Community Chat

[bonnielu]

We are about to get a roundabout.  There is a blinking light at the intersection that is only busy at rush hour in the evening.  We are talking about a rural neighborhood.  We have been blindsided and our local and state govt say ITS A DONE DEAL and we can meet to talk about it.  Not happy because they will take two months to make it happen with many detours.  People rarely yield because in our area... it is always ME FIRST.

[lolakimono]

I take one every day for work.  No big deal, and the traffic moves quickly.

 I grew up with an 8 way circle in the center of town.  

[Marienkaefer2]

We have a ton of roundabouts where I live.

It's true, many people don't know how to go through them. As you enter, you're supposed to yield, not the traffic already in the roundabout.

Sometimes it works, sometimes there's been a near miss.   I think overall, though, they work pretty well.

[Marp]

There are several being installed in my small, rural town against the wishes of the townspeople.  Locals had no input into the decision.

[Kachina624]

We have them in quiet suburban neighborhoods where speeding was not a problem.  It's like mayors had a convention and having roundabouts became the "in" thing to do.  They probably brag about the number each has.  The only thing they benefit are the paving contractors who build them.  They're useless in places that get may be 10 cars an hour.

[BirkiLady]

Change happens. Learn to drive on it and you'll love it. It you're against it, you'll hate it. I learned to drive on huge roundabouts in metropolitan Philadelphia, Cleveland and Pittsburgh in my 20's. When Nebraska began implementing small roundabouts, people were against them. What's with that nonsense? They're little two and three-lanes! Several years later, the naysayers still cannot negiotiate those simple circular lanes. It has to be with their attitudes. Pay attention; drive the speed limit and you be fine. Traffic does flow very smoothly! And, yes, they are easy peasy. No stop-and-go wear-and-tear on your vehicle anymore. They are a great thing!  

Am a little anxious, but also curous, about an upcoming double-decker roundabout several block from where I live. There have been many fatal accidents at a very busy intersection and the City Planning Commission has decided a double-decker may be the only alternative. Interesting. Have driven of double and triple highways, but not a roundabout. First time for everything! And, it will be used frequently to return home. 

[Sunshine Kate]

I'm getting used to roundabouts.  I hated it at first.  I just have to remember whoever (car) is in the circle has the right of way. 

It's less expensive than traffic lights and you don't have to worry about cars running red lights.  

[sunshine45]

yes, we have a number of roundabouts in our general area.

you just have to be overly cautious about OTHERS who just dont seem to be comfortable about using them.

[september]

We have a newer one at a big intersection close to me.  When it was first proposed, there was a lot of criticism. 

I was for it...lived other places (esp.in Europe) where they're common.

It's been a huge success.  Where there was always a big backup of traffic in the past...that's gone.  Round-abouts keep the traffic moving. 

[Shanus]

A roundabout was put on a Main Street through our neighborhood. It is the first one and after a year, there are still frequent accidents because no one “gets it”.

The newspaper said to yield to cars on your right or cars already in the roundabout. Every time I come to it, it’s a 10 minute standoff w/ cars creeping out & stopping abruptly, not sure whether to go or not.

It’s like watching an episode w/ Lucy and Ethel.