About Roundabouts

sequoias

sequoias

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In recent years, roundabouts have been used in the United States to reduce crashes, traffic delays, fuel consumption, air pollution, and construction and maintenance costs.

Roundabouts often move more traffic and enhance intersection beauty. They have also been used to control speed in residential neighborhoods and are accepted as one of the safest types of intersection designs.



In my opinion, it's fun to drive around and it saves fuel by not stopping at a traffic light. It's great for less busy locations but can be used in busy locations depending on the traffic volume. There's about 3 roundabouts here in this city. There's tons in Washington state including the tiny ones in residential areas.

If some of you don't know what a roundabout is....here's a picture:

cycling_roundabout1.jpg
 
sequoias said:
In recent years, roundabouts have been used in the United States to reduce crashes, traffic delays, fuel consumption, air pollution, and construction and maintenance costs.

Roundabouts often move more traffic and enhance intersection beauty. They have also been used to control speed in residential neighborhoods and are accepted as one of the safest types of intersection designs.



In my opinion, it's fun to drive around and it saves fuel by not stopping at a traffic light. It's great for less busy locations but can be used in busy locations depending on the traffic volume. There's about 3 roundabouts here in this city. There's tons in Washington state including the tiny ones in residential areas.

If some of you don't know what a roundabout is....here's a picture:

cycling_roundabout1.jpg
Click to expand...

I agreed with you about reduce crashes, less traffic, more fuel consumption and maintenance costs.
 
Roundabouts is a great idea, but if there is an accident inside the roundabout, and it will cause major traffic (worser) than red light.

Sorry about my lousy drawing;

b4dqpg.jpg


vs

2zprxqg.jpg



Discuss...
 
I am currently in Roseburg, OR and the City is seriously proposing a roundabout for here, too.

I think this is a concept taken after the French square but made round.
 
Unless the roundabout has a large solid object in the middle, people here just drive over the center for a shortcut. It's a challenge. :lol:
 
Roundabout is bad for drivers whoever frequently texting while stopped at intersection with traffic signal. :lol:

Pull over to shoulder will fix the problem.
 
Reba said:
Unless the roundabout has a large solid object in the middle, people here just drive over the center for a shortcut. It's a challenge. :lol:
Click to expand...

actually - the Dutch has tried that method. They removed traffic signs, traffic signals, etc. because it is extremely distracting and they still have accidents. It's called "Shared Space" aka "Naked Street". It produced a very surprising result. A reduction in car accidents from 8 per year to 0 and most importantly - a reduction in pedestrian accident because this makes drivers much more aware of their surrounding since they're not being a drone being told by traffic light.

http://streetswiki.wikispaces.com/Shared+Space
sharedspace-drachten-holland.jpg


Is this the end of the road for traffic lights? - Telegraph

European Towns Remove Traffic Signs to Make Streets Safer | Europe | Deutsche Welle | 27.08.2006

Controlled Chaos: European Cities Do Away with Traffic Signs - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International
"The many rules strip us of the most important thing: the ability to be considerate. We're losing our capacity for socially responsible behavior," says Dutch traffic guru Hans Monderman, one of the project's co-founders. "The greater the number of prescriptions, the more people's sense of personal responsibility dwindles."

Monderman could be on to something. Germany has 648 valid traffic symbols. The inner cities are crowded with a colorful thicket of metal signs. Don't park over here, watch out for passing deer over there, make sure you don't skid. The forest of signs is growing ever denser. Some 20 million traffic signs have already been set up all over the country.

Psychologists have long revealed the senselessness of such exaggerated regulation. About 70 percent of traffic signs are ignored by drivers. What's more, the glut of prohibitions is tantamount to treating the driver like a child and it also foments resentment. He may stop in front of the crosswalk, but that only makes him feel justified in preventing pedestrians from crossing the street on every other occasion. Every traffic light baits him with the promise of making it over the crossing while the light is still yellow.
Click to expand...
 
cool thread, seq!
 
Wirelessly posted (Samsung Epix (i907))

Thanks Jiro!

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You could use the large roundabout as a skidpad to measure the Gs of your car's handling. :lol:

Of course, while its quiet or dead of the night.
 
sequoias said:
Wirelessly posted (Samsung Epix (i907))

Thanks Jiro!

--------------

You could use the large roundabout as a skidpad to measure the Gs of your car's handling. :lol:

Of course, while its quiet or dead of the night.
Click to expand...

:lol:
 
Wirelessly posted (Samsung Epix (i907))

Reba said:
Unless the roundabout has a large solid object in the middle, people here just drive over the center for a shortcut. It's a challenge. :lol:
Click to expand...

Yes, one time I was riding in a taxi cab in Seattle. He ran over a small roundabout, geez.
 
There are no roundabouts in Alabama, how is sad and I need learn to get used with roundabouts because they could be confused for first time driver.
 
Wirelessly posted (Samsung Epix (i907))

I noticed most of the roundabouts are in outskirts of the cities in my experience and in studies. Most of the roundabouts in Iowa are in suburbs or in outskirts of the cities.
 
sequoias said:
Wirelessly posted (Samsung Epix (i907))

I noticed most of the roundabouts are in outskirts of the cities in my experience and in studies. Most of the roundabouts in Iowa are in suburbs or in outskirts of the cities.
Click to expand...

Which city in Iowa? I don't see any roundabouts at East of Iowa.
 
Wirelessly posted (Samsung Epix (i907))

Google roundabouts in Iowa and there will be a page about Iowa DOT roundabouts. It will have a map of Iowa of where all the roundabouts are. :)
 
sequoias said:
Wirelessly posted (Samsung Epix (i907))

Google roundabouts in Iowa and there will be a page about Iowa DOT roundabouts. It will have a map of Iowa of where all the roundabouts are. :)
Click to expand...

Link please. I tried maps.google.com and type roundabout Iowa and it got off-point. What did I wrong?
 
There are a few in Columbia, MO and a couple here in the West Palm Beach/Lake Worth area. The ones in Missouri have signs only in the middle. Here we have plantings and newspaper boxes and there are curbs all around the interior. It works very well and there are very few accidents.
 
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