Am I the only one who had never heard of a "roundabout" (used for drivers)

[NES]

Costa Rica is full of them, they are called Rotondas or Rotundas in English I think.

 

[go2guy]

Called traffic circles in Jersey. Like 'em

 

[sportsmonitor]

got em here too.....but don't like them.

It sucks during the morning and at 5 o'clock during rush hour. You have to wait forever to get through them. Most people are so cautious they don't know whether to stop or go and inveriably there's always an accident. I prefer the quicker traffic lights that keep traffic flowing. Also like the traffic lights that change whenever there is traffic one direction but nothing coming the other way so you don't have to sit at an intersection forever in a day waiting for the light to change.
It also sucks turning left in a roundabout because you have to go all the way around the damn thing and people are constantly jumping in front of you and attempting to cut you off. I guess that explains why there are so many accidents in a roundabout.

 

[GreenDoberman]

Several of them here in Summerlin. Don't like them as I always seem to get stuck in the wrong lane. It's probably more due to unfamiliarity more than anything else on my part.

 

[kermit16]

there are a couple in Vegas on a street north of Red Rock hotel
forgot the name of the street
also have one in the NW suburbs of Chicago on a major street

The only two I know of here in Las Vegas are on Town Center Drive a mile north of Charleston. Since most drivers are not familiar with the rules, these two roundabouts are always accident prone.

 

[cd329]

how exactly can this be better then a stop light or 4 way stop sign? I gotta believe this thing causes alot more accidents. I got dizzy just looking at the picture of it up above.

 

[sportsmonitor]

I got dizzy just looking at the picture of it up above.

LOL

That picture is an example from somewhere outside the U.S. since they are driving on the opposite side of the road then the way we drive. Roundabouts are good though when there isn't much traffic flow because you can usually zip right through.

 

[TTinCO]

how exactly can this be better then a stop light or 4 way stop sign? I gotta believe this thing causes alot more accidents. I got dizzy just looking at the picture of it up above.

As long as everyone realized that they are "right turn only" and that you need to pick your lane depending on your plans, you're fine.

The one's that are 2 lanes REALLY throw the clueless for a loop.

 

[cutacrossshorty]

As has been mentioned already, they are plentiful in Massachusetts and the word "rotary" is a household word. If you were to say "roundabout" here in MA, hardly anyone would have any idea of what that is. Some would ask if you are talking about the 70's song by the band Yes (pretty good number).

Also, the rule is that a driver entering a rotary must yield to any vehicle already in the rotary. Once you know that, you should be able to navigate them.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mobj5Fe1y5Y&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mobj5Fe1y5Y&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

 

[MrJ]

Everywhere in Australia, but generally only for backstreets or connecting roads where the government wants to slow you down.

 

[MrJ]

how exactly can this be better then a stop light or 4 way stop sign?

For a less busy road? It's better. Four way stop signs are hopeless, at least in Australia, since nobody is sure what to do. Roundabouts are much, much better.

 

[RobFunk]

For a less busy road? It's better. Four way stop signs are hopeless, at least in Australia, since nobody is sure what to do. Roundabouts are much, much better.

Exactly. Just wait for an opening drive on, get off when your street comes up.

And it helps if everyone uses their blinker! haha

 

[maxdemo]

Have a few here in Houston but mostly in the Rich part of town....so the rich don't have to stop completely at a 4way...JMO