St Cloud Drivers – Its a Roundabout – Not a 4-Way Stop

Just as there is some construction going on for a couple of them in the SE area of St. Cloud, it sounds like a great time for a refresher.

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Louder for the people in the back... a roundabout is NOT a four way stop.

I know this may sound like a most ridiculous statement, like a "captain obvious" moment, but seriously, this is something that apparently not everyone knows. I still see drivers coming up to a roundabout, stopping, looking to the left, AND to the right in some instances, and them proceeding into the roundabout.

Your're doing it wrong.

I have also heard people say they are looking for people in the crosswalk - the crosswalk is not in the roundabout, they are located just outside of the roundabout, so you would already see that as you approach.  Or, at least you should see that if you are paying attention.

A roundabout is set to mostly eliminate the need for a four way stop.  It is put in place to keep traffic flowing as much as possilble.  When, on the rare chance, there is an accident in a roundabout, it's because someone is "doing it wrong".

When approaching a roundabout, you look to your left and assess if you have time to continue into the traffic circle.  The only time you don't continue on, is if there is another driver already entering the roundabout on your left.  Then, yes, you yield to that driver.  If not, then you just keep driving.

I heard one person state that it would be great if they would keep the plant life cut down in the middle so they could see who is coming.  Pro tip - if you can't see them, you have plently of time to continue into the roundabout.

If someone is approaching the traffic circle from the left and have not reached that point yet, you don't stop and wait for them, you continue on. This is to keep the flow of traffic going. That is the whole point of the traffic circle.

You are supposed to use your signal as you are exiting to let other drivers know what you are planning to do. This is so that they may enter if you are exiting at the same place that they are entering.  Again - keep the flow of traffic moving.

A couple of weeks ago I witnessed someone already within the circle who stopped to let someone into the traffic circle.  Again, you are doing it wrong. That is a great way to get rear-ended.  Yikes!  Once you are in the circle, you just keep going until you exit at your desired exit point.

These discussions regarding roundabouts never seem to cease. Anecdotes can be helpful, but in this case, there is a large body of study on the issue. Unless one asserts some type of driver exceptionalism (see incompetence), the evidence that roundabouts safer than traditional signalized or signed intersections is overwhelming. The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), Federal Highway Administration and many state DOTs agree. If you’re really into this, you can read the recent ITE here. 

Can we try and navigate these things correctly and all just get along?  Thank you!