Roundabouts are so much fun

[Aria]

Not really.

Up here in Cowtown, we're getting roundabouts in all our new neighborhoods. And no one has ever seen these things before, which is resulting in some random panic. However, the people who don't know what they're doing are handling it okay, BECAUSE they don't know what they're doing and therefore, keep an eye on what everyone else is doing. Also, low traffic areas so far. Maybe eventually the newspaper will publish an article to educate the populace.

The real problem are the people who think they know how to use them, but don't. My brother in law just had a run in with one of those. The guy in the centre lane of the roundabout has priority when it comes time to get out. So my BIL signaled that he was leaving the roundabout and exited. Well, the guy in the right hand lane did not like it AT ALL when he was cut off! And signaled it by blaring his horn.

That would've been fine and all but it got much worse. This guy followed my BIL, yelling and screaming in his car, pulling up beside him and gesturing for him to pull over. Yeah, like that's happening. My BIL didn't want to lead this crazy to his house so he drove over the neighborhood, filming this on his cell phone. Drove around for quite a while before the nut seemed to lose interest.

When he got home my BIL tried to report it to the police but they weren't interested because nothing had happened. The next day, though, he found a note on his car telling him to learn to use a roundabout! 10/10 on the creepy meter so he took it to the police and now they were interested. My BIL printed off the rules of the road in regards to roundabouts and the police took it with them when they went to talk to this guy. When they ran his plates they found out he'd had several fender benders in roundabouts already. Imagine.

Anyway, apparently the guy was suitably chastised and promised not to bother my BIL anymore. But as my other sister said, if you've already had several accidents perhaps you should consider that the problem might be you?

[EricKei]

I just love how the people who don't know what they're doing -- in this case, the nut in the roundabout -- think that it's everyone ELSE who don't know what they're doing...

[Slave to the Phone]

There aren't a lot of roundabouts out here, so people don't really know how to use them. There is one about 5 miles away that is rather entertaining to watch.

There are 4 exits, 1 to smalltown, 1 to the I17 heading to Phoenix, 1 to I17 heading to Camp Verde and 1 to the 69 heading to Prescott. Even going 30 mph, people don't seem to be able to read the signs and often drive around it 3 or 4 times before picking one, heading up the road a ways and then turning around to come back and try again.

[CyberLurch]

We have a few of them here in Klinger's hometown. They're always entertaining to watch, but high on the list of things to avoid. I can't tell you how many people I've seen howling through them without even touching the brakes, or how many mid-roundabout lane changes, or how many just stop and lock up in the midst of one.

Even saw one adventurous (or perhaps just confused) individual turn LEFT into one (oh, no no no no nooooooooooo). Out-of-state plates, so I imagine he/she/it might not have encountered one before.

[Argus]

Even saw one adventurous (or perhaps just confused) individual turn LEFT into one (oh, no no no no nooooooooooo).

At least one navigation app instructs the driver "At the roundabout, turn left." I guess the developers expected the driver to understand that as "enter turning right, then go 3/4 of the way around before leaving".

[Aria]

At least one navigation app instructs the driver "At the roundabout, turn left." I guess the developers expected the driver to understand that as "enter turning right, then go 3/4 of the way around before leaving".

That, right there, would explain a lot. Gah.

[Valentinian]

Well, there's one area where my GPS is good then! It says "Enter the roundabout" and then "Take the third exit to..."

We have tons of roundabouts here and we still get people who don't understand them :P

[DeltaSierra]

I love them - they keep the traffic flowing, and as long as everyone knows how to navigate them, they work as intended. Of course you get the out-of-towners who have no idea what to do and stop dead in the center, but fortunately they're not too common.

[Kit-Ginevra]

If you have problems with them(and we must do about a dozen a day at least),then try mini roundabouts and Magic Roundabouts for fun!)

[wolfie]

Roundabouts are tools of the devil. They work when traffic volume is low enough that an uncontrolled intersection (or even a 4-way stop) would work. If volume is higher, they don't work. If tractor-trailers use the route, they don't work.

[BearLeeBadenaugh]

Wolfie, did you see the news that WI updated their rules of the road for roundabouts? Anything over 40' gets automatic right of way in a roundabout. Should solve some issues while causing others.


Speaking of roundabouts and traffic, someone needs to bring in some aerial traffic cams later this month when EAA AirVenture comes to Oshkosh. That extra half a million people causes some fun.

[wolfie]

Wolfie, did you see the news that WI updated their rules of the road for roundabouts? Anything over 40' gets automatic right of way in a roundabout. Should solve some issues while causing others.

Didn't see that - good for WI. However, no matter how much you polish a turd, you still can't pick it up by the clean end.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Didn't see that - good for WI. However, no matter how much you polish a turd, you still can't pick it up by the clean end.

If it's a turd, even a polished one, does it even HAVE a clean end?

[bunrotha]

Not so bad over this side of the pond, where the trucks are a bit smaller, and everybody* knows you can't get up alongside a truck coming onto a roundabout.

The practice when driving a tractor-trailer onto a roundabout seems to be a slow rolling entry, i.e. try to merge and if that's not working then use physics-based right of way- because if you stop you're a bit banjaxed. Most car drivers know this is how it works, and let it go. We can overtake you when the road straightens out.. :-)

If that fails, the powers that be stick traffic lights on the entries, to guarantee everyone gets a go.

There is the abomination to consider. All bets are off there.

*Everybody except the usual idiots who need educating while the being removed from the road with extreme prejudice.

[drunkenwildmage]

Couples years ago, they had put a roundabout in the small town my brother's a cop in. Confused the heck out of everyone. They had to patrol it on a regular bases to make sure everyone was using it right, and educate the ones that were not. IIRC they weren't giving out many tickets, just talking to people to make sure they knew how to use it. One time he caught a 85 year old gentleman driving around it going the opposite direction. After trying to explain it to him, my brother ended up suggestion that the gentleman should just try to avoid it.