Do you have traffic roundabouts where you live? I hate those tthings.

We currently have 3 of them (with more in the plans). 

The genius who designed them must have been stoned at the time.

The first one they put in is up by the college.  It's so narrow that it barely accommodates a semi.  Plus, people kept going straight through it, so they had to raise the curbs on the center island. 

The second one they installed is just outside of town and has 2 lanes.   The south entrance comes in off the freeway.  Thanks to CalTrans they're coming in on a  very SHORT exit.  Traffic coming in from that direction is doing 60, while traffic in the circle is going around 30 or so (the speed limit is 15).  They also installed a southbound side lane so traffic going in that direction  could simply bypass the roundabout altogether (at 45 mph).  Of course, they still have to "merge" with traffic coming out of the circle, but now at a completely blind angle. Did I mention that the crap they put in the center island (mining equipment) blocks all view of traffic coming into the circle?

The third one is on the "dead" edge of a shopping center.  It's less than half the size of the one by the college, and is simply lines painted on the road.  the hope that people will simply follow it.  They don't.


You're right.  People can't even drive in a straight line... unless, of course, they're entering a roundabout.  Then suddenly they can drive straight.  It keeps the local tow truck company in business.  

We are getting more and more of them, but I don't understand why. Maybe it's just me, but it feels like I have no way of knowing what other cars are going to do and I don't see how that can be safer or more efficient. 

We have 3.  They claim they reduce wrecks. 

We do.  We have quite a few and I love them.  If no traffic no need to stop like you would for a stop sign or traffic light.  Sitting for four minutes at 10 PM when there isn't another car in sight has always made me crazy.   Roundabouts keep the traffic moving. This post was edited by Thriftymaid at September 5, 2022 7:19 AM MDT

We're getting one!

but . . . 

There’s one in my area.  On Wednesday, a semi overturned while going through it.  I’m not a fan of roundabouts, but the one in my area is on the city’s bypass so it’s way better than driving through the construction zone in town.  

They took out the traffic signals in the construction zone and replaced them with four-way stops just so the drivers who have the right-of-way can create an awkward situation by just sitting there and staring at the other drivers waiting for them to move.  Now I just avoid that construction zone.

Nope.

I don't think NYC has them - certainly not anywhere I've driven, but I understand NJ loves them.

Zillions. One of Adelaide's is a double - frankly dangerous because it's confusing. I've avoided it for years after being almost clobbered twice there.

Living in the country that invented them way back in the mid-20C (1930s?) I'm used to them.

We had two perfectly good roundabouts on the main road through our town, one with lovely shrubs and flowers on it; but in the run-up to the part we hosted of the 2012 Olympics they were needlessly swept away and replaced by enormous traffic-light controlled junctions that are far worse and potentially more dangerous. In fact one set of lights had to be re-timed after many complaints and near-misses, and some actual accidents.

Properly designed and properly used (and I have used them in France and Norway as well as the UK, so have known the anti-clockwise ones) they are simple and efficient; but some can be confusing, depending on the approach roads.

The classic ill-design by some theoretician who probably never had to use it, was in a sprawling new development in the Wiltshire town of Swindon. I say "was" because I do not know if it still exists. The central disc was not much larger than that in Sirena's second photo, but it was surrounded by a ring of similar mini-roundabouts. It was so strange and confusing it was rapidly nick-named 'The Magic Roundabout' after that rather surreal French TV children's show popular on British TV at the time.   

The smaller one of Sirena's examples is similar to those common in British towns, where it turns an ordinary cross-roads or T-junction into a roundabout to aid traffic flows where one of the roads is often busy.

Also known as traffic circles. They are common everywhere, including here in NYC. Why are you making a big deal about them?