Anyone like traffic circles-roundabouts?

[2LaneCruzer]

We lived within a block of the "Classen Traffic Circle" in OKC; built in 1952. When we would sit out in the yard on a nice evening, it was not unusual to hear the sound of a fender bender.

 

[deserteagle71]

Hate them, especially the multi-lane ones. Seems I'm never in the correct lane to get to the road I need.

There are two out here in rural Nevada I know of. One is so congested most of the time it might as well be a stop sign because people get so confused in the middle of it they just stop. The other one opened up this past spring - and there have been two fatal accidents there since since it opened.

 

[lman]

Almost lost my right arm in the roundabout at the Arc de Triomphe in France when I was 17. My friend "Dennis" and I hired a taxi for the afternoon to do some sightseeing, and wound up at the Arc.

It was way too large to photograph from inside the taxi, so we asked the taxi driver to pull over. Gesturing, of course, because we didn't speak French. After he pulled all the way to the right, I opened the right rear passenger door to get out. WHAM!!! A vehicle passing even further on the right knocked the door off its hinges and very nearly took my arm off. Terrified, we grabbed all of our money, threw it at the yelling taxi driver, and ran as fast as we could!

I thought the traffic in the roundabout had the right of way. If so why is the traffic in the circle stopped in this video? It seems the traffic entering should be stopped if the circle traffic is congested.

 

[turnkey4099]

They’re not common here but I was on vacation recently and went through several of them. I don’t really like the multiple lane ones but the single lane ones are much more efficient than a 4 way stop.

I learned to drive them in Germany 1960s, all rplaced only 4 ways so simple. I love those. The multiple lane ones I try to avoid unless I can practice them late at night with light traffic. I can't see how a driver new to one of them can find their way through.

 

[ruffdog]

Idiots will always hinder the steady flow of traffic....whatever the design is.

 

[the old grind]

Good manners may be on hold pending drivers getting use to them. Like to think we in the states will, eventually. IMO most of the Old World is far behind us in traffic management. Our systems seem to run out of $$ making our roads dummy proof, might save a few bucks if signs were heeded and fewer of them mowed down.

If squeezed into a small enough area a roundabout almost has to be two lane or semis would struggle to get through ones I've seen. They'll use 'em both when they have to. I know enough intersections where it was good just to get re-paved.

btw, they seem to be common where flow isn't steady. Still beats long light timed for heavy traffic when it's not. (shift change at the factory by the freeway, etc, vendors delivering when they get there)

 

[Bearsixty7]

btw, they seem to be common where flow isn't steady. Still beats long light timed for heavy traffic when it's not. (shift change at the factory by the freeway, etc, vendors delivering when they get there)

Those long lights with no cross traffic is an error by the entity (being cheap) that put in the lights. They could have easily put in traffic sensors (those cuts you see in the pavement at some intersections) to sense which lanes /directions have traffic and have the lights react accordingly but since they cost more and are a little more complex, many places do not use them.

 

[crashz]

I'm surprised to see that no-one has brought up Kelly Square in Worcester, MA. This downtown nightmare was "fixed" to this:

It was one large paved area with no lanes, directions or anything. Just hope for the best. The locals (including myself a few times) would just close their eyes and hit the gas!

 

[ning]

I'm surprised to see that no-one has brought up Kelly Square in Worcester, MA. This downtown nightmare was "fixed" to this:

View attachment 714474

It was one large paved area with no lanes, directions or anything. Just hope for the best. The locals (including myself a few times) would just close their eyes and hit the gas!

tbh looks like an improvement overall, if very inconvenient for the I-290 traffic (though that part probably increases traffic flow through the rest of it). Any chance they could scrape off some of the corners near that offramp to make one more circle?

 

[NHBX]

The locals (including myself a few times) would just close their eyes and hit the gas!

Yup, when in doubt go fast and aim at 'em.

 

[ericm979]

Spare a thought for the Poms at Swindon:

View attachment 714390

Some of our compound traffic light intersections are just as confusing. To a native roundabout user I'm sure that makes a lot more sense than it does to us folks from stop light land.

I drove though some compound roundabouts like that in the UK. If there is traffic it's not too hard: just follow what everyone else is doing. And if you screw up you just go round again. I did that a lot.

 

[gsganzer]

I'm surprised to see that no-one has brought up Kelly Square in Worcester, MA. This downtown nightmare was "fixed" to this:

View attachment 714474

It was one large paved area with no lanes, directions or anything. Just hope for the best. The locals (including myself a few times) would just close their eyes and hit the gas!

