Anonymous
Post 01/16/2020 22:50     Subject: What is so difficult about traffic circles???
Anonymous wrote:Here is the thing about Chevy Chase Circle. Actually two things, one obvious, one lying in wait.

- Connecticut Ave cars forget to yield to the traffic in the circle. Not only are they supposed to yield, according the Laws of Circles and Roundabouts, but there are many signs reminding people to yield. (One exception to this yield rule is Tenley Circle, where the traffic in the mini-circle is told to yield to the Nebraska Ave traffic.)

- The bigger issue: Unlike any other big circle in DC, ALL THREE LANES can exit onto Connecticut. That means if you are in, say, the middle lane, and want to stay in the circle and not exit on Connecticut, you are screwed. (This setup is contrary to the way circles and roundabouts usually work, and the signage and lane markings are lacking.)

Say you are driving southbound on Connecticut and want to get off on Chevy Chase Parkway. You need to get in the far left lane of the circle, fend off the merging cars coming northbound from Connecticut, then swing across two lanes to exit on the right on CC Parkway.



No one wonder this circle is such a nightmare when we have people posting authoritatively who have no idea how to drive it.

There is never, ever, a reason to switch lanes in CC Circle.

If your destination is CT Ave regardless of which road you enter from you can enter in any lane as all 3 lanes offer the option to continue on CT. There is never a reason to switch lanes once you are in the circle if you are bound for CT.

If, however, you are exiting onto any of the other roads you should approach the circle in the right lane, enter the circle in the right lane, and exit from the right lane and again never need to switch lanes in the circle.

In the PP's example there is no reason whatsoever to do what she suggests. Yes you do have to be careful if your trip takes you past a CT Ave exit because cars not exiting to CT have to get around cars that are exiting and it is true that the innermost lane doesn't have to negotiate that but as long as you drive defensively that is no big deal

But most people seem to drive like PP and think they need to get around the circle as fast as possible and zig zag across the lanes to find the fastest path rather than just staying in their lane and going a bit slower.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2020 20:08     Subject: What is so difficult about traffic circles???
Biggest problem with Chevy chase circle is that people don’t use their signals!! If you at least signal that you’re getting off or merging it could avoid more accidents and frustration. I also notice on the weekends cars driving south into circle never yield. The weekend drivers seem to think they have the right of way.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2020 19:44     Subject: What is so difficult about traffic circles???
Anonymous wrote:Here is the thing about Chevy Chase Circle. Actually two things, one obvious, one lying in wait.

- Connecticut Ave cars forget to yield to the traffic in the circle. Not only are they supposed to yield, according the Laws of Circles and Roundabouts, but there are many signs reminding people to yield. (One exception to this yield rule is Tenley Circle, where the traffic in the mini-circle is told to yield to the Nebraska Ave traffic.)

- The bigger issue: Unlike any other big circle in DC, ALL THREE LANES can exit onto Connecticut. That means if you are in, say, the middle lane, and want to stay in the circle and not exit on Connecticut, you are screwed. (This setup is contrary to the way circles and roundabouts usually work, and the signage and lane markings are lacking.)

Say you are driving southbound on Connecticut and want to get off on Chevy Chase Parkway. You need to get in the far left lane of the circle, fend off the merging cars coming northbound from Connecticut, then swing across two lanes to exit on the right on CC Parkway.



THANK YOU. this circle is an abomination. Europeans, is this how it is supposed to work?!?
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2020 18:55     Subject: Re:What is so difficult about traffic circles???
I live near CC Circle in CCMD. I will happily add minutes to my trip taking McKinley to get to the Ave or other routes to get to FH or elsewhere to avoid CC circle. I simply refuse to acknowledge that part of Western exists.

Anonymous
Post 01/16/2020 18:35     Subject: What is so difficult about traffic circles???
Anonymous wrote:Dear Americans,

Do you know what would make your rudimentary traffic circles flow more smoothly?

Using your bloody signal! Once in the circle, if you intend to exit at the next opportunity, you should signal. This will alert the person ahead who is (fingers crossed) yielding that they can go.

