Roundabouts in the US
 

In the last couple of years we have had a few roundabouts built in our area.
I notice that they tend to put them where they can do as little damage as possible :D Just about where shopping regions meet residential areas.

Have you noticed these spring up where you are and how is the response?

I think the yanks are getting used to them quite well here, even if they do get a bit nervous feeding onto them. I just blaze through them like at home when its clear; once or twice drove around it several times just for fun.

Re: Roundabouts in the US
 

Our county's DOT has quite a few in the pipeline. One or two are already up and there's one on a road I use quite regularly due to be finished tomorrow (though I won't hold my breath ...) I heard that they're going up in an effort to eliminate red light cameras in certain places :lol:

They have a bunch up in Wisconsin that all seem to work quite well. I'm a fan of roundabouts so I quite like it.

Re: Roundabouts in the US
 

Are you me? :confused: ..... Those are exactly the things I do! :D

There are two near where I live, both which I usually go straight across, and driving a manual, I approach in second gear, and aim to take them with my foot on the gas, as a right-left-right chicane, exiting faster than I entered. They're more fun in my Accord, which is agile and responsive, but it's probably more impressive in my F250 crew cab (also manual) because I take them exactly the same way, and I'm sure it frightens the locals! :rofl:

Re: Roundabouts in the US
 

I was thinking, what if they started to build the mini ones we so often just drive straight over in England?
They've done it here!!

Ok, lets see the Yanks deal with the famous "Magic Roundabout" :eek:

Re: Roundabouts in the US
 

My husband was quite surprised when I urged him to get his knee down on a roundabout in Alaska. It was brand new, just the right size for a motorcycle to get a good lean on and a bit of knee down action. And it was right next to the hospital, which may have come in handy.
Here in Michigan they were talking about putting a roundabout on quite a rural road, I'm pretty sure none of the local hickabillies would have a clue what the thing was and would go up and over it instead of around.

Re: Roundabouts in the US
 

I love the Magic Roundabout. I may have to take a detour off the A419, through Swindon, when I next go back. :sneaky: There was a similar one in Sheffield in the early 70's, but it was "experimental" and only laid out with white painted tires, so they could adjust it and try different layouts. I don't know what became of it eventually, but I know it wasn't as exotic as the Magic Roundabout.

I have pulled up the Google Maps satellite view of the Magic Roundabout to show friends and colleagues though. :D .... The response is invariably "WTF! :confused: "

Re: Roundabouts in the US
 

Magic Roundabouts would be nice. I have seen very few 5 or 6 way intersections that would suit one though. Only one 5-way that I can think of that I drive on semi-regularly and it is controlled, not very effectively, by traffic lights. A roundabout, like the offset oval ones, would theoretically keep traffic moving better. Alas, they're 'improving the intersection' right now but keeping the lights.

Re: Roundabouts in the US
 

They have one down here right on Clearwater beach. It's the scene of several accidents a week. It's actually the one place that might be better off with traffic lights, what with the population mix of octogenarians and spring-breakers.

Re: Roundabouts in the US
 

We are just back from Sedona, AZ where they have a whole bunch of them going into and through the town. We loved them but saw plenty of hesitant, confused drivers on them and not an indicator light to be seen.

We also have one of the few in Houston just a minute or so from our house. It has yield signs in the roundabout, which kind of defeats the purpose but a lot of people ignore the signs anyway, causing even more mayhem. Many accidents - our neighbours have taken to calling it suicide circle :lol:

Re: Roundabouts in the US
 

I took a detour through Swindon to show hubby the Magic Roundabout last year and got totally and horribly lost. We ended up in some housing project that seemed to have a road in but no way out :confused: In the end we found the main road and got the hell out of there.

I do have to say that there has been an explosion of mini roundabouts in the UK most of which seem only to slow the traffic down. Hubby still shies away from driving in the UK, he did try on our last visit but the narrow Yorkshire roads and warp speed traffic on the A1 scared him off.

Re: Roundabouts in the US
 

The most obvious benefit of having roundabouts in California would be that when an earthquake knocks the power out........

Traffic keeps moving!

Re: Roundabouts in the US
 

When I lived in OR there was a small one near to me. A couple of times I had a bit of a giggle when I was approaching and the poor person on the roundabout started breaking when they saw me. Bless......:lol:

Re: Roundabouts in the US
 

I'm looking forward to this new one opening up down our way. I might have to make sure I approach from the south, rather than straight west-east as I normally do, so I get to drive over more of it.

Unless it's late at night or otherwise not busy, then I might do what Xebedee and Pulaski do and burn round a few times :)

Re: Roundabouts in the US
 

Are they replacing lighted intersections or the four way stop sign? Let's hope with the American experience on four way stop signs they use the roundabouts better than most other countries who seem to ignore to the give way to traffic in the roundabout and go straight to the give way to traffic on the left.

Re: Roundabouts in the US
 

They're common in the northeast US--rotaries. Lots of old ones around. The town we used to live in had a great big oval one leading off the motorway heading downtown. You could tell who lived in the town by how fast they went through that oval--strangers crept along so hesitantly they'd nearly cause accidents.