Americans need SCHOOLED by the Europeans on roundabouts

We recently got a few new roundabouts where I live in Indiana. I believe the first 2-lane style, at least in the county. Anyway, people are dumb and can't figure these out!! I guess it's because we don't have a ton like they do in Europe. So last week someone blasted right into the roundabout without yielding and hit me as I was trying to exit. Damage to my front bumper/passenger front quarter panel and their drivers side door.

I really hope they don't blame me. Two sheriffs showed up and the report says I was hit in the rear. HOW COULD THEY MESS THAT UP!!? I know I was correct, but who knows what will happen if they got that much wrong.

This happens a lot around here...somehow people can't figure roundabouts out.

Getting hit in the rear would work out in your favor for fault, but maybe not for the insurance claims...

dc38 said:

Getting hit in the rear would work out in your favor for fault, but maybe not for the insurance claims...

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Yes, but I doubt that would get by both insurance companies. I almost care less about the money and more about the principle of the whole thing.

We have them in my city, love them!!!!!
(They're around sixty years old now, traffic circles in my city)

Though, the masses each generation lose the ability to herd a car around them, like their elders did in cars five times as big.
So the city is phasing them out all but two, the one by my house will have a train cut across it soon.
How's that for yucks?

Add in seven months of frigid winter temperature and yeah, good thing there is an ambulance station beside it now.
Glad I don't drive for emergency Roadside anymore lol.

I think they're great to keep things moving. But unfortunately people around here yield for stop signs, and do just about nothing for yield signs.

Oh that reminds me! A few months ago 3 cyclists also just blasted right thru the yield. When I hit the brakes and honked my horn, they looked at me like I was crazy. Told me to use my turn signal!! WTF! If you're going to be part of traffic, you have to follow the same rules. Otherwise get on the sidewalk.

markr6 said:

I think they're great to keep things moving. But unfortunately people around here yield for stop signs, and do just about nothing for yield signs.

Oh that reminds me! A few months ago 3 cyclists also just blasted right thru the yield. When I hit the brakes and honked my horn, they looked at me like I was crazy. Told me to use my turn signal!! WTF! If you're going to be part of traffic, you have to follow the same rules. Otherwise get on the sidewalk.

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Bicycles had to have a plate on them when I was a kid in early '70-73. Cost like $0.75-$1.00
Bring back plates and force registration fees on al wheeled contraptions, feel free to be held accountable like motor vehicles where needed.
That's my two cents, agitating as is lol.

Have a great day all.

We had a roundabout in my home town in Illinois back in the 50s and I don't recall there being any fender benders. there were yield signs at each entrance to the circle and it worked for the drivers at that time.

smokinbasser said:

We had a roundabout in my home town in Illinois back in the 50s and I don't recall there being any fender benders. there were yield signs at each entrance to the circle and it worked for the drivers at that time.

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I guess I'll cut them some slack since they were from out of town. But yes, you still have to follow the signage showing the traffic pattern and more importantly, the YIELD sign.

markr6 said:

We recently got a few new roundabouts where I live in Indiana. I believe the first 2-lane style, at least in the county. Anyway, people are dumb and can't figure these out!! I guess it's because we don't have a ton like they do in Europe. So last week someone blasted right into the roundabout without yielding and hit me as I was trying to exit. Damage to my front bumper/passenger front quarter panel and their drivers side door.

I really hope they don't blame me. Two sheriffs showed up and the report says I was hit in the rear. HOW COULD THEY MESS THAT UP!!? I know I was correct, but who knows what will happen if they got that much wrong.

This happens a lot around here...somehow people can't figure roundabouts out.

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My wife was in an accident a few years ago - sheriff's report incorrectly stated my wife's car hit the other one (yes it moved sideways and hit the left hand front corner of the other car with the side of her car). As it turned out the driver of the other car (who worked for Anthem health insurance) did not have insurance - so she was automatically at fault (by law we have to include insurance for uninsured motorists in Ohio).

My daughter has been reviewing some of her medical files (now they are on-line) and cannot believe how much is incorrect! If someone hits their head and has a concussion - maybe you might want to ask the other people who were there what happened.

