Traffic Circles

AugustusMinimus

Just wonder but are there any traffic circles anywhere in Ireland.

Also, if the rules of a traffic circle are reversed (give way to traffic entering the traffic circle) how does a traffic circle work under heavy traffic. I'd imagine it would be incredibly chaotic.

I can't quite get my head around the notion of giving way to traffic entering the circle. Goes against a lot of engrained rules such as give way to traffic on the right.

trad

Are you talking about roundabouts?

AugustusMinimus

trad wrote: »

Are you talking about roundabouts?

No, traffic circles. The person entering the traffic circle would have the right of way.

Our man in Havana

The most famous one is in Paris at the Arc de Triomphe. 12 roads enter the circle, the traffic in the circle must yield to those entering. Absolute chaos. :eek:

unkel

The maddest one I've been on is on the Champs-Élysées in Paris

And yes, you have them in continental Europe, but not that many and they should be banned. There's none in Ireland afaik.

bladebrew

it is chaos alright!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lElTtHLdmPw

CiniO

I don't know where did you get that name - "traffic circles" ????

I don't think there is any of those in Ireland.

Generally in Ireland there is rule of giving way to traffic on coming from the right, so while approaching roundabout, you have to give way to traffic already on the roundabout.

The traffic circles you are talking about, has source in Continental Europe, where in right hand traffic, there is the same rule of giving way to traffic on the right.
In that case, anyone on the roundabout has to give way to drivers entering roundabout.

Fortunately today, they are very rare, as vast majority of roundabouts have "give way" sign while entering it, so right of way goes to vehicles already on the roundabout.


Something like that:


To be honest, through all my driving across Europe over last 10 years, I didn't see any of those mentioned road circles.

Capt'n Midnight

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

No, traffic circles. The person entering the traffic circle would have the right of way.

Nope.

It's been people on the roundabout who have had right of way. Even France changed many years ago, and they have a roundabout that French drivers aren't insured on.



PS. lookup the Magic Roundabout in Swindon

AugustusMinimus

bladebrew wrote: »

it is chaos alright!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lElTtHLdmPw

Good lord what a mess.

Giving way to traffic entering the traffic circle does nothing but cause traffic.

Our man in Havana

and they have a roundabout that French drivers aren't insured on.

Motor Insurance Myth

There is an urban myth that motor insurance companies will not cover driving around the Étoile, which is not strictly true. Insurance companies generally cover motor accidents only on the Étoile under a knock-for-knock agreement, whereby each insurance company will pay for losses by its own policyholder, provided that the other party's insurance company agrees to do the same for the other policyholder.

AugustusMinimus

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Nope.

It's been people on the roundabout who have had right of way. Even France changed many years ago, and they have a roundabout that French drivers aren't insured on.



PS. lookup the Magic Roundabout in Swindon

That video at the Arc de Triomphe seems to suggest otherwise.

bladebrew

i was watching a video of a truck driver in paris a few weeks back and he went through a roundabout while the traffic already on the roundabout had to stop ie, the traffic from the left had to stop to let him enter the roundabout,
i assume this is a traffic circle situation

Our man in Havana

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_circle explains it all.