Lets talk about “roundabouts”. Near my home town they built one in the middle of nowhere because why not. Then they had to rebuild it because they hadn’t made it big enough for semis to get around. You can probably count on one hand how often each week two vehicles end up there at the same time.
Near me now there are several “roundabouts”. One is a curb in the middle of what is otherwise a normal intersection. One direction has no signs. The other has stop signs.
Another is three sawhorses with an arrow sign and a circle painted on the road around them. The arrow signs might as well just say “good luck”!
No one uses them the way they are supposed to be used because no one trusts other people to use them the way they are supposed to be used. And with the ones near me they can’t possibly even function that way.
All of these roundabouts only exist because people hear how great roundabouts are and demand them. And I’m sure they are great, but you need educated drivers, proper signage, enough space, and consistency. And they need to be used in spaces they’ll be effective. We get none of that anywhere in the states I’ve ever seen.
Near me now there are several “roundabouts”. One is a curb in the middle of what is otherwise a normal intersection. One direction has no signs. The other has stop signs.
Another is three sawhorses with an arrow sign and a circle painted on the road around them. The arrow signs might as well just say “good luck”!
No one uses them the way they are supposed to be used because no one trusts other people to use them the way they are supposed to be used. And with the ones near me they can’t possibly even function that way.
All of these roundabouts only exist because people hear how great roundabouts are and demand them. And I’m sure they are great, but you need educated drivers, proper signage, enough space, and consistency. And they need to be used in spaces they’ll be effective. We get none of that anywhere in the states I’ve ever seen.