I grew up in Auburn, MA and knew Kelly Square in Worcester. The new design actually does look like an improvement.

 

[k0ua]

Yes, we hit one of those in Springfield, MO a few weeks ago. YIKES!!!

It feels so weird to cross oncoming traffic, then drive the wrong way across a bridge, then cross back over again. Goes against everything you're ever taught.

View attachment 714435

That diverging diamond is way better than any roundabout to navigate and much safer. I don't care much for our roundabouts, but the diverging diamonds work well and there aren't any accidents.

 

[jaydee325]

Don't have a problem with them.

As always, it's the idiots who cause accidents whether it be stop signs, traffic lights or roundabouts.

 

[Jchonline]

There are quite a few around here, and almost every one is different. Driving through a new one is like solving one of those interlocking wire puzzles. Sometimes through traffic is left lane, sometimes right lane. Some are one lane, some are two lane, and some are mixtures.

I drove through this recently finished one twice yesterday, for the first time each way. No fun. This replaced a simple 3-way signaled intersection. I was told there have been accidents by confused drivers.


View attachment 714381




Bruce

So funny. I didnt really get these until I used them about 500 times in Chicago. Now it annoys me when people do stupid things in them. In Chicago these things are 3 wide and no frequent accidents.

1. Yielding to someone that hasn't even entered the roundabout yet. This is a no-no and will get you in an accident. Its simple. You only yield to someone coming around to you that is already in the roundabout. Otherwise, you go. Don't stop, go. Just like turning onto a main road from a side road. Those already on the road have the right of way.
2. Not knowing where you are getting out, and trying to get out from an inside lane. This one is more difficult, because you have to know what you are doing. Best to just stay in the outside lane if you arent sure...but be warned many will expect you to be getting out of the roundabout at the next exit...

 

[Jchonline]

Spare a thought for the Poms at Swindon:

View attachment 714390

Wow now that looks interesting.

 

[MossRoad]

I thought the traffic in the roundabout had the right of way. If so why is the traffic in the circle stopped in this video? It seems the traffic entering should be stopped if the circle traffic is congested.

Oui!

 

[MossRoad]

Those long lights with no cross traffic is an error by the entity (being cheap) that put in the lights. They could have easily put in traffic sensors (those cuts you see in the pavement at some intersections) to sense which lanes /directions have traffic and have the lights react accordingly but since they cost more and are a little more complex, many places do not use them.

And, people are creatures of habit. If you make stoplights with irregular timing, turn lights, etc., it causes more wrecks in the long run.

 

[plowhog]

Vacationed on the island of Bermuda once. Golf with pink sand traps was interesting.

So was driving a rental motorbike, somewhat unfamiliar, and going through busy roundabouts-- which go the opposite way for lane control and merging/exiting since they drive on the left side there. Kind of like dodgeball except with your body, bike, and moving vehicles.

Wasn't helpful to have my wife sitting on back, poking me and pointing out all the dangerous cars just a few feet away that were imminent to run us over. But she thought she was helping.

"Rental motorbikes are readily available, and the required helmet is provided. However, visitors should carefully consider the significant risks of riding a motorbike. Motorbikes provide the greatest road peril in Bermuda; local operators tend to abuse the speed limit and will often pass on the left or right side with no warning. Those unfamiliar with driving on the left side are likely to find the roundabouts and regulations for yielding at junctions confusing and dangerous. "

Bermuda Traffic Safety while traveling. - CountryReports

[enTitle] Traffic and road conditions explained. Understand [enTitle] transportation and common rules of the road. | CountryReports

www.countryreports.org

 

[ning]

I thought the traffic in the roundabout had the right of way. If so why is the traffic in the circle stopped in this video? It seems the traffic entering should be stopped if the circle traffic is congested.

Some roundabouts in France are as you'd expect (since 1983 when the yield-at-entry rule was adopted on national routes).

Apparently (caveat - I'm not French) roundabouts marked like this behave like we expect them to - priority to the left (traffic already in the intersection/roundabout + priority to cars that are farthest inside the roundabout over those that are closer to the outside, so they can actually get out):

This sign means "priority to the right" - ie, yield to those already in the roundabout:

apparently they're not always posted; if there are no lines on the roundabout for traffic coming from the right, roundabout traffic has priority, but if there are lines, they don't.

Except for at the Arc de Triomphe, apparently. I don't see lines on the pavement there, or signs at the entering roadways...