Roundabouts... Love or hate?

[SEIndSAM]

I spend a lot of time working in Wisconsin and they are everywhere up there. I love them when you are driving with a population that's used to them. Up there people seem to have no problems with them. I can see where they would be confusing to first timers, but it seem like something that people would quickly get used to.

I especially like them at the bottom of freeway exchanges, it beats waiting forever for the light to change.

 

[mk2ja]

Roundabouts are great...


...until you add other drivers.

LOL. Nice.

I agree that they do improve traffic flow.

BUT - out here on the west side we have the 2 lane round-abouts which remind me of the old criss cross slot car racing tracks I used to love...

IF everyone slowed down and drove reasonably thru the roundabout - then there would be NO reason for accidents. At 15 mph - ANYONE should be able to adjust to other car's movements.

I propose this: No-Fault in the roundabout. Whatever happens - you pay your own damage. I think everyone would be more careful if they couldn't blame anyone else.

I believe that a no-fault policy would have the opposite effect because I believe that drivers are more inclined to drive carefully if there is the possibility that they will have to pay for everybody else's repairs and medical bills if they screw up!

For example, don't we always talk about how bad Michigan drivers are? They've got a no-fault policy!

Plus, if you have a nice car, and I have a beater, why do I care if I pull out in front of you? I won't have to pay for your car anyway, and mine can take another hit and just keep on truckin'.

Yeah, no-fault policy for round-abouts is a bad idea.

Another step in the europeanization of the US.

Incidentally, a round-about is a much more American idea than European.

Let me explain what I mean!

The need for a simplistic stop sign or a stop light makes me think of a nanny state where drivers can't survive without "dumbing down" everything.

We don't need some stupid light to tell us when it is safe to go. We can LOOK and see if a car is coming. Just like making a right turn on red, the driver assesses whether it is safe to proceed into traffic that has right-of-way.

Put another way, a round-about is more in line with the libertarian mindset on which the United States was established than in the do-as-you're-told-when-I-tell-you way of operating which has (until more recently) been mostly associated with Europe.

The fact that round-abouts became popular in Europe but not in the States is actually a bit of an embarrassment.

 

[PeaShooter]

love 'em. 2 going in on 32 just east of 37 in noblesville. they are multi-lane and will be only a couple of hundred yards apart, that should be interesting...

Oh, and Bacon

 

[Classic]

I traveled to the UK last year. The roundabouts are all over the place including London. but they go clockwise. Lots of tiny cars going fast as possible and narrow lanes too. Right scary.

 

[MiCo]

Hate them because people dont yield when they should.

 

[Farscape]

I hate them with a passion.

 

[confused89]

I thought that they were neat until I had to go around one, in a semi with a trailer behind me. Don't even think about getting beside me because I need that lane too to make the corner. They make the inside out of concrete to encourage me to drive over it.

 

[x10]

If you like them or hate them you CAN'T just put one in randomly like they did in Columbus, Traffic has to be Mindless because drivers are mindless, if they go from a light to a roundabout to a light they completely forget how to handle each one

I said I hate them not because I hate them because you can't mix them,

The Columbus South exit 65/46 confuses the heck out of people, They can't handle it because it is different than other intersections.

I've seen several people head up the wrong ramp

You have to treat people like they have an IQ of 50 when it comes to traffic.

Thats my 2 cents

 

[fire259]

HATE Them! Try driving a fire engine through one with lights and siren. Everyone just stops in they way and you have to move them one by one to get where you need to go.

 

[SmileDocHill]

If you like them or hate them you CAN'T just put one in randomly like they did in Columbus, Traffic has to be Mindless because drivers are mindless, if they go from a light to a roundabout to a light they completely forget how to handle each one

I said I hate them not because I hate them because you can't mix them,

The Columbus South exit 65/46 confuses the heck out of people, They can't handle it because it is different than other intersections.

I've seen several people head up the wrong ramp

You have to treat people like they have an IQ of 50 when it comes to traffic.

Thats my 2 cents

Yep, we are living in herd thinning times...I voted that I love them.

 

[sharkey]

I love them. I drive around them at least 3 times hootin' and hollerin' with my head out the window whenever I see one.

You have to, it's State law. I swear to God it is!

[ame]http://youtu.be/JOBZc2ccK80[/ame]

 

[Fullmag]

That 's the way to do it Believe or not used to practice that technique in the old neighborhood (about 30 years ago) with a '71 Ford truck in the winter. Can I get a witness.

 

[spence1]

Dont care for em all that much....the idea is fine.....but the people who use them ....alot of em cant seem to figure it out***

 

[G_Stines]

I voted Love hate and bacon. I love them when the other drivers around know what they're doing and I can use them as I am supposed to. I hate them when people fail to do it correctly, like signalling. Bacon.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

I thought it would be funny for a group of drivers to converge on one, then fill it up and go round and round for a while, utterly blocking traffic, then after a bit, take off in all directions. A flash mob kind of thing.

 

[Zephri]

I gotta say, I like them more than fourways.

 

[Harry2110]

I love them and wish that a city would use them over a 4 way anywhere as then I dont have to stop 80% of the time as that just kills momentum plus they are fun on a bike.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

We had some guy go around one the wrong way this afternoon, and 3-4 cars were involved in the accident. Traffic was backed up all different ways. Durp!

 

[rockhopper46038]

I like them in theory, but over here it seems few people are familiar with them, so they end up being a huge PITA.

 

[Kutnupe14]

We had some guy go around one the wrong way this afternoon, and 3-4 cars were involved in the accident. Traffic was backed up all different ways. Durp!

Let's just say other substances were at work.....