circles,” the people in the circle yeild to those entering. In “roundabouts” it happens the way we handle it. Almost all current ones work the way described previously in the thread, but in much of Europe, France I think in particular, they often used to work the other way around. Sometimes this comes about by the fact that the interior, to exit, technically had to switch lanes. The oncoming cars just got to drive right on, holding an outside lane. To exit, cars technically had to switch lanes to the outside, thus yeilding to entering cars, and then exit. It’s kind of like if an oncoming highway lane keeps a lane, and it eventually becomes an exit only (think I-66W from Glebe to Sycamore). Here, the oncoming traffic gets its own lane, not needing to yeild, and exiting traffic has to get over and thus yeild. Circles used to work like that, believe it or not.

Again, not saying you were wrong in your situation, as OBVIOUSLY you weren’t, just a little background.

Like this one, for example

[CaseyKane50]

@baiskeli 95853 wrote:

That photo reminded me that we have our very own highway traffic circle here in Arlington, at Shirlington:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/38%C2%B050%2725.0%22N+77%C2%B005%2707.0%22W/@38.8402871,-77.0852639,466m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0

Here is an earlier photo of the Sirlington traffic circle looking north.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]6731[/ATTACH]

[DismalScientist]

Shirlington Circle includes an entrance from the inside of the circle! Take that, you Europeans.

[Author]

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