Could you stay in the roundabout indefinitely?

Stamets@lemmy.world to No Stupid Questions@lemmy.world – 96 points –

Like... is there any law against it?

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Where do you live, OP?

In Denmark it goes in the same category as not driving when the light is green or keeping to the left on the highway.

While you seldomly see someone get fined for it, taking more than two turns in the roundabout is considered an obstruction of traffic, and therefore illegal.

You'd need to refuel at some point and I expect that refuelling whilst in motion would probably hit some legal issues.

And then, assuming that you overcame that, in the UK at least, you'd need at MOT test at some point, which would have to be at an approved test centre, so 3 years at the absolute max - although I expect tyres etc would need attention before that.

I'm hearing that there's a need for gas / petrol / whatever stations in more roundabouts. Maybe even a rest stop or extended stay hotel.

In Germany:

When using vehicles, unnecessary noise and avoidable exhaust pollution are prohibited. In particular, it is prohibited to run vehicle engines unnecessarily and to close vehicle doors excessively loudly. Unnecessary driving to and fro within built-up areas is prohibited if it causes a nuisance to others.

§30 (1), StVO

6 more...

In Norway, there's a specific "law" against causing dangerous situations by being inattentive, unpredictable, inconsiderate or reckless. Needless to say, it goes unenforced a lot, but if you wanted to nail someone for driving like a dipshit, it'd be a decent catch-all.

Illegal in my country, as you are disturbing traffic. Potentially even preventing emergency services to operate. Might be fine if you are alone though

i mean, if everyone was staying on the roundabout.... but if you have one guy goin round and round, there should be plenty of interleave for everyone else. how would it be disruptive?

im an ignorant american, just curious

Because if you let one guy do it, you have to let everyone do it.

During rush hour, it will definitely have an impact on the flow of traffic with most roundabouts, which are usually not very big (in France anyway).

Probably there are many places with no specific provisions against that but surely that would count for authorities as some sort of disruption of traffic, which are intentionally vaguely defined to cover such ambiguous eventualities.

A shame, I think it would be neat.

In major cities in America, just as an example, there is often a statue against "cruising" which is usually defined as passing by the same point more than X number of times in Y span of time. These laws are ostensibly aimed at harassing the (black) "car culture" people while they're showing off their customized vehicles in the 'hood. It's kind of like the vehicular version of anti-loitering laws. But you could probably apply it to OP's case if you were twisted enough.

Obviously it’s all going to be dependent on local laws, and depending on their vagueness the attitude of the cop that eventually has to deal with you. Here we have a catch-all ticket for “wasting finite resources” for cops to use when they don’t know what else to ticket you for. Originally it was to stop cruising, but I’m pretty sure no one has gone cruising since gas was $0.25 a gallon. Also I’m wondering if I could fight such a ticket if I can prove I charge my car with 100% solar.

Your current gas prices are about at the level where a lot of people used to cruise at where I live. Haven't really seen it much since it rose to about 2€ per liter (7.57€ or $8.29 per gallon).

Omg... How can anyone afford those prices? Last time I filled up I think it was $2.73 per gallon.

No mention of roundabout or traffic circles in Ontario's Highway Traffic Act, but the rule that governs are the yield signs around the outside that stipulate that traffic in the roundabout has right of way.

From the Driver's handbook:

Keep moving: Once you are in the roundabout, do not stop except to avoid a collision; you have the right-of-way over entering traffic. Do not change lanes while in the roundabout. If in the inside lane and you miss your exit, you must continue around until you meet your exit again.

This suggests, in Ontario at least, you could stay in the roundabout forever without breaking the rules.

Edit: If you're not bothering anyone doing that, then it should be alright, but if your perpetual roundabout traversing is getting in the way of other people trying to use the roundabout, then it could be considered careless driving:

Careless driving

130 (1) Every person is guilty of the offence of driving carelessly who drives a vehicle or street car on a highway without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the highway. 2017, c. 26, Sched. 4, s. 17.

I suspect that when your car runs out of gas and stalls in the middle of the suicide circle you could get a ticket for blocking traffic or something.

if you are without food or water you become incapable and that is illegal

It'd be called 'obstructing traffic'. Police sometimes grab boy-racers along the sea-front near my home for it. There's no specific law saying you can't wait at a T-junction indefinitely, and i usually get stuck behind the ones that do. :-(

"Boy-racer" is a term I wish I had known years ago to refer to some acquaintances. Seems much less offensive than what I was using.

i sometimes take an extra trip through the roundabout if some asshole is driving way too close to my rear and refuses to overtake