I love roundabouts, because they separate drivers from idiots. However, a lot of roundabouts are built a little too small, which makes it hard to easily maneuver around them.
There are other really cool ways to do intersections that make a lot more sense than the traditional 4-way stop sign/light. But people are resistant to change, even good change.
For example, one thing we are seeing more of is the urban interchange. In this configuration, instead of a large cloverleaf (which people do like, and which btw is a lot like a roundabout), you bring the lower road entrance/exits away from the road, but then swing them back at each other, having them intersect in a cross at the bridge with the other road. This gives you a 6-way intersection, which you can control easily with a stop light. Takes up almost no space, hence the “urban intersection”, but also reduces accidents if the cross-road is very busy (controlled light instead of idiots trying to merge).
Anyway, the thing I loved most driving in England was their roundabouts. I was actually better at them than the british drivers, who didn’t have the skill we get here in the states at speeding up to merge into small gaps.
I close with my favorite wife anecdote. We’re driving through England, where they use road signs that tell you where you are going, rather than what road you are on. We hit a roundabout, and I started circling while my Wife looked at the map to figure out which way to go off the roundabout. I circled once, twice, and said “figure out yet where we are going” and she said “no”. Circled 3, 4 times, and said “are you ever going to figure it out”, and she burst into tears.
We hit a roundabout, and I started circling while my Wife looked at the map to figure out which way to go off the roundabout.
Yes, if you want to go around in circles roundabouts are great. However I want to get where I need to go; preferably w/o crushing any 4-wheelers in the process. When that happens the paperwork is a drag and really slows me down.