Traffic Circles - what say you?

I'm actually used to them. There have been several in my life that I traveled regularly. Mostly, on my way to Cape Cod and the ferry to Martha's Vineyard. There, it's called a "Rotary." As long as one knows where they're supposed to end up.....

 

Pray tell! I would if I knew where I was going

Don’t follow me, I’m a bluehair playing my own mindgames.

 

Funny that us Yanks are so scared of them.

They put one in down the street from me with all sorts of kicking and screaming, Its just a curvy street people,. pretty simple. Never heard about an accident at it.

 

Have lived 20yrs with one 2 blocks away. Two main state routes. Never seen an accident

The funny thing is they still call it the Square from the old days.

 

The city I live in has the most roundabouts per capita of any city in the US

Just to give you an idea, I live ~6 miles from where I work. I go through 14 roundabouts a day (7 on the way to work, 7 on the way home...if I go home for lunch and back, that's 28 in a day, and if I go anywhere else before or after work can easily exceed 35+).

They are fantastic and move traffic easily

 

I have one near my office building (we call them rotary's here) and it's a really poorly designed one at that. It wouldn't be so awful, if it was bigger or if we all drove slower through it (average speed is about 30 to 40 mph). There's accidents often... I can name about a dozen coworkers who have been involved in an accident in that rotary.

 

Traffic circles are about courtesy, common sense and knowing what it takes to merge properly. Those are three things lacking as even single attributes in too many drivers.

It's not rocket science.

 

Grew up going through this several times a week.

 

There are several of these in Mass. There's a famous one on Martha's Vineyard itself in Vineyard Haven, called "Five corners..."

 

I live in Dublin........Ohio, which built it's first round-about more than 20 years ago. Today, I have no idea how many our city has, but every intersection with the space to accommadte a round-about has one and any new development includes a round-about. Positives...(1) during peak times when users know how it works the flow is great. (2) during non peak times you don't have to wait at a traffic light when there isnt a car in sight in any direction. Minuses...(1) drivers unfamiliar with round abouts freak out and literally have no idea what they should do. (2) Drivers who approach the round about too fast or too slow.

Overall I think round abouts are great.

Mike
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I like them. What about diverging diamonds? Only one I have experienced was in St. George, Utah. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to negotiate. Just follow the signs. I DID see a good video on them not long before which had to make it easier for me.

 

My first vote was blech, awful, yuck!

But, we had a horrible 4 way stop at the top of our hill that could back up 40+ cars during rush hour. AND I live in a part of the country notorious for drivers who have serious problems with a 4 way stop. (There have even been commercials making fun of us.)

The dreaded roundabout that was put in? Surprisingly, traffic is jaw-droppingly better!

Ive been a dreader of roundabouts, but ours made a believer out of me that, if done right, they can really improve traffic. Though, that doesnt mean human error can't mess it up!

 

Missouri is big into these lately too.

The one at Mid Rivers Mall in St. Peters (STL suburb) works awesome.

The one at Ameristar St. Charles sucks.

I think my opinion of the two likely differs because of the direction I typically travel into it.

At the mall im always taking a right into it. At the casino im taking a left and im stuck at two lights now instead of just one.

 

Hello there, neighbor. I wish roundabouts were as prevalent here in Powell as you guys have on your side of the river. The somewhat new one at Jewett & Liberty has made a big difference for my daily commute; that was terrible before. In Dublin, the Bridge Park area, particularly 161/Riverside would be a trainwreck with traditional traffic lights.

 

If drivers know how to use them they work fine, BUT all it take is one confused driver to cause an accident. I've seen a couple of fender benders at one that I've used in one of our burbs. It's 2-lanes which makes it more confusing for some, since they don't get into the right lane to make their turn out of the circle. I've also seen one guy turn in the wrong direction when driving into the circle too. Luckily, there was no traffic, otherwise there might have been a head-on collision.

 

Go Bucks!
Powell is a progressive city, so it won't be long until round abouts are as prevalent in Powell as they are in Dublin.

 

Definitely not a fan of traffic circles, esp in Hawaii.

you're lucky. I have one in my area, on Keeaumoku past Wilder Ave. IMHO, total waste of time, stop signs would handle the area just as efficiently, especially since there are 4 way stops in that circle anyway.

I know there is one in Salt Lake area. But if roundabouts were created in Hawaii as in Washington DC and Europe there would probably be a lot more accidents.

 

Hawaiian drivers do suck. Sorry, nothing personal.

 

I think we all, to some degree suck as drivers. Some more than others. Of course every driver in the world will say it's not me, it's them.

Edited to add: I just recalled there was an article saying that Hawaii drivers are not on par as those drivers on the mainland. Could be because we're on an island and only know how to drive in circles, lol!