Sorry, way off topic.

Roundabouts can work well, but the learning curve can be steep.

Roundabouts should work great. The problems begin when drivers don't want to wait their turn and decide to cut in instead of yield. Typical selfish behavior from people who mistakenly believe their steel shell will protect them.

Spend some time viewing YouTube videos of bicycles and UK roundabouts and you'll see this isn't an American problem, it's a rude, selfish people problem.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. That is a call to action. You're being tasked with a certain type of behavior. When people try to abide by it, it makes for a much better world.

~ Chance

I learned how to drive in New Jersey, including going through many 2-lane roundabouts in rush hour traffic. One lane roundabouts are great. Two lane roundabouts are the dumbest idea I have ever seen. They basically consist of traffic lanes that cross over each other at each 2-lane entrance/exit point. I am absolutely amazed that there were not more accidents.

+

Roundabouts are logical & efficient,,,, most people are neither!!

obligatory:

Living in Massachusetts for about 6 years I got really comfortable with roundabouts - they are awesome and really efficient compared with 4 way stops.

MythBusters did a show comparing how many cars they could get through different intersections with a stop light, four way stop sign and a roundabout. The roundabout won for efficiency and number of cars in whatever set time the test was for (1 hour?).

The actual MA driving handbook gives the right of way to the car already in the roundabout. So if you were exiting the rounadbout (ie: already in it) and someone hit you entering the roundabout then they are at fault. Insurance companies should see it no different.

People can't even seem to figure out a four-way stop, and you want them to figure out a roundabout?

Please.

I personally am not fazed by "traffic circles" as roundabouts are called in New York. I do not like them, however. Here's one viewpoint on the subject from Jalopnik:
http://jalopnik.com/5318776/five-reasons-american-drivers-will-never-love-roundabouts/

I was rear-ended in a roundabout a couple years ago (when I stopped to avoid hitting the car who cut me off) - despite that, and several other close calls, I wish we had a lot more roundabouts. They are so rare where I am that most people don't know how to navigate them, but they are clearly and unmistakably better for traffic flow. If we had a lot more of them, people would learn. Sure, you will always have some try to cut in, but that is true with any type of traffic control...it is hardly unique to traffic circles.

The other thing to consider is the severity of crashes. Even if they didn't reduce the overall number of crashes, they do tend to reduce the speed at which crashes happen. This is a very good thing...making an insurance claim is annoying, but being put in the hospital is another thing entirely.

Cyclops942 said:

People can't even seem to figure out a four-way stop, and you want them to figure out a roundabout?

Please.

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Actually roundabouts are much easier once you get the hang of them. It's the four-way stops where even though the person on the right is supposed to get the right of way you never know what will happen when three or more cars pull up to the intersection at the same time.

Stop signs tend to interrupt the pace of things. With roundabouts, or traffic circles, flow is constantly maintained and it just works.

Believe me - when I first moved to MA traffic circles had me thoroughly confused for about 6 months until I got the hang of them.

You want confusing and irritating try driving in New Jersey with all their jug handle left turns - now those just drive me crazy!

ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond said:

Actually roundabouts are much easier once you get the hang of them. It's the four-way stops where even though the person on the right is supposed to get the right of way you never know what will happen when three or more cars pull up to the intersection at the same time.

Stop signs tend to interrupt the pace of things. With roundabouts, or traffic circles, flow is constantly maintained and it just works.

Believe me - when I first moved to MA traffic circles had me thoroughly confused for about 6 months until I got the hang of them.

You want confusing and irritating try driving in New Jersey with all their jug handle left turns - now those just drive me crazy!

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Reminds me of the few years I spent living on Cape Cod, Mass. Fond memories of the Bourne ROTARY.

I actually had to look up "Jug Handle." NJ is indeed famous for them. According to Wickipedia:

The New Jersey Department of Transportation defines three types of jughandles. "Type A" is the standard forward jughandle. "Type B" is a variant with no cross-street intersected by the jughandle; it curves 90 degrees left to meet the main street, and is either used at a "T" intersection or for a U-turn only. "Type C" is the standard reverse jughandle.[2]​