topic Re: Roundabouts in Community Chat

Roundabouts

bonnielu — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 01:42:00 GMT

Roundabouts are getting popular in our area. They seem to be replacing traffic lights. We are rather rural and some had a bright idea we would be better off with them. In any case we had an issue last night. Someone almost hit us in one. We were fully in and going half around. They were coming in the other direction going 3/4th around to the other side. Heavy heavy traffic during rush hour. Wondering if anyone has some advice on right away. I would think common courtesy should rule.

Re: Roundabouts

StylishLady — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 01:56:24 GMT

I call them "traffic circles" and they are useful in some low traffic intersections. Big problem when so many do not seem to know how to use them. Worse than 4-way stops.

Re: Roundabouts

alliswell — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 01:56:40 GMT

I would think that roundabouts would take a little while to become accustomed to driving in. They sound kind of scary.

Re: Roundabouts

jannabelle1 — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 01:59:28 GMT

I have no advice except to yield to other traffic when you see that sign. Other than that, I absolutely hate the roundabouts! I'll take a straight road with a stop sign or traffic light anytime!

Re: Roundabouts

Catty2 — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 02:00:26 GMT

I drove somewhere yesterday that didn't have a roundabout last time I was there. Wound up taking the wrong turn and realized I was on the wrong road so had to turn around and back track. This road was fine the way it was before so don't know why they think it's better now. It was dangerous, had to give lots of cars the right of way before I could go.

Re: Roundabouts

gizmogal — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 02:07:03 GMT

It’s not just common courtesy, otherwise you get drivers’ individual opinions of “courtesy”. One driver’s rude behavior is another driver’s sense of right of way. Uh oh.

There is an excellent video of the RULES of roundabouts, not the impressions of who goes first. We encounter challenges and peculiar yielding or near misses to avoid accidents because there is not enough education on managing roundabout procedures.

Ten minutes of viewing the rules and the examples and recognizing proper signage will make you much more relaxed and confident. No matter how much you think you know about common sense and courtesy behind the wheel (and I’m not doubting skill and experience count as much as mature behavior) learning the obligations and formalities will be of benefit. Those in the know make it right for everyone; those who drive feeling they are “righteous” about right of way, may induce hazards roundabouts are intended to avoid.

Give this 10 minute video some attention:

https://youtu.be/-olqiG42Ud4

Re: Roundabouts

fthunt — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 02:09:25 GMT

I call them bumper-car fender-benders. Hate them. At least with a 4 way stop you take turns and drivers are looking in one direction - straight ahead. Circles or round-abouts...............cars are coming all directions - some entering the circle and some leaving the circle and each driver is looking 'somewhere'. Left - right or perhaps straight ahead. Then the issue of speed can be an issue.

Re: Roundabouts

itsmagic — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 02:15:32 GMT

Our first experience with a roundabout was with one outside of Boston when we went on a trip about 15 years ago. It was a nightmare trying to get in with so much traffic going around it. We have since had a couple put in our area. Luckily we have a lot less traffic here so they aren’t as hard to maneuver into.

Re: Roundabouts

I am still oxox — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 02:16:20 GMT

They are also called a Rotary in Massachusetts

Re: Roundabouts

IdahoGram — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 02:17:28 GMT

Personally I don't understand what the problem with roundabouts is. It's a circle! Everyone should be going in the same direction, which is clockwise. You enter the circle when there isn't a car to your immediate left and exit right when you have reached the direction you wish to go. Easy Peasy!

Re: Roundabouts

pigletsmom — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 02:21:25 GMT

I'm not sure what you mean by someone coming in the other direction. Everyone should be going in the same direction.

I love roundabouts. Basically you just drive as normal. Pull up to the yield sign, look to the left, if no one is coming pull into the circle. People in the circle have the right of way.

If it's a circle with more than one lane there should be signs well ahead of time to look for that will show you what lane to be in depending on where you are going. I think people overthink these things and tend to panic.

And again people in the circle have the right of way. NO STOPPING IN THE CIRCLE. One of the biggest causes of accidents in them probably. Do not stop and be nice letting someone in. The person behind you likely isn't expecting it because you aren't supposed to do it.

Re: Roundabouts

ValuSkr — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 02:22:29 GMT

@bonnielu wrote:
Roundabouts are getting popular in our area. They seem to be replacing traffic lights. We are rather rural and some had a bright idea we would be better off with them. In any case we had an issue last night. Someone almost hit us in one. We were fully in and going half around. They were coming in the other direction going 3/4th around to the other side. Heavy heavy traffic during rush hour. Wondering if anyone has some advice on right away. I would think common courtesy should rule.

Was someone going the wrong way in the traffic circle? That's not good! Maybe better signage is needed?

Re: Roundabouts

CrazyDaisy — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 02:37:56 GMT

Agree with others, everyone should be going in the same direction and there is no stopping. There are many in my area, some entrances have a stop sign others a yield. They keep traffic flowing nicely.

