Americans and roundabouts

[sweiss]

My part of Wisconsin saw its first roundabout around ten years ago, and now they're everywhere.

There was a lot of resistance to them initially, but drivers here seem to have gotten used to them now.

Personally, I think they're a vast improvement over regular intersections. Traffic flows more smoothly, and accidents tend to be of the fender bender variety rather than the more serious T bone type.

[Dr. Spivey]

I love them, they're greater than sliced bread but not quite as great as Snickers bars. They put a couple in near my work, a tremendous improvement.

[callouses]

Originally Posted by Dr. Spivey

I love them, they're greater than sliced bread but not quite as great as Snickers bars. They put a couple in near my work, a tremendous improvement.

Whats your take on the ice cream snickers bars? I think they're awesome. ok, back to the thread..

[SongwriterFan]

They're one of the stupidest inventions ever. At least if there's any traffic to speak of.

Then again, nobody can complain about rolling the stop sign . . .

[Wardo]

Originally Posted by richard1

I live in Ireland, and you can spot an American driver from a mile away. They are the ones who approach a roundabout in utter bewilderment.

What is the origin of the American roundaboutaphobia ?

I live in North America. We have a few roundybouts where I live because some bright spark thought that since the Yurps have em we oughta have em too. When possible I approach roundybouts as fast as I can, brake late, heel and toe the downshift then nail the entry like a chicane. Pretty much all my friends can drive like that too. Not sure what you're gettin so high and mighty at boy...

[Edmond]

Like the other posters have said, they're just not that common in America. The first time I drove in one was a few years ago in Alexandria, LA. They have some at certain military bases as well. I've seen them in Colorado as well. You'll see somewhat of a traffic circle in certain neighborhoods in Chicago.

They're very common in other places outside of the US I've been such as Kuwait/Iraq, Jordan and Afghanistan.

[Wardo]

Originally Posted by Larry Pattis

'Muricans could also lose their huge/hulking SUV habit and go with more fuel efficient, easier to control/drive, and same-cargo-capacity Euro-style wagons...

I don't care about fuel efficiency and an F150 is 3 tons of fun to drive which, in the hands of a competent driver, will out corner the average lemming hearted twit driving a BMW. Not to say that BMWs aren't good cars - just that the majority of their owners should use public transit. ...

[SongwriterFan]

Originally Posted by Edmond

The first time I drove in one was a few years ago in Alexandria, LA.

Me, too. Figures, in one of the most backwards states in the US.

They're very common in other places outside of the US I've been such as Kuwait/Iraq, Jordan and Afghanistan.

Yes, the most highly civilized countries there are.

[LouieAtienza]

Lower NY has some of the oldest "modern" highways, and some of the main interchanges that were once rotaries were replaced long ago. The Interchange of Palisades Parkway and 9W is one main intersection that's still a rotary, and it can be a long, long wait to get to it. I think for local roads where space is available they're fine.

I haven't seen one in the Philippines. The locals turn every intersection into one, like a twister landed.

[Brucebubs]

Interesting post and helps me understand now about an American visitor to Australia a few years back.
Guy from California stayed with me some years back. He hired a car at the airport and let me drive him to my place.
On day 2 he decided to give right-hand driving a go.
Scared about 5 different types of poo out of me.
Drove millimetres from parked cars and went straight through the 1st roundabout without braking or even glancing to his right.
He cut off cars already entered the roundabout.
He looked at me, "Pretty good huh?"
A few days later I parted with them on the major highway from Melbourne to Sydney.
I heard he hit someone in Canberra.
Coincidently, Canberra would be the roundabout capital of the world, there is literally hundreds.

[Scootch]

The thing to remember is if you are in the circle, you have the right of way.
If you are not in the circle, you do not have the right of way.
Kind of sounds like high school, huh?




Plus a big bonus is that they freak out my in-laws.

[richard1]

And....... If you are going more than half way around the roundabout, use the inside lane. If you are exiting in the first half, use the outside lane. When on the inside lane indicate right ( or left in USA, and continental Europe ) then indicate your intention to exit the roundabout just prior to reaching your exit, then indicate left ( right in USA, and continental Europe ) move into the outside lane and exit.
There, hope that clears everything up.

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by HHP

I can drop your usual European driver in the rural Midwest and let them find their way on roads marked "East 600 North" or such and stand back and watch the ensuing hilarity.

The experiment has been done!

In 2004, I landed at DFW and headed north to Coppell, and up as far north to Sherman before turning round and driving the many and various I35 down via Austin to Big Bend. No issues.

In 2005 - Flew into San Francisco then on to Sacramento across to Tahoe to join 395 south and down to I40 - through Arizona then up to Santa Fe.

Then down the 285 to Alpine Big Bend, then back up via Odessa and Abilene to Dallas.

The Brand new GMC 4x4 hire was a heap from the start, but it kept going.

.....and no Sat Nav !

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by Nailpicker

Yes, of course that's true

I'll not sink to "Yank bashing" but it occurs to me that the whole road and destination system in most of the USA developed very differntly to that in Europe.

In England for instance roads developed AFTER settlements/villages, and the ways between each were merely tracks through woodland, until the Romans turned up and built real "roads" which were (and still are) long and straight.

Intersections were frequent, and often went off into many different directions.

I suggest that in the USA settlement/villages to towns developed AFTER the tracks roads.

This might very well not apply to the north east. (I've driven in Boston!)

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by Wardo

I don't care about fuel efficiency and an F150 is 3 tons of fun to drive which, in the hands of a competent driver, will out corner the average lemming hearted twit driving a BMW. Not to say that BMWs aren't good cars - just that the majority of their owners should use public transit. ...

This and your previous mail makes it seem that you are trying to create an image of a deliberately dangerous driver ? Why is that ?