no it's not to merge...follow the arrows, if you are in the outside lane you need to get off the circle the arrows say "ONLY" and point to the exit, you should not be going around the entire traffic circle in the outside lane...if you do, you better be yeilding to the inside lane, they have the right of way

OMG. You're the one(one of the ones) that keeps going around the roundabout in the outside lane. The inner circle is not to merge with the outer circle and then exit. The inner circle can exit at any time without any signal needed. The arrows on the road clearly indicate that exiting the roundabout is going straight and not turning right. NYS has different rules for roundabouts and circles.
Wanna know what makes this even worse??? When I researched it shortly after the roundabout opening after getting cut off too many times I found that the NYS drivers manual says that it is supposed to be the way that you describe it, however in the actual NYS law(not the learners permit book) it states that the outside lane must always exit. Therefore NYS is knowingly teaching every new driver to do it incorrectly. That's NY for you!

Traffic in The Outer Lane should ALWAYS exit at the first exit available. Posters are absolutely right (except for the one who thinks inside lane traffic needs to merge to the outside lane to exit - that is incorrect). Interestingly, the numerous roundabouts that DOT has installed off the Northway have MUCH superior markings that make it crystal clear what traffic is supposed to do. Having better markings would help clear up this type of confusion

Unless I'm getting off at the first exit on the roundabout, I generally enter from the left lane, go directly to the inner lane, and then signal and exit across the outer lane to exit.
I have no idea if that is "right" but it works fine for me, and I haven't cut anyone off on getting in or getting off... it's all pretty quick. I think I could go a little more slowly... I can travel through the circle with that move quite quickly: few people enter from the left lane, few people use the inner lane.
If I'm getting off at the next exit, yeah, I'll enter the right lane, and get right off.

I see nothing at all about it being mandatory for right lanes to exit. I've seen circles that work that way, in Washington DC and there are signs and curbs that make that mandatory...
at some point, you can't get to the exit lane from the inner lane (curb) and if you're in the outer lane, you must get off: there another curb making you do that. There's a point, early in the roundabout when you must get into the outer lane or for sure you are going to have to go around again.

I think the old circle was better!
why did we waste so much $ to make it worse?

http://www.ehow.com/how_4732963_drive-rotary.html

Thank you for postng this. Hopefully, those who are confused will be able to navigate properly!

there should be a sign that indicates the right lane is only if you are getting of the next exit. thats the real issue if you drive the outer circle for more than one exit it keeps others from bieng able to enter the circle and stops poeple who drive the correct way from bieng able to exit the circle. it is also the reason there are long lines to enter the circle in only the right lane

If you payed attn to the lines onthe road you would realize you are supposed to exit from the inside lane. When you enter the circle from outside lane you are supposed to exit at the next exit......

Agreed...what happens is people are on the outside circle to head up to 209/28, and someone on the inside circle tries to move right on over to the Thruway, potentially slamming into the person who is next to them on the outside circle going to 209/28. Why let common sense stand in the way of fine ignorance?

https://www.nysdot.gov/main/roundabouts/guide-users/motor-vehicle

@val dubord
Wow! Great!
Who knew they really had something about this....
And it actually was an easy google search: roundbout NY
(duh! bap! sound of sell inflicted dope slap)
seek and ye shall find... ancient truths

hey retard the outside lane must exit the inside lane can exit or stay on if you payed attention before the arrows got worn away you would know

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When exiting traffic circles and roundabouts, the inside lane has the right of way. The rules of the road are as follows:

1. Cars on the inside lane of the circle (left lane) have right of way
2. Cars on the outside lane of the circle (right lane) must yield to cars on the inside of circle who are exiting
3. When exiting the circle, stay in your lane

Doesn't make sense, if two cars are side by side and the car on the inside wants to exit, how is the car on the outside supposed to yield to them? They aren't going to slam on their brakes....

The person on the outside lane is supposed to exit. For example, two cars are leaving from I-587/Chanderl's drive:

The vehicles in the right-hand lane must get off at Route-28 (or technically to the thruway if they missed the turn-off before the circle). The vehicles in the left-hand lane may get off either at RT. 28 or go to Washington Avenue. They a in a lane that has both a straight-ahead and left-hand turn arrow. The vehicles in the outside lane only have a straight-ahead arrow.

Make sense?

That's what I thought it was, that the person on the outside is required to exit.

Adam A says "if two cars are side by side and the car on the inside wants to exit, how is the car on the outside supposed to yield to them? They aren't going to slam on their brakes...." Of course, the same may be said in reverse. That is, why is it any more difficult for the car in the outside lane to brake and yield than it is for the car in the inside lane? Besides, why do they have to "slam on their brakes?" Why not just brake normally--unless they are speeding? Sorry Adam, but like it or not, the law requires the cars in the outside lane to yield to the cars in the inside lane.

My question was already answered properly. The point was, the inside car wouldn't have to yield to anyone if the outside lane is for exiting, and the inside lane is for continuing around the circle. I have since found from the proper authorities that that is correct, the drivers in the outside lane are for exiting and the inner lane is meant for drivers who are still traveling around the circle. For a car on the inside circle to cut completely across the outside circle to get to the Thruway is a violation.

I think this picture will help to resolve questions and issues. One can clearly see the markings on this aerial of the roundabout.

posted by Jim Z (27 days ago)...
This covers all the bases and is per NY State.
No need to speculate
https://www.nysdot.gov/main/roundabouts/guide-users/motor-vehicle.