-Signed someone from a European country that has multi-lane roundabouts that you would definitely get trapped in, going round and round and round for hours. [/quote
+1

Lived in England for several years and never had a problem in a roundabout because everyone signals their intent.
Anonymous
Post 01/15/2020 10:32     Subject: What is so difficult about traffic circles???
I have never seen in Europe a roundabout where you have a yield in the middle of the circle! Or even a stop sign! I have seen it here. It is idiotic!
Anonymous
Post 01/15/2020 10:14     Subject: What is so difficult about traffic circles???
How does it affect right of way in the circle if I’m more important than you? I’m pretty sure that means I can just go whenever.

-everyone in the DC area
Anonymous
Post 01/15/2020 10:05     Subject: What is so difficult about traffic circles???
DH called the one, huge compared to any pathetic one, back in my home country a suicide circle! And all of his American friends did the same! He also had an issue with a roundabout in London! I've come to think that Americans and roundabouts do not go together! Even at those small circles at Rios Washingtonian people are always zooming, cutting people off, or waiting for their turn forever.
Anonymous
Post 01/15/2020 09:16     Subject: What is so difficult about traffic circles???
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Sounds like YOU don’t know how to use a circle, OP.



?


Duh. You yield to whoever is going fastest.


Everyone knows this.


Except OP.


I'm ashamed you live in my city.


I'm ashamed you don't know how to handle a circle. Where did you learn how to drive?


In Washington, DC. You?


That explains it. No wonder you can’t drive.
Anonymous
Post 01/15/2020 08:57     Subject: What is so difficult about traffic circles???
Anonymous wrote:I think Chevy chase circle has several accidents a day. I wish they would make a tunnel under it like DuPont! Idiots fly southbound on Connecticut and don’t yield. It’s insane


Ugh a tunnel is the worst idea- drivers already treat Connecticut Avenue like a highway; we don't need to give them more of a reason to do so by making it faster.
Anonymous
Post 01/15/2020 08:55     Subject: What is so difficult about traffic circles???
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Preach, Sister!!!

And what about literally every idiot driving northbound on CT Ave entering Chevy Chase Circle from the left lane who veer into the middle lane of the circle every single time?


I hate cc circle and have to drive through it every day. Tons of idiots.


We called it “Suicide Circle” growing up.


That one is uniquely confusing and the markings are faded to nonexistent.


What’s confusing about it?



The people in the center of the circle believe they have the right of way over the people entering the circle on the outside ring.

Most people don't even know CC circle have 2 lanes in the circle.


Correction 3 lanes.

You can't go from lane 2 to the outer lane (lane 3) without yielding. You don't have the right of way over somebody entering the circle.

Traffic in the circle ALWAYS has right of way over entering vehicles.


ALWAYS. Sorry first PP, you really think that if you are entering a circle into the outer ring you have the right of way over someone already in the circle? You don't and you need to be aware they might change lanes.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2020 16:16     Subject: What is so difficult about traffic circles???




Anonymous
Post 01/14/2020 16:09     Subject: Re:What is so difficult about traffic circles???
Nobody here seems to know what yield means. Don't even get me started on the idiots who stop in the roundabouts when they have the right of way.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2020 16:05     Subject: What is so difficult about traffic circles???
Anonymous wrote:HOW HARD IS IT.
I’m looking at you, minivan barreling through the traffic circle in Urbana today, completely ignoring the yield sign.
If you are approaching the circle, you yield to the traffic in it! No matter what!
I would love to know how many accidents stem from people not understanding the basic rules of traffic circles.


It never occurred to me that driving through traffic circles was difficult. I'm stumped as to why this is hard for people.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2020 22:08     Subject: What is so difficult about traffic circles???
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Equally difficult are 4 way stops. Why the hell do people get so confused by 4 way stops?


Or a cloverleaf interchange, god forbid.


I grew up with cloverleafs. They don’t phase me. The Chevy Chase traffic circle, on the other hand ...


Apparently no one else in this area did because they all stop on the off ramp and let oncoming stream into lane to get to the on ramp. Or the oncoming traffic just doesn’t slow down to merge in the lane because they assume you’re going to stop on the off ramp and just let them go.


Apparently people have forgotten what the acceleration lane is for. It’s right there in the name!