There’s nothing like a family vacation road trip until you have road-tripping issues!
For instance, our most recent and least favorite encounter with a few roundabouts on road trips!
Oh, it’s not about something new; it’s more about danger, safety, and driving around the roundabout or a double roundabout, making it a harrowing encounter when traveling.
Driving at a roundabout can be seriously infuriating, confusing, and stressful if you have not navigated one before.
Anyone who has experienced one knows that they are even more confusing for drivers in all the lanes attempting to move through them without issue and gain exit to their destination.
Today, we will discuss what happens when you are driving to reach your vacation destination when you happen upon roundabouts on road trips and the issues to avoid, so you don’t become a statistic.
Plus, we will discuss how to drive through a roundabout and a double-lane roundabout no matter where you encounter them, in your city or on vacation!
Table of Contents
How To Navigate A Circular Intersection Safely When You Are Driving
So what exactly is a circular intersection? It is simply another way to refer to a roundabout so they are the same!
Roundabouts or circular intersections are becoming increasingly popular as they keep traffic flowing without stops.
However, these intersections can also pose serious issues to those unfamiliar with them.
For anyone already tired behind the wheel (vacation drivers) who encounters a roundabout and has never driven one, the circular intersection may seem quite intimidating to the novice roundabout driver.
Worse yet, the vacation driver, road-tripping through an unfamiliar area, may even have to drive through a double roundabout, which is even more harrowing!
Speaking of vacations, with so many people heading to the Big Apple each year you might best understand the usefulness and the craziness of a roundabout when you visit Columbus Circle.
Every day a new driver is christened into the roundabout club, as there are always people road tripping somewhere each day!
Let’s take a look at a few issues to avoid and a few to entertain when it comes to driving through roundabouts and double roundabouts, for any day of the week or during vacation travel.
#1 The Do’s Of Driving In A Roundabout (Roundabouts On Road Trips)
Avoid issues by following the rules of riding through a roundabout to stay safe on road trips.
- Always drive in a counterclockwise position.
- Do not stop while driving inside the ring (unless traffic is slowing, of course)
- Pedestrians have the right of way.
- Never speed when driving to move through.
- Try to know which lane you need before entering a double roundabout.
- Use your turn signal when exiting
- Never stop when you exit (other than for obvious reasons). Simply exit
The truth about a double roundabout, or encountering roundabouts on road trips on roads you’ve never been on before, is about knowing how to navigate it, putting the rules into play, and driving right through it.
I Quickly Learned About How Roundabouts On Road Trips
I was headed to Niagara Falls, USA, for a travel writer’s meeting and stumbled upon a roundabout as I was headed to the Niagara Falls State Park area!
Tired from driving and unaware of how this would work, I followed the Do’s of driving in a roundabout and successfully made it through, and then I felt like I had conquered the world, lol!
However, Cincinnati and Kentucky encounter with roundabouts on road trips were a bit more intimidating, especially with my kids in the car and venturing further throughout Cincinnati and Kentucky as we drove through a few!
Plus, when we visit Kent State for ice hockey games, we encounter them and it is usually late at night after the college games, so tired drivers are often less alert, making the circle intersection a bit wearing on the driver.
One of our other unexpected encounters with a roundabout was recently in a newly constructed Rodanthe (OBX) roundabout.
The most important thing I learned is never to STOP when exiting; it is one of the “do’s of driving in a roundabout!”
#2 Are Roundabouts Really Safer?
When you first drive through the circular road as a driver, it can be somewhat confusing, mainly if you are unfamiliar with the surrounding area or the traffic flow.
If they are, which I hope they are, a double roundabout can be twice as frustrating and confusing as a single one.
Read about a wildly debated roundabout in the USA that you might want to take a road trip to experience!
While roundabouts are becoming more common, motorists still must learn how to navigate a circular intersection and a double roundabout.
Statistics share that compared to traffic lights, 76% of serious injuries were reduced, so as irritating and frustrating as they can be to drivers, maybe they are safer and keep us safer when we are behind the wheel.
How Does A Double Roundabout Help Traffic?
A double roundabout makes it much easier for vehicles to cross multiple lanes of traffic when turning left is eliminated thanks to their design.
A double roundabout is meant to accommodate more traffic while improving road safety.
But, double roundabouts on road trips, whether driving from your home or traveling through one on vacation, often create frustration because many don’t know when to switch lanes.
In fact, in many states, the city websites have written directions on how to drive a double roundabout (a.k.a. a 2-lane roundabout), meaning that they are complex to drive within.
Roundabouts on road trips are common, so check the local city websites to learn how to navigate them.
#3 Other Issues With Roundabouts On Road Trips To Avoid and Know
When you are already unsteady and unsure of how to drive around the circular intersections, you’ll be keenly aware of that, and note that buses and trucks might be having a tough time getting around the circle.
Remember, a roundabout, or a double roundabout has tight turns to move through the section of the road, which can create traffic delays or accidents for those large vehicles than hinging everyone attempting to move through that area.
Many drivers don’t yield, and you can become in the middle of an accident.
Other drivers dead-stop when trying to exit, which is NOT how to exit properly.
With multiple merging points, there’s always a potential for yield, stopping issues, and speeding, so keep your eyes focused on the road when driving through!
The Reality of Road Trips and RoundAbouts
On most driveable vacations, you will pass through this type of intersection.
Don’t get frustrated; stay calm, yield to traffic in the ring already in motion, and don’t brake when exiting.
Always obey the local rules of the road, and follow all laws associated with driving.
Use our article only as a guide to understanding how those pesky double roundabouts, roundabouts/circular intersections actually work.
Remember always to exercise caution upon entering and exiting the traffic rings to maximize the safety of your and your passengers. ~ Dana XO
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