Roundabouts Save Lives…

[MRockwell]

To the observation that many people seem to not know how to use roundy-rounds: When was the last time "seasoned" drivers took a driving test to renew their drivers license? I haven't had to since I was 16 and in drivers ed.

 

[KLB]

To the observation that many people seem to not know how to use roundy-rounds: When was the last time "seasoned" drivers took a driving test to renew their drivers license? I haven't had to since I was 16 and in drivers ed.

Same here. Got a waiver from drivers ed and have just had written tests to get my license.

 

[KLB]

A well designed round about, in the proper situation is good, I think.

Roundabouts in a 55 mph stretch of highway? You’ll have to convince me.

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That is where safety comes to play. No more left turns across traffic travelling at high speeds.

They put one on IN-2 near me, which is 55 for two lanes. It was a five way intersection with poor visibility. Traffic has to slow down there now, but it is so much safer to either enter or cross there now. This is interesting. Google's satellite image is still before the change, with an overlay of the roundabout on it

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

That is where safety comes to play. No more left turns across traffic travelling at high speeds.

They put one on IN-2 near me, which is 55 for two lanes. It was a five way intersection with poor visibility. Traffic has to slow down there now, but it is so much safer to either enter or cross there now. This is interesting. Google's satellite image is still before the change, with an overlay of the roundabout on it
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Oh safety is important. So is keeping the flow of traffic going. In the example I showed, I firmly believe the benefit for the NB lanes of 37 would be good. But we're not starting with a full time 4-way stop intersection. If it were that, it'd be an improvement. In the proposal I showed, you'll be stopping (or extremely choking down) the flow of traffic of the SB lanes for much of the time. I'm not a fan.

 

[BE Mike]

All I know is that the roundabout in Jeffersonville at 265 and 10th is the least round roundabout in the world.

 

[Snapdragon]

Sure they do. All you have to know is how to handle yield signs and use turn signals. Sadly though, most people are too stupid to know how to do either.

I also love roundabouts. Some are not designed all that well, but they all let traffic flow better.

I am a fan also. I don't know what is so complicated about 'proceed if there are no cars coming, stop if there are'. The larger ones can be more complicated, but the smaller ones are basically a 4 way yield.

 

[WebSnyper]

Rockville Road needs a bunch of them. That's the worst stretch of traffic in the Indy Metro area if you ask me.

Rockville definitel needs something (first to finish the current construction mess would be nice). That said, if they would stop closing all the east west roads around 36,that allow folks to bypass it, that would help as well.

That said, roundabouts on the other roads around 36 have been helpful to alleviate traffic there and make them viable alternatives even during peak times, when they are not all closed at the same time.

 

[KLB]

Oh safety is important. So is keeping the flow of traffic going. In the example I showed, I firmly believe the benefit for the NB lanes of 37 would be good. But we're not starting with a full time 4-way stop intersection. If it were that, it'd be an improvement. In the proposal I showed, you'll be stopping (or extremely choking down) the flow of traffic of the SB lanes for much of the time. I'm not a fan.

Do you think that is worse than having a light there?

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Do you think that is worse than having a light there?

Yes.

 

[printcraft]

Of the few, 2, here people seem to think the best action is to try to jump in front of someone who is already in the roundabout.
Yielding is for suckers.

 

[marvin02]

Reasons not to like roundabouts:

1. The drivers who think that a roundabout means, "Great, I can just keep going and everyone must yield to me".

2. The roundabouts that have a million lanes and no signage, except maybe on the street. It does actually snow in Indiana making the arrows painted on the street unreadable. The traffic can also be so dense you can't see the street markings.

3. Hybrid roundabouts with exits that don't flow into the roundabout, but that aren't clearly marked. It's like they want to see how complicated they can make it.

4. The drivers who don't slow down for the roundabout.

5. The drivers who think yield and stop both mean stop.

6. Roundabouts with obstructions to your view so you can't see if there are other vehicles in or near the roundabout as you approach.

Roundabouts are heaven for over aggressive drivers who never yield, don't slow, change lanes in the roundabout, and think that they always have the right of way and are the world's best driver.

