The in basket: A reader who went only by “A Kitsap County Driver” in an October e-mail asked, “Could you possibly persuade the county to install ‘signal when exiting’ signs on the roundabout on Anderson Hill (Road in Silverdale)?
“Most drivers signal when entering (although that is the only direction you can go) and not when exiting (or leave their blinkers on the entire way around).
“The county’s addition of the roundabout has been a great traffic revision and it flows much better – however it would flow just a bit smoother with some instructions for drivers,” the e-mail said. “Signage just seems to be a forgotten last step in this project. “When Bainbridge installed a roundabout, I distinctly remember several well-marked signs.
“Braking due to not knowing the intentions of the person in front of you causes slowdowns which can also cause the stop-and-go scenarios.”
The out basket: I drive that roundabout just enough to know that it’s not round at all, but flat on the south side. It probably serves mostly straight-ahead traffic in both directions on Anderson Hill Road except when Central Kitsap Junior High is beginning or ending the day’s classes. For westbound traffic, it barely requires a driver to turn or slow down if a car isn’t coming around from the other direction.
I don’t know whether signaling by drivers would help, and the county isn’t inclined to post signs requiring it.
Jeff Shea, Kitsap County traffic engineer, says, “While signaling when exiting a roundabout is a courteous thing for drivers to do, I am not aware of any law that requires it. The only required sign for a roundabout is the Yield sign that requires traffic entering a roundabout to give right of way to all traffic in the roundabout.
“I don’t know of an application where we’ve placed a sign at any other intersection that applies to using a turn signal, and don’t plan to place one at this intersection either,” Jeff said..
That is the stupidest roundabout I’ve seen. They should tear it out and install a signal that only operates in the morning and when school is exiting.
Jeff Shea sounds like an idiot that probably doesn’t use his turn signal AT ALL!!! Like 70% of the other inconsiderate drivers out there!
Its a great time saver compared to the bottleneck before the roundabout.
I’ve learned to never trust turn signals of car drivers as absolute. They can and do frequently change their mind.
I don’t really understand this roundabout. Are those entering from Anderson westbound supposed to allow those coming from CK Junior High to enter/weave in? I see most people just plowing on through and ignoring those wishing to “make a right” on the roundabout.
The following is an excerpt from the WSDOT website. It described the recommended way to enter and exit a single lane roundabout: Driving single-lane roundabouts
As you approach a roundabout, you will see a yellow “roundabout ahead” sign with an advisory speed limit for the roundabout.
Slow down as you approach the roundabout, and watch for pedestrians in the crosswalk.
Continue toward the roundabout and look to your left as you near the yield sign and dashed yield line at the entrance to the roundabout. Yield to traffic already in the roundabout.
Once you see a gap in traffic, enter the circle and proceed to your exit. If there is no traffic in the roundabout, you may enter without yielding.
Look for pedestrians and use your turn signal before you exit, and make sure to stay in your lane as you navigate the roundabout.
State law requires use of your turn signal anytime you make a turn or change lanes. I do not think anyone could argue that exiting a roundabout, turning into a new lane does not require a signal by law. I have driven these all up and down the East Coast as well as Eurpoe, and everyone there seems to understand this.
Signaling in a roundabout is ludicrous. The second or two that a driver would save if he/she trusted a turn signal in a roundabout is not worth the chance of an collision due to thinking the driver was turning when in actuality he/she was signaling for the next exit or forgot to turn his/her blinker off.