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Old 06-24-2012, 03:46 PM   #1
K&Gs3400RL
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Roundabouts

Whats your practice when going thru them? Some are pretty tight do you do your best to stay in your lane or do turn your flashers on and split lanes? I see big rigs doing this but is it legal?
 
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Old 06-24-2012, 04:38 PM   #2
DQDick
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I try not to go right thru them. Sorry couldn't resist that and if you are going down highway 50 here in Kansas you'll see what I'm talking about. 50 is a truck route and the idiots at KDOT put one out in the middle of farm country. Semi's are continuously coming up on it half asleep at night and going right over the top of it. Never been by there when there weren't fresh skid marks right over the top of it.
Here's what you really wanted from me, however. KDOT is mandating those things here in Kansas on many of the new projects their funding so we run into them a lot. Many of them in the cities aren't big enough for us to get around them safely. For those we put the flashers on and take up part of both lanes. Cops have seen me do it in Manhattan, KS and didn't seem to mind. On the ones that are just barely big enough we just go slow and if that upsets someone behind us they'll have to complain to their representative and get a regular intersection back.
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Old 06-24-2012, 05:03 PM   #3
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I wait until the course is clear and then split the lanes and take them both. Typically folks that see that massive 40' Montana in tow usually give way in order for you to navigate around them safely.
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Old 06-24-2012, 05:08 PM   #4
Bill-N-Donna
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I don’t specifically remember pulling through any but I’m sure we have. At any rate I would approach them much like everywhere else we go, with a lot of caution. However, it’s kind of embarrassing posting this after the post about almost hitting the canopy the other day when filling up with diesel. It’s very easy to become complacent while towing.

I would be more concerned about turning when getting into a small town where the opposing traffic might not give you enough room for a turn or even getting caught in a very small tight place with a turn. I once got caught in a very tight parking lot at a restaurant and had to drive around the main lot inches form several fenders just to get back out of it. I made it but I doubt I could with the rig I have now because of the greater turning radius. I think everyone in the restaurant was watching the Kentuckian in the parking lot that day.
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Old 06-24-2012, 06:20 PM   #5
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I detest those things! They should be banned completely! To answer your question ....I simply take up as much room as is necessary. So far folks have avoided running into me. Our new rig is a couple of feet longer than our previous trailer so I'm still getting used to a slightly different turning radius. Travel safely, Dennis
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Old 06-24-2012, 06:24 PM   #6
steelpony5555
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I would think if you feel it's safer to put on your 4 ways and take up the 2 lanes I don't think a cop out there would argue with that. Now if you're just hoggin lanes that's a different story. But most cops will not ticket you for being safe even if it is on the books as illegal.
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Old 06-24-2012, 06:39 PM   #7
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Also, I have been thru three of these, I would stick to the outside as much as possible to avoid any inner curb.
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Old 06-24-2012, 07:14 PM   #8
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They are part of the "europization"?? of america....
I hated them when.I.had to live there for a while, and more so here !!!!!
The darn.things are dangerous !!!!!!!!!
Whew !!!!!!! I feel better now!!!!!!!!
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Old 06-25-2012, 04:27 AM   #9
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I believe officials would rather have us be safe than have to deal with an accident. And, they are not always favorable about people driving over and on the sidewalks, so take what you need to get through them.

We have gone through a number of them with Tana, and, I don't care for them. Since we do not have a lot of them here in the US, I think they are rather dangerous. They put one in by our son's home in Ann Arbor, first time through I bet they heard my angst screaming all the way to Lansing. And that was just in the car!

Edited cause I need more caffeine.
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Old 06-25-2012, 04:36 AM   #10
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Put me in the haters group. I see no need for them, and I think they are dangerous at best, and a royal PITA. I say take what you need to get through the thing, just be careful.
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Old 06-25-2012, 07:57 AM   #11
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Having spent a few years in England where they have much larger roundabouts that actually keep the flow of traffic moving, I have to say, in my opinion, the ones they are building here in the U.S. are dangerous and ineffective because they are too small.

Just the other day a semi got stuck in one here in Reno.

We typically take as much lane real estate as we think we need to get through them.
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Old 06-25-2012, 02:17 PM   #12
K&Gs3400RL
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Of the five roads I can take out of town 4 of them have at least one roundabout on them.
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Old 06-25-2012, 03:34 PM   #13
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PennDOT put the first one in the Central PA region and as others have stated it is too small. I take up more than one lane with just the truck.
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Old 06-25-2012, 05:23 PM   #14
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I just go up and over and don't worry about the nice brick in the meaden. its toooo small so do your best but get through it and forget it . i talk to semi drivers and they say they go up and over them all the time.
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Old 06-26-2012, 01:05 AM   #15
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we just take as much room as we need--Some are Horribly small. we had 5 to go thru on our way to PA Rally a couple of weeks ago--the other people just have to wait for us--we watched Semi's going thru and they did the same. You really have no choice as it is not good to go over curbs
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Old 06-26-2012, 05:18 AM   #16
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We are England veterans also that experienced learning to drive on the wrong side of the road and roundabouts. Once we learned the system it became easy to handle. The double roundabouts were another story. I did the ugly american thing and took my half out of the middle and find myself doing the same thing here with the small lanes in our roundabouts.
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Old 06-26-2012, 05:57 AM   #17
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Roundabout's are the dumbest things we ever adopted from England. I was in one in KC, a while back in my car, and literally had to stop, dead in the road, to figure out which exit to take because it was so confusing. Cars were honking from behind and I didn't give a ...... I also missed a turn on one in Kansas and went around twice with the Monty, cars honking again. I hate those ..... things with a Passion.
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Old 06-26-2012, 07:55 AM   #18
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Yea I was in England a few years back also and said WHAT THE HECK ARE THESE! but ya know what?they work! when they started using them here up in the NW at first people were confused by them and there were problems but now I have to say they do work and helps the flow of traffic instead of having a stop sign when the traffic was always backed up at them
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Old 06-26-2012, 08:06 AM   #19
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I've negotiated roundabouts since I was a kid in New England. They were big, had plenty of signs, and only required knowing whether to call the state or local police when there was an accident (one favored the guy in the circle, the other the one coming into the circle, so it was said). They do work well, but there have been too many compromises, IMO, as they've been adopted. Too small, so too little time to react or read signs, and some vehicles just have to break the traffic flow.

You need to plan ahead for them, just like low clearances.

Bob
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Old 06-26-2012, 11:36 AM   #20
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Yep that is true, some people get confused by them and mess up the flow but when everybody is on the same page it's all good
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