Roundabouts work best when drivers are confident, but polite. They need to be posted well before entering them with clear signage that includes street names and lane guidance.

 

[PGRChaplain]

Roundabouts don't work too well in the Fort Wayne area, folks here still haven't figured out those pesky four-way stops.......

 

[Mark-DuCo]

They are going to install one in Dubois County at Bretzville Junction (intersection of 162 and 64). It will be the first one that I know of in Dubois County, and possibly the surrounding counties, so it will be a giant mess for awhile.

The closest thing we have is the square around the courthouse in Jasper, and the traffic flow for that is bass ackwards. The incoming traffic has the right of way and traffic in the square has to yield.

I love round abouts, but they can be a mess if nobody knows how to use them.

 

[DragonGunner]

I remember coming up to my 1st round about, my son was with me in his 20’s …. What the **** is that!? Holy crap, well it went ok but sure didn’t like it. But after a few of them they are ok now. I make sure I yield then after that if I gotta circle 3-4 times I’m the boss so stay clear.

 

[oze]

Roundabouts don't work too well in the Fort Wayne area, folks here still haven't figured out those pesky four-way stops.......

Trying to get onto SB I69 from WB DuPont Road is absolutely insane. As a punishment, I want whomever came up with that design to have to negotiate it over and over for the entire rush hour for a month. Oh, and the same for Tom Henry as well.

 

[Bigtanker]

I make sure I yield then after that if I gotta circle 3-4 times I’m the boss so stay clear.

I've been known to do that too.....


....in a semi!!!

 

[Timjoebillybob]

I saw that Carmel is averaging just two fatalities per year with less than two fatalities per 100,000 residents per year. The national average is over eleven fatalities per 100,000 residents. This also plays into cheaper insurance rates for residents and those that work there. Hopefully more communities and states will adopt them...

Not sure about the cheaper insurance rates, from my understanding there are more accidents in roundabouts than in traditional intersections, they just tend to less severe with lower injuries/fatalities. And with the way cars are designed now even minor accidents can cause major damage to the vehicles.

As for fatalities it's hard to compare a single town/city to a nationwide average. What was Carmel's rate prior to the roundabouts being installed? That would be IMO a better metric to use.

My town has had one vehicle to vehicle accident fatality in the 18 yrs I've lived here, and it wasn't due to the intersection. It was between a moped and they believe a semi, the guy on the moped was on his way to work, in the dark, in the middle of a snow storm and they believe a semi sideswiped him. And his death was not directly caused by the accident, it was exposure. He wasn't found for a couple of hours. And we have one roundabout which was put in a few years ago. We're a smaller town but have more traffic than most comparable towns due to the intersection of two state hwys and being a tourist destination. But even just going by permanent resident population our fatality rate is lower than Carmel's.

That being said, I don't mind roundabouts. At least not well thought out/marked ones. I'm waiting to see the next one that is planned to be installed, it's on a state hwy with two other roads that end at the intersection and an exit from a park.

 

[Ingomike]

Is round about etiquette covered in drivers ed? Sure wasn’t when I had it many many many years ago!

Roundabouts as we know them today did not exist until the late 90’s. When they first wanted to try them they reached out to DOT for standards but they did not have any, so research was done and it was found that Australia had been creating standards so those standards were the beginning.

So no we did not cover them in drivers ed…

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Roundabouts as we know them today did not exist until the late 90’s. When they first wanted to try them they reached out to DOT for standards but they did not have any, so research was done and it was found that Australia had been creating standards so those standards were the beginning.

So no we did not cover them in drivers ed…

The first roundabout I ever saw was in Australia back in 2000. The girl I was visiting was driving and we came to one. I asked how you determined who had the right of way and her answer was, "Whoever is bravest!"

 

[Ingomike]

6. Roundabouts with obstructions to your view so you can't see if there are other vehicles in or near the roundabout as you approach.

This is by design to make one slow down. Also, most do not just go straight into the circle, they have curves designed to force the vehicle to slow down…