No "merge" within the circle, Val. Please read what Jim Z posted. It says, in part:
"You should maintain your path through the exiting maneuver. If you exit from the outside path (right side) of the circulatory roadway you should proceed to the right (outside) exit lane. If you exit from the inside path (left side) of the circulatory roadway you should proceed to the left (inside) exit lane. When exiting from the inside path, watch for vehicles on the outside path that may continue to circulate around the roundabout."
Also, if you look at what the UC Planning Dept. posted, you will see that any merging happens once you are OUTSIDE the traffic circle, not within it.
For example, if two cars are exiting the circle west toward R. 28, there is no merging until they are OUTSIDE the circle. (See diagram.) At that point, the drivers yield according to who is in the lead. If we are both exiting, but I am ahead of you, yield to me. If you are ahead of me, I will yield.
to you. If we are neck in neck, I will yield because I never know what people are about to do! LOL

I think Anna said it best.

With all the excellent feedback and links and descriptions to proper negotiation of a traffic circle, I think this issue is ready to be closed. I will leave it open for another week so people may view it, and then close it unless there is further discussion.

The real answer is improved signage - and there is another issue open for that. I am copying the excellent links to that issue.

ADAM ALBERTS IS 100% CORRECT!! THE INNER CIRCLE IS NOT A MERGE!! IT IS A TURNING LANE ACCORDING TO DOT. YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO EXIT OUT OF BOTH LANES TO AN EXIT, THAT IS WHY PEOPLE ENTERING THE OUTSIDE MUST WAIT. THE OUTSIDE LANE IS ONLY FOR THE NEXT EXIT, THE INSIDE LANE IS IF YOU ARE GOING TO AN EXIT BEYOND THE FIRST EXIT!! IT IS NOT MARKED PROPERLY. YOU MERGE AFTER EXITING THE CIRCLE. DO NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONNS ABOUT HOW IT WORKS. CALL DOT.!!.

I'm in the Fire Dept and I hear accidents on the traffic circle come over my pager constantly....it's hazardous when 1.) People have no clue how to use the circle 2.) Its not properly marked 3.) It seems ridiculously too small to be able to work efficiently.....It just seems to be more of a cluster %&*# than anything....DOT probably won't do anything about it until someone gets seriously hurt & they get sued....

Roundabouts exactly like the one being addressed work very well in other countries, indeed, in some other locations in the United States (thinking Rehobeth in Delaware). A posted speed limit of 15 mph (yielding a ticket free speed of 21 or so) would make it work here: traffic moves far to fast to permit comfortable merging unless there is a rather large gap in traffic...
You'll see very successful roundabouts in Poughkeepsie along Vassar Road.
All traffic entering that roundabout, 587, 28, Washington Ave, the Thruway... make that 15 mph...
that means also that traffic just before the 15 mph must be slowed to 30.

GET RID OF THE ROUNDABOUT AND PUT IN A INTERSTION WITH TRAFFIC LIGHTS, MUCH BETTER!!!

Traffic lights are far less efficient and far slower. I am very happy with the traffic circle which I use on a daily basis. Accident data does NOT substantiate your point SaphyreSkyes (see the ulster county planning website).

Keep the traffic circle and improve the signage!

@vadhopper
My experience with circles is quite in line with yours. I get through them faster and easier. And is there objective "before" and "after" data that actually quantifies that data?
I don't have a lot of experience with pedestrians crossing roundabouts but I'd prefer slow traffic from limited directions to long delays with the uncertainty of right on red and faster traffic.
I know that the Roundabouts at Vassar slowed the traffic down (which was a good thing for pedestrians!), decreased to the total transit time for cars (a good thing for drivers) and of course put an end to the whole business of running lights, late yellows, jack rabbit starts that scatter the meandering pedestrian...
These changes were clearly experienced by all visitors to that stretch of road, pedestrians and drivers.
That is also implemented in South Arlington Virginia to the same effect. And when most of the drivers actually look to help one another get in, out, and around, it works spectacularly

According to the studies, Roundabouts are SAFER and allow smoother traffic flow:

http://www.azdot.gov/CCpartnerships/roundabouts/faq.asp
http://www.dot.state.wi.us/library/publications/docs/pim-4-roundabouts.pdf

The only safety issue is that traffic moves faster - so accidents can thus be worse. But the frequency of accidents is far less, and T-bone accidents (which often cause the worst injuries) are prevented. The number of fatalities goes WAY down, injury accidents goes down.

A quick google search produces MANY studies throughout the world which bear this out.

http://www.teachamerica.com/roundabouts/RA053B_ppr_Antoine.pdf

Great! This has been passed along with credit to Dennis Doyle at UC transportation...
Really great information. Thanks

the inner circle of the rotary has been defined as an exit. That is what rotaries are. A traffic circle is different, which is what you are describing. "the inner circle is to MERGE to the outer cirlce, and then exit." The traffic circle stopped being a traffic circle when they constructed a Rotary.

It is what it is and it is there.We all should take into consideration that there will be drivers who just don't know.Try to be safe, procede with caution .
I myself know people who have never driven on it ,won't drive on it,and spend an extra ten minutes avoiding it because these people don't want to make a serious mistake so be nice ,stop flying around it ,cutting people off ..geez

we have beat it to death

Agreed thinkaboutit - thank you for closing it.