When entering roundabouts.....

[Isuzusweet]

Why Americans don't have roundabouts.

She got serious air!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McGRv0FjBI8

Cheers
Tony

[SeaLevel]

Originally Posted by Isuzusweet

Why Americans don't have roundabouts.

Yikes. That was some awful driving...

We do have roundabouts, and when they are new in an area and people aren't used to them, they certainly do cause some accident problems for a while.

[martin300662]

Originally Posted by Isuzusweet

Why Americans don't have roundabouts.

She got serious air!

Cheers
Tony

Unfortunately quite a common occurrence in my 'neck of the woods'. We have a 15mile long stretch of two lane dual carriage (70mph limit but often traffic is doing more than that), at sea level so often foggy, which ends with a similar roundabout....at least twice a year someone not used to the road uses it as a ski jump.

Its not only roundabouts.....this from today when a Boxster stopped and a car transporter didn't on the same stretch of road (http://www.kentonline.co.uk/faversha...-crash-123753/).

Very sad for those involved.

[martin300662]

On a more comical note....

This is a photo of a roundabout in a town called Otford; whilst I was growing up my Dad used to drive past daily on the way to work. He did shift work, normally working the night shift.



He managed to end up in the duck pond in the middle of the roundabout on at least two occasions, once in a classic Mini, one on a motorcycle combo. Both times were resolved by a phone call to home and my Mum (and me) driving out in the family car to tow him out.....the Mini restarted (despite their reputation), the magneto based BSA Gold Star didn't.

[Wingeezer]

We have a growing number of them around here and I think they are great compared to traffic lights - but I did previously have quite a lot for familiarity with them living in the UK where they are ubiquitous.

I would think they move the traffic much better than traffic lights - not sure how the costs compare (ie operating costs / land cost etc.) nor comparative accident stats.

We seem to be seeing increased use of them where I live in South Western Ontario, and I do see some dangerous driving situations caused by folks not familiar with them.

Not sure what all the rules and regs of roundabout us are, but all I have ever gone by is :

-He/she who is already traveling on the circle itself has the right of way compared to people entering

-if taking the next exit and the circle has more than one lane, get into the outer lane as you approach your exit rather than cutting across from the inside lane at the last minute!


I hope we see a lot more roundabouts in future in North America! I do remember being surprised many many years ago to see quite a few around the Cape Cod area, don't think I have seen many in other parts of the US, but maybe that is changing as it is in Canada.

[Tsunami-v2]

This seemed to work for this guy!!! Not that I'd try this!
https://youtu.be/704vMj4GVx0

[AWCHIEF]

Wish it was true that we do not have roundabouts. They are the new motorway engineering fad. In the last couple of years they have built 3 in my area with several more planned. I have read articles about them cropping up all over the country. Accident rates have gone up where they have been installed.

OP, curious why the rather biased headline caption? The video had nothing to do with Americans that I could see.

[Troutboy]

We have them all over in Colorado. The Are safer than a standard intersection (I am told by a traffic engineering colleague).

Primarily because speeds are normally reduced, and head to head or "t-bone" accidents are eliminated.

And as mentioned above, they do move traffic more efficiently.

[Mollysdad]

What's a "drink" driver?

Clearwater, Fl, decided they needed a roundabout. So they spent millions building a giant fountain in the center so you couldn't see if anyone was coming. After a number of wrecks, they spent more millions taking it out.

I was terrified driving in England where roundabouts are everywhere, except you're going the wrong way!
I will say the Brits are very patient with foreigners.

[martin300662]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

OP, curious why the rather biased headline caption? The video had nothing to do with Americans that I could see......

Accident rates have gone up where they have been installed.

I think you answered your own question Michael

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

What's a "drink" driver?

It is the UK equivalent of DUI. In this case the driver also had a toddler strapped in a child seat, so ended up with a 26 week jail sentence.

[Tsunami-v2]

Since the city of Carmel IN, not to be confused with beautiful Carmel CA, decided to waste the taxpayers money on installing round-abouts (R-A's) everywhere they could, and their poor decision has caused big traffic back-up. Now, in an attemp to resolve an expensive self-inflicted problem, if a bus or truck are at the R-A, they now have the right of way and you will be fined for NOT using your turn signals. It looks as if the local police will be posted at the R-A to collect tolls, oops, I mean issue traffic violations for failing to signal. Best bet is to turn your 4-way flasher on when approaching the R-A. Having driven in that area, the signage and road markings are confusing at best. Seems like extremely poor traffic management by local government.

[Mollysdad]

There's no harm in going around again!
If things are coming at you too fast to comprehend, just do another lap.

[Tater]

Florida is getting in on the roundabout action. They are planning one on section of US98 in Hernando County. A traffic light would cost just over 100k but the roundabout is over 1 million. There is a blinking light there currently.

[Tsunami-v2]

The high speed low drag morons in Carmel Indiana did not factor into their engineering development large/long length vehicles.

[xrvr]

It's difficult for emergency vehicles to navigate some of the roundabouts here in Gainesville, but they do look so European, progressive. That's all that counts. They built a new grocery store and discovered the delivery trucks could just barely make the circle.

[AWCHIEF]

Originally Posted by martin300662

I think you answered your own question Michael.

Thank you for answering for the OP. You two must be very close.

[n2916s]

We have them in Miami now and, after about 6 months (we are pretty dense -- witness "hanging chads") they work great, especially during the rush hours.

Seldom need to come to a complete stop, many more vehicles get through in a given time period. Of course, there is the occasional clueless idiot but what else is new?