Random Thought of the Day

roundabouts are great but in the usa everyone wants to take them too fast; whereas in the UK motorists are more likely to slow down for a traffic circle.

I want more of them. When I go in to work a little late after most of the traffic is clear, there are several intersections where no one is moving - the greens are showing for lanes and directions with no cars.

A few years ago they put in a 2 lane roundabout into a busy intersection, and since then I have never had to wait as long to get through the intersection compared to when it was signal controlled, even during peak traffic volumes time.

Quote: Fleastiff

roundabouts are great but in the usa everyone wants to take them too fast; whereas in the UK motorists are more likely to slow down for a traffic circle.

I don't find that to be the case around me. We have three or four roundabouts near my home in Vegas and it proceeds relatively smoothly. I don't think you could replace traffic lights at busy intersections but that it is a reasonable solution to get rid if four way stop signs. Most of the confusion with them comes from people that haven't seen them before. I believe it is a matter of education.

Quote: Fleastiff

roundabouts are great but in the usa everyone wants to take them too fast; whereas in the UK motorists are more likely to slow down for a traffic circle.

In Colorado vehicles in roundabouts have the right of way. But if there is an accident both people get a ticket. The care who did not yield to the roundabout car. And the car in the roundabout for not yielding to a vehicle on the right.

I don't like the roundabouts that are multi-lane. Just saying.

I don't like the traffic circles either that are have 2 or even 3 lanes in the circle. You have the right away if you are on the inside and are supposed to just cut through the outer lane traffic to take the exit you want. My mind just screams DANGER as it goes against everything I ever learned about defensive driving. For those of you who have never taken a defensive driving course you basically are taught to assume the other person is not going to do what they are supposed to and drive accordingly.

Small ones on relatively quiet roads do actually save time and are probably safer as well.

Quote: kenarman

I don't like the traffic circles either that are have 2 or even 3 lanes in the circle. You have the right away if you are on the inside and are supposed to just cut through the outer lane traffic to take the exit you want.

NO. You are expected to work your way to the outer lane and take your exit as you approach it, crossing only from outermost lane to exit lane.

The problem is that motorists don't like using exit lanes, they will stay in the traffic lane and then cross through the exit lane into the exit at the last moment which slows traffic behind them.

I was on a five lane road. Two lanes in each direction. One left turn lane for EACH direction simultaneously. Motorists stops dead in left traffic lane and makes left turn across that median LEFT TURN lane just as car comes up on his left to make a proper left turn. Just never occurs to a motorist to get into the proper lane BEFORE the turn, not at it.

Quote: Fleastiff

NO. You are expected to work your way to the outer lane and take your exit as you approach it, crossing only from outermost lane to exit lane.

The problem is that motorists don't like using exit lanes, they will stay in the traffic lane and then cross through the exit lane into the exit at the last moment which slows traffic behind them.

I was on a five lane road. Two lanes in each direction. One left turn lane for EACH direction simultaneously. Motorists stops dead in left traffic lane and makes left turn across that median LEFT TURN lane just as car comes up on his left to make a proper left turn. Just never occurs to a motorist to get into the proper lane BEFORE the turn, not at it.

Not sure what the rules might be where you live but in BC if you are in the inner lane of 2 lanes going in one direction you need to go into the inside lane of the traffic circle. This leaves the outer lane of the circle free for the vehicle on your right to enter with you when it is busy. You now need to cut through that lane and entering traffic to exit. If that is the very next turn you have very little time to do it when it is busy.

Speaking of manmade road hazards, my least favorite road was a clover leaf where you had no merge lane but were wrenching your head 180 looking for oncoming traffic..

So, you had a bunch of people looking backwards, trying to merge into 55mph traffic. So if the guy in front of you moved, but then stopped, if you mistakenly thought he kept going you could run right into him. So start going, slam on brakes was typical. And you had to worry about the guy behind you not stopping as well because he was looking backwards most of the time as well.

Most of the ones I see now aren't built like that.

A lot of driving instructors say improper merging is the most common mistake new drivers make and we give them no instruction in it at all.