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November 16, 2011 at 4:30 pm #601269
sun*eParticipantWest Seattle has many streets that don’t have, and don’t require stop signs. With that in mind, I can’t believe how many people don’t know who has the right-of-way. For those of you who don’t know – when coming to an intersection, the person on your “right” has the “right-of-way”! I almost had two collisions this morning. Please slow down and take notice of where you are before just charging through these intersections. Thank you!
November 16, 2011 at 4:56 pm #740719
kootchmanMemberWe have the “laws of inertia” as the governing traffic protocol. The car with the greatest energy has the right of way. Ex: a compact car going 70 mph has a greater energy than a van at 20 mph. Therefore the compact has the right of way. Two cars of equal weight moving the same speed, means, accelerate rapidly. This will give you you the right of way. Simple to learn.
November 16, 2011 at 4:58 pm #740720
AlParticipantkootch has just explained the inherent jerkiness of most drivers when crossing uncontrolled intersections – those who ignore the traffic laws and cause crashes and endanger other road users. I see this all the time and it causes me to be very cautious when driving through the neighborhoods. Sad.
November 16, 2011 at 5:04 pm #740721
KBearParticipantActually, the vehicle to arrive at the intersection first has the right-of-way. “Yield to the right” only applies when two or more vehicles arrive at the same time.
November 16, 2011 at 6:09 pm #740722
sun*eParticipant@KBear – Yes, you are correct. However, time and time again I see people just blow on through without so much as a glance in either direction. So drivers please beware…and cautious.
November 16, 2011 at 9:16 pm #740723
DunnoParticipantYou are right, but it’s better to be safe and let the ######’s go thru. Another one that bugs me are the agressive drivers that change lanes 10 times and end up 2 cars ahead at the next light.
Or that cut you off to get one car ahead.
November 16, 2011 at 9:37 pm #740724
KlauseMemberDon’t forget about those who don’t know how to properly use a “Round-about” (Traffic Circle) All traffic flows to the right. I’m tired of almost getting into a head-on collision with the idiots that try to cut left on the island and then give me the stink eye. We might as well just throw out any traffic or parking laws since Seattle drivers have just plain gotten LAZY. Lazy includes the idiots that are too lazy to turn around and park legally when at the curb. Go down any street in West Seattle or Seattle and count how many cars are parked illegally facing the wrong way…I’m not sure if it’s a one way street or not
November 16, 2011 at 10:12 pm #740725
datamuseParticipantHeh Klause, just last week a car went the wrong way around a traffic circle in order to pass my husband and I on our bicycles.
I sure hope beating us to the next red light was worth it.
November 16, 2011 at 10:40 pm #740726
todd_ParticipantTotally agree with klause!
November 17, 2011 at 3:26 am #740727
GenHillOneParticipantIIRC, I think that cutting left on a traffic circle is one of those legal “when safe to proceed” moves. Shouldn’t be though; it’s never really done safely and it takes two seconds to go around.
November 17, 2011 at 5:08 am #740728
miwsParticipantGHO is correct, and I agree that it should not be legal.
Just like U-turns and turning left across a double yellow line are legal “…..if done in a manner that does not obstruct traffic…” (and I swear that both used to be illegal), there are too many morons out there that are either too stupid to perform whichever maneuver in a safe and/or efficient manner, or they just don’t care.
Mike
November 17, 2011 at 6:15 am #740729
metrognomeParticipantfrom the WA DOL Driver’s Manual:
“Right-Of-Way
“There will be many times when you will need to slow down or stop your vehicle to allow another vehicle, pedestrian, or bicyclist to continue safely. Even if there are no signs or signals to regulate traffic, there are laws governing who must yield the right-of-way.
“The law says who must *yield* the right-of-way, it does not *give* anyone the right-of-way. You must do everything you can to prevent striking a pedestrian, on foot or in a wheelchair, or another vehicle, regardless of the circumstances.”
(their *emphasis*; see pdf pg 47/pg 39)
Technically, a ’roundabout’ is a multilane traffic control device (see pdf pg 41/pg 33); a traffic circle in a residential area is not a roundabout. Here is what they say about traffic circles:
“• Other traffic control devices – There are other traffic control devices used to discourage speeding and reduce collisions in residential areas. These devices have a variety of shapes. If you see speed bumps, curbing that narrows the roadway, or circular islands in intersections, slow down and keep to the right unless otherwise posted.” (pdf pg 40/pg 37)
http://www.dol.wa.gov/driverslicense/docs/driverguide-en.pdf
November 17, 2011 at 2:10 pm #740730
GenHillOneParticipantHere are some City rules that may not be addressed in the State manual – several topics that are brought up in the forum actually, lol. A good read for new drivers in the house though for sure!
http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/sdotfaqs.htm
“How do I turn left at a traffic circle?
State Law does not distinguish between a traffic circle and a larger roundabout. Consequently, a driver turning left at a neighborhood traffic circle must proceed counterclockwise around the traffic circle. However, we recognize that there are instances when drivers may need to turn left before a traffic circle, such as when cars park too closely to the right side of a circle or when a driver can’t maneuver a larger vehicle around to the right. Turning left in front of a traffic circle in those instances can be safely performed if the driver exercises reasonable care and yields to pedestrians, bicyclists, and oncoming traffic.”
November 17, 2011 at 11:38 pm #740731
KlauseMemberI like to go to the source, the drivers manual has flaws in it and should be revoked. It states in it that when parked in a parking lot, pull all the way through to the other side because it is safer to pull head out when leaving than it is to back out. Really? I can’t can’t the number of times I’ve almost been hit head on when trying to pull into a stall just to have someone come pulling through from the other side.
RCW 46.61.135
One-way roadways and rotary traffic islands.
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(3) A vehicle passing around a rotary traffic island shall be driven only to the right of such island.
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