I did not know that

[j-c-c-62]

I recently attended a public workshop with Florida DOT on local highway upgrades they are considering.
One suggestion they have considered is the traffic circle.
They mentioned that studies show an 80%? reduction in serious injuries at a circle vs a regular controlled 4 way intersection.
I asked why is that?
Because the cars never/seldom meet at right angles and most collisions are glancing with less energy transfer.
I never considered that.
Interesting.

 

[Detective D]

I recently attended a public workshop with Florida DOT on local highway upgrades they are considering.
One suggestion they have considered is the traffic circle.
They mentioned that studies show an 80%? reduction in serious injuries at a circle vs a regular controlled 4 way intersection.
I asked why is that?
Because the cars never/seldom meet at right angles and most collisions are glancing with less energy transfer.
I never considered that.
Interesting.

It generally forces people to slow down. Even lunatics can;t go through them over 40mph.
What they won't say is that the occurrence of accidents goes UP significantly. It's just that the accidents are not life threatening due to being under 25mph usually.

WI is putting them everywhere. A few people like them. Most I talk to despise the things and make jokes about them. I find them stress inducing and often put places they have no business being because it is way, WAY cheaper to do a hill of dirt and a circle of pavement then wire up lights and such.
EV people and self driving car advocates push them also as "future proof" because the self driving car network the cars should all "see" each other and flow should be optimal.

Strongly prefer regular, American red and green lights. The advocates for circles make it sound like people are getting killed left and right, when in reality the accidents per capita are very uncommon.

 

[Photon440]

I like them because it usually means that I don't have to stop for a stop sign or light, just keep on driving.

 

[69 Sleeper Bee]

We consider those circle tracks here in north Florida.
The race is on when you enter one.

 

[GTXDAN]

They're putting them everywhere here in GA too. Check this new exit they are putting on I75 south of ATL that is for trucks to get to the warehouses on both sides of the interstate. A traffic circle on either end of the overpass that the ramps run right in to.

 

[kiwigtx]

We consider those circle tracks here in north Florida.
The race is on when enter one.

Yup.

I have gone sideways around many roundabouts here in my years.

 

[j-c-c-62]

We consider those circle tracks here in north Florida.
The race is on when you enter one.

My first visit to Paris in 1980 was a layover, I figured I would get plenty of sleep on the flight home, so it was late and we decided to rent a car and see the city of lights when traffic was light.
Made so many trips around the Arc of Triumph, the police pulled me over and wanted to know what I was doing.
I figured mentioning I was checking the under/oversteer balance would not translate well.
I like traffic circles. They seem to move traffic more efficiently and I despise being the only car sitting at a red light at night waiting for the light to cycle thru.

 

[kiwigtx]

My first visit to Paris in 1980 was a layover, I figured I would get plenty of sleep on the flight home, so it was late and we decided to rent a car and see the city of lights when traffic was light.
Made so many trips around the Arc of Triumph, the police pulled me over and wanted to know what I was doing.
I figured mentioning I was checking the under/oversteer balance would not translate well.
I like traffic circles. They seem to move traffic more efficiently and I despise being the only car sitting at a red light at night waiting for the light to cycle thru.

I also had fun at the Arc de Triomphe ..... it is intimidating to begin with as the French are all mad bastages when they're behind the wheel....but you just have to make a leap of faith and punch your way through.

ehh....close enough.....

 

[#41]

There are still plenty of collisions, but everyone has to go so slow is why there are fewer injuries.

At first I hated them because people in this country don't know how (or won't) cooperatively merge, but it does seem now that people are starting to get the hang of it.

 

[kiwigtx]

At first I hated them because people in this country don't know how (or won't) cooperatively merge, but it does seem now that people are starting to get the hang of it.

You guys too....and I thought it was just Auckland drivers.

My favourite saying which I was keen to produce as bumper stickers is.....

Merge like a Zip, don't drive like a Prick.

 

[kiwigtx]

Yup.

I have gone sideways around many roundabouts here in my years.

BTW that stunt was performed by a Kiwi driver - Rhys Millen.

I guess being brought up in New Zealand he learned how to handle roundabouts.

Indy Car champ Scott Dixen lived not too far from me for a time, and in his youth, he used to see how fast he could go past one of the speed cameras down a road in the area......even dodging the Palm trees on the centre median wasn't enough to evade the flashes. He admitted to that in a candid interview years afterwards...when he became famous.

 

[Moms68]

I like them because it is better than sitting at a red light or having people blow the light and cutting you off. They work well except the ones (in Massachusetts) that have 2 lanes, and those get very competitive.

 

[YY1]

We've been getting these-

Uh, say whaaaaaaa.....?

 

[Car #4]

I like them because it is better than sitting at a red light or having people blow the light and cutting you off. They work well except the ones (in Massachusetts) that have 2 lanes, and those get very competitive.

I hate the two lanes ones. To me they’re just an accident waiting to happen when the inside lane wants to exit and the outside lane doesn’t.

In Dublin Ireland there’s a three lane one near the airport with a traffic light.

 

[Curiousyellow71]

We've been getting these-

View attachment 1833619

Uh, say whaaaaaaa.....?

These intersections are even more stupid when snow covers the road, and there are no arrows to follow. The driver just has to figure out where to go.

 

[cosgig]

I love em, people hate em. We have a number of dual circle roundabouts right close to me, and I find them easy to use. It’s the knuckleheads that don’t understand the simplicity of them that make em more difficult to use. My biggest advice to users, go to the inside lane, staying on the outside because you’re scared is the easiest way to be funneled to a lane you don’t want to be in. And don’t stop in the roundabout for any reason, it just fucks the whole thing up.

 

[68BabyBlue]

It generally forces people to slow down. Even lunatics can;t go through them over 40mph.
What they won't say is that the occurrence of accidents goes UP significantly. It's just that the accidents are not life threatening due to being under 25mph usually.

WI is putting them everywhere. A few people like them. Most I talk to despise the things and make jokes about them. I find them stress inducing and often put places they have no business being because it is way, WAY cheaper to do a hill of dirt and a circle of pavement then wire up lights and such.

Seems to parallel my experience in fleet safety when I was in the tank truck business. Less experienced drivers had more accidents, but usually minor. Guys with over 10 years experience had the lowest rate, but the highest severity. Over confidence was a killer that overcame skill.

 

[WileE]

Just come to New Jersey where the idiot drivers will demonstrate how inept they are.

 

[GTXDAN]

We've been getting these-

View attachment 1833619

Uh, say whaaaaaaa.....?

We have several of those to. They seem to work pretty good. People around here don't know how to use the traffic circles (they're called round abouts here). They stop before entering even if there are no cars. I followed a woman just a couple of days ago and she stopped going around to let another car cut in.

 

[YY1]

We have several of those to. They seem to work pretty good. People around here don't know how to use the traffic circles (they're called round abouts here). They stop before entering even if there are no cars. I followed a woman just a couple of days ago and she stopped going around to let another car cut in.

Yep.

We have a new one in a residential area right up against a railroad crossing.

If there's a train, all traffic for miles comes to a halt.

Before the circle, you could go around the stopped traffic waiting for the train, and take an alternate route.

Now, because the one lane, one way circle is stopped, all traffic on all feeder roads is also stopped.

Extremely frustrating.