Jul

Roundabout Instruction Manual Shows Thy Way

The City of Raleigh determined that replacing a few intersections with roundabouts would increase safety, save money, and preserve the environment. After months of construction the roundabouts are almost completely finished. Luckily, the City of Raleigh has put together a manual (.pdf) on how to navigate the Hillsborough/Pullen intersection. Aside from the obvious right lane=right turn/left lane=(eventual)left-turn, The rules are really simple:

If you are going straight on Pullen toward Cameron Village (CV), then stay in the left lane
If you are going straight on Hillsborough toward Meredith, then stay in the right lane.
If you are going straight on Pullen toward Western Blvd or on Hillsborough St toward downtown, then either lane will do.

(and they say this will reduce the number of accidents?)

Simple enough? Now read the manual or this will happen to you! (NSFW)

Mike

ask the DOT to include roundabout driving in their testing..

These things are easy…
Lee

I think in this case, the biggest problem you are going to have is the drivers on WB Hillsborough not yielding to the drivers who are NB on Pullen and wanting to continue around/across on Pullen to Oberlin.

I have noticed that Google Maps has the Roundabouts already showing on the road layer even though the satellite photo does not of course.
http://www.danamccall.com Dana

Great observation, Lee. I went through there 3 times last night trying different angles and the northbound Pullen is EXACTLY where I had to slam on brakes to avoid colliding with a non-yielding westbound Hillsborough St driver.

One revelation from my tests: Oberlin road really ends at the unnecessary circle near the PR. The outshoot of it toward the Hillsborough Street circle is officially “Pullen Rd”.

It’s kind of fun to sit and watch the traffic navigating through these things.
Kevin

Look kids, Big Ben, Parliament!
Gomek

You forget the most important and most simple rule: slow down!

I see way too many people going through those roundabouts much too fast.
RonT

I agree on the need to slow down. I learned to drive with traffic circles (I acknowledge that a roundabout is not the same thing, but close…) and found the one on Hillsborough to be somewhat confusing. I consider myself a pretty careful driver, but found that going west on Hillsborough, it just appears that you go into the roundabout and are continuing straight. My first time going through even though I saw the Yield sign, it took a second to register that it meant ME!

I think they will need to do something to mark it a bit more clearly.

Posted by Dana on July 21, 2010 | Tags: Transportation. | ( 6 ) Comments

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Roundabout Instruction Manual Shows Thy Way

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