Re: Roundabouts

haddon9 — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 02:53:49 GMT

Depends on the circle...some are easy & some are much more complicated and congested.

NJ is notorious for traffic circles! When I first learned how to drive my father hired a driving instructor who took me around the Ellisburg Circle in south Jersey in Cherry Hill. It was a very busy traffic circle that's since been removed because of the confusion & accidents.

Two years ago I took my husband who can no longer drive far to a reunion get together at a large restaurant near where he used to work in NJ before we moved to PA. I had forgotten just how insane congested the "Airport Circle" was! (there used to be a small airport there many years ago). Not only is it a circle, but there are a few roads going through the circle so you really have to pay attention from multiple directions of where you're going. It's one of those white knuckle adventure circles!

ETA: We were in Ireland in September and our driver took us to many towns & areas in the central & southern part of the country. It seems that Ireland is covered in roundabouts. They all appeared easy & quick to maneuver. Maybe they get busy at rush hour.

Re: Roundabouts

BirkiLady — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 03:11:10 GMT

Drove on my first round-about (didn't know what it was called) in the mid-1970's in the Cleveland metro-area. It was 4-5 lanes at 5:00 o'clock as I arrived in town with my two-year old son, the cat, a car full of houseplants and no map of where my husband's motel was! I just kept watching I-80 signs and used women's intuition until we pulled up next to his car. He was more handsome than the day I married him that evening after that harrowing drive through Cleveland! I learned to use the round-abouts quickly and loved the big, multi-lane ones in Ohio.

We drove on round-abouts in Europe periodically. Found a few in larger metropolitan Cities across the US. Nebraska didn't have any until the late 1990's. Lincoln? Sometime after 2005 and Lincolnites hated them! Have to admit the small roundabouts are difficult to drive on. The don't seem to flow as smoothly as the large, multi-lane circular ones. I figure if bus drivers and semi-trucks can negiote those small round-abouts, why can't a passenger vehicle do the same (with ease)? Sure, it takes an adjustment phase and some practice. That's what driving is all about!

A double-decker round-about is planned near our neighborhood. It's to help the busy traffic on three major thorough streets which intersect, as well as carry traffic from a nearby Highway! Wonder what a double-decker will be like in Nebraska's icy and snowy winter weather? Citizens aren't looking forward to the accidents. This was farm land when we moved here. Oh, there is also a mall, strip mall, High School, a library, a YMCA, cemetary, and a COSTCO near this future double-decker round-about!! All the buildings have been built within the past 10-15 years. COSTCO is new. Can you imagine what the traffic is at rush-hour? It's going to be a nightmare with two levels! Glad I'm no longer working and driving that corner at 7:15 and 6:45.

Re: Roundabouts

Eileen in Virginia — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 03:14:23 GMT

I’ve seen them recently in residential neighborhoods in the next county over, where they use them instead of 4-way stop signs and they seem to work fairly well. I don’t think they’re good for heavily traveled roads, though. Several years ago, there was a new exit off the Baltimore-Washington Parkway in Maryland that had a traffic circle at the primary intersection. This must have caused a few accidents and near misses, because the state changed it to a formal intersection with traffic lights a couple of years ago.

Re: Roundabouts

kitcat51 — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 03:24:59 GMT

I hate roundabouts! My town has singles, a double which includes a bridge & 3 freeway ramps, a triple & talk of a quad...I've had many close calls because drivers have no idea what the heck they're doing so now I avoid them even if it means driving on dirt roads.

Re: Roundabouts

Marp — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 03:34:42 GMT

@IdahoGram wrote:
Personally I don't understand what the problem with roundabouts is. It's a circle! Everyone should be going in the same direction, which is clockwise. You enter the circle when there isn't a car to your immediate left and exit right when you have reached the direction you wish to go. Easy Peasy!

The roundabout at the main entrance to our busiest shopping center has entry at 6 o'clock, you must drive to the right (counterclockwise) to the 3 o'clock position to exit onto the first intersection or proceed to 12 o'clock to go straight at the second intersection or go round to 11 o'clock to enter the shopping center proper or continue to 7 o'clock to get onto the perimeter road.

Four close exits and entries makes a very busy and dangerous roundabout. Two (or is it now three) additional roundabouts are being built in the immediate area at the command of DOT. They are unwanted and unneeded in this small town.

ETA: One of the roads off the roundabout is to a middle school. Can you picture what the traffic is like before school starts and when it lets out in combination with the busy shopping center and other other business along the road.

Re: Roundabouts

ScenicMaine — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 03:36:56 GMT

@I am still oxox

Are you from Mass.? I'm in Western MA & rotaries are notorius in this state. Some are not as bad as others but no matter which one, there are always terrible drivers. Need to have our eyes front/back & side/side especially when there are several entry ways onto the rotary.

Re: Roundabouts

tucsongal — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 03:45:36 GMT

I’m fine with a single lane roundabout but there’s a double lane roundabout in Sedona that freaks me out. I’ve been known to exit early, turn around and get back on to stay on the outside lane, lol.