What's the deal with the Mckenzie Towne traffic circle?

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Amazingly, it is. The law only states that cars in the outside lane must yield to cars in the inside lane.

And yes, it is stupid. It's like making it legal to make a right turn from the left lane of a straight road, saying cars on the right must yield. There are too many cases where even if you signal properly, the car won't have time to stop.

Who would I call if I wanted to bitch to someone official?

[return to the red]

call the po-po after you ram your rear fender into the ###### driving the entire way around the traffic circle in the outside lane

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by return to the red

call the po-po after you ram your rear fender into the ###### driving the entire way around the traffic circle in the outside lane

Yeah, that would be just effing great.

"Sorry son, but thanks to a completely ridiculous oversight in traffic law, you're screwed."

[jayswin]

The weird part about that law about being allowed to travel the oustide lane as long as you yeild, is the fact that there isn't very much distance between exits.

What happens if four cars in a row decide to travel the outside lane and then have to yield? At least two of the those cars would now be blocking an entry/exit. And since they're in the oustide lane, would that not technically be illegal?

It's just the most bizzare law. I was like Traditional Ale, I had a buddy who said it was legal to do that, and I was waiting for him to say "just kidding, that would be a disaster".

[shermanator]

Originally Posted by Rathji

Taking that into account, there is no wrong, or right, place for the gap.

There is definitely a right place for the gap

NSFW!

[Thor]

Originally Posted by flameswin

The weird part about that law about being allowed to travel the oustide lane as long as you yeild, is the fact that there isn't very much distance between exits.

What happens if four cars in a row decide to travel the outside lane and then have to yield? At least two of the those cars would now be blocking an entry/exit. And since they're in the oustide lane, would that not technically be illegal?

It's just the most bizzare law. I was like Traditional Ale, I had a buddy who said it was legal to do that, and I was waiting for him to say "just kidding, that would be a disaster".

The small gap is an issue, but those going in the outside gap are responsible for not going into the circle on the outside if there is more than say 2 cars already ahead. It just means people have to be very aware of their surroundings and be crystal clear that they have to yield to the inside circle and make sure they do not block or hinder them from exiting.

If you are behind stopped cars in the outside circle and blocking the inside from exiting, you then used bad judgement to enter the outside circle with those 2 cars in front of you already, giving a bit of extra room is key to a smooth circle.

[Thor]

Also if you only let the outside circle immediately out the next exit you would create a really large traffic jam during peak times, its important to have both lanes used as efficiently as possible.

[ken0042]

The whole point of the markings they put down last month was to say "Hey- did you know you can go more than one exit in the outside lane?"

What they tried to do was make it so there were two places to do so (the two busiest parts of the circle); and instead of teaching people how to do it safely they tried to force anybody who was using the inside lanes correctly onto the outside.

That was my biggest issue- instead of taking the few bad drivers and trying to educate them through enforcement of traffic laws, they attempted to change the rules to suit the lowest common denominator.

[Northendzone]

I think we should ask that the circle be blown up and a series of interchanges and flyover be installed. This would eliminate the need for a gap on the sign.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

Who would I call if I wanted to bitch to someone official?

Provincial traffic law, so I'd bring it up with your MLA as well as your alderman. Given the local MLA is McIver, I wouldn't hold much hope for anything, however.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by ken0042

What they tried to do was make it so there were two places to do so (the two busiest parts of the circle); and instead of teaching people how to do it safely they tried to force anybody who was using the inside lanes correctly onto the outside.

That's a bit of an exaggeration. You think they haven't tried telling people all these years how it works? Hell, I barely use the thing and I've seen plenty of reminders and material on it.

Originally Posted by ken0042

That was my biggest issue- instead of taking the few bad drivers and trying to educate them through enforcement of traffic laws, they attempted to change the rules to suit the lowest common denominator.

They always design for the bottom 65% of drivers, so you're really surprised by this?

This new paint job is how new roundabouts all over North America are being designed now. If they actually altered the curb lines and did this in the spring when you could see the paint lines better, it would have been fine with everyone. There are even some roundabouts in Calgary, like the McCall Way / Barlow Trail roundabout, which are 2 lanes for only certain parts.

It still accomplishes the main goal of a roundabout - to remove traffic lights and keep traffic flowing instead of having stop and go from the lights. It has the added benefit of taking advantage of knowing which legs have lower traffic volume and adjusting accordingly, significantly increasing the safety of the roundabout for those unfamiliar with it (and let's face it, as soon as there is more than one lane, you're going to get people making mistakes more often).

If you can't get drivers to navigate normal roads properly, then you're going to have to make provisions for special situations. It's why there are no diverging diamonds in Canada yet, as well.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

That's a bit of an exaggeration. You think they haven't tried telling people all these years how it works? Hell, I barely use the thing and I've seen plenty of reminders and material on it.

Yes, however you being a typical CPer- that puts you in the top 1% of all drivers.

Seriously though, you can send out all the reminders and post all the signs you want. My point was more that I have never seen police set themselves up to watch the traffic circle and start nabbing people who break the rules. They will setup to nab the speeders going west of the circle who do 80 in a 60 though. That is my problem; they go after the "easy to prove in court tickets", not the ones where they have to show how somebody failed to yield correctly.

It also goes back to driver education, and my position on maditory drivers tests every few years. Having received my driver's license in Manitoba in the 80s and then moving to Calgary in the 90s, I have never had anybody test me on my knowledge of traffic circles.

Obviously getting the driver testing policies changed is a formidable task. However if the city is having issues with accidents in the traffic circle, maybe the police need to start enforcing the rules of the road. I would think once word gets out that police are handing out tickets for people not using the circle correctly, maybe some of the bottom 65% might start reading the reminders.

[KTrain]

Mandatory drivers testing every few years would be met by outrage and called a cash grab by the province.

[Rathji]

I saw a city truck on the circle today, it looked like they were doing some work on the area on the east side where they added the lines.

Can anyone confirm if the lines and new signs are gone?

[InglewoodFan]

Originally Posted by Rathji

It is perfectly legal to drive the entire way around the traffic circle in the outer lane, as long as you yield properly.

I have no idea how that sign would indicate anything at all in regards to yielding though.

And hey, if you are a transit driver you don't even have to yield. I've been boxed out of exiting from the inside lane more than once by a CT bus just ripping around the outside lane.

From the various places I have driven in traffic circles around the world, the biggest thing I see lacking in Calgary is confidence. Even if people know the right way to navigate them they are such pussies that they cause all sorts of problems. Same with merging / changing lanes on Deerfoot. You'd get eaten alive on the 401 or an autobahn if you tried some of the crap I see here.

[KTrain]

Originally Posted by Rathji

I saw a city truck on the circle today, it looked like they were doing some work on the area on the east side where they added the lines.

Can anyone confirm if the lines and new signs are gone?

I saw a Tweet saying they were doing work on the lines.