Pulaski

Unless traffic on the exit road was backed up and stationary, that is just asinine!

mrken30

Someone stopped on a main highway to let me cross last week. The problem was , I could then not see the traffic coming down the inside lane. Idiot!! Cars were coming down the inside doing 30-40 mph. There was no way I could cross safely until I waved him to go.

mrken30

This made me laugh

Now, how to navigate them is actually rather simple, but certainly not the same for each type. For traffic circles, simply treat them as a four-way yield sign intersection, or any other uncontrolled intersection. Just make sure to go around the center island in a counter-clockwise direction, do not take a shortcut on left hand turns.

How to navigate traffic circles and roundabouts | OregonLive.com

This bit was interesting coming from a country full of roundabouts.

On a related note, do not use your turn signal as you enter the roundabout. You are not turning, you are following the road (more on this later). And what is more, is this is where common sense comes into play. There is only one direction for you to go, so using your signal at this point does not help your fellow drivers.

RoadWarriorFromLP

As far as I can tell, Americans are often OK about right of way.

I was referring to lane discipline. Drivers here choose a lane and speed, and believe that they are entitled to it without any consideration for anyone else.

To borrow from George Carlin's routine, everyone else who is slower is an idiot while everyone else who is faster is a maniac. Accordingly, there is no need to adjust to anyone else, since all of them are wrong.

I noticed in places such as France that drivers on two-lane Routes Nationales would make noteworthy efforts to help faster drivers to pass them safely. Americans would be inclined to do the opposite.

SultanOfSwing

It wasn't, the person waiting could have easily slipped in behind me, or they could have slipped in ahead of the person who stopped as they were entering the circle, as roundabouts are supposed to work.

That's a one off though, usually that roundabout works so perfectly it makes me slightly emotional when I use it.

Stopping to wave pedestrians onto a road where you can't see oncoming traffic clearly is a really bad idea. I get it, they think they are being nice and considerate but people can get run over so easily that way.

scrubbedexpat091

I find it a joy to drive when I cross into WA state.

Orderly freeways with drivers who know how to merge and drive on a highway.

Some reason BC drivers have no idea how to merge properly when getting onto a highway.

But we have no proper freeway system so many may not drive highways on a daily or regular basis.

mrken30

Don't be nice, just follow the rules

mrken30

I feel the same way when going from OR to WA.

SultanOfSwing

I don't have any experience driving on main highways/motorways in Canada but when I was last over my mate and I took a trip to Jasper National Park and since it was just about 500km each way, we shared driving duties so we could both catch a nap along the way. I didn't notice that much of a difference between Albertan drivers and those I encounter in Illinois and Wisconsin. I did notice I drove a lot faster than I usually do back here, and I can't really explain that. My mate told me that the local traffic police have a tolerance of about 20 kph, but I caught myself at 145 or above a few times

I mean, if I have a clear line of sight and someone's waiting to cross and there's nobody behind me, I'll wave them on, but not on a main road, where the speed limit is over 30 and I can't see at least half a mile along the oncoming lane.

I do let drivers onto the main road from side streets on a daily basis driving home from work though, that's one thing everyone is pretty good about round my way.

Pulaski

Same here - I cross roundabouts most days, and they are working very well. The only slight issue is that some people aren't yet fully clued in to the fact that a vehicle about to exit the roundabout into the road you are waiting to enter the roundabout from is necessarily blocking traffic entering the roundabout, creating an opportunity to enter the roundabout. Too many drivers miss that opportunity.

SultanOfSwing

Yeah, there are always a few people who are too hesitant, but generally I'll approach and there are two or three other drivers all at different entrances all getting in the circle at the same time I am. It's a thing of beauty when that happens.

When I think back to the mess that the old 4-way stop was, especially at any time between 5 and 6pm though, the roundabout is just so much better even with the handful of people who can't use it properly.

scrubbedexpat091

Alberta drivers are the worst when they come to BC, dunno what happens at the provincial border, but man do they become aggressive crazy drivers, but maybe they drive the same in Alberta?

As for roundabouts they are putting more and more in here, but they tend to be a cluster.

dc koop

You've never driven in Montreal or Paris then

SultanOfSwing

I didn't notice any really aggressive Albertan drivers, though other than the big trip to Jasper, we didn't spend a whole lot of time in the car other than driving to/from the airport in Grande Prairie.

My mate likes to go fast, but he's British, so I'm not sure if that counts.

scrubbedexpat091

Nope and likely never will. Neither are city's high on the visiting list. When I visit a city, I rarely drive anyhow, use transit, easier and less stressful. I tend to only drive in city's I am familiar with.