From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundabout

A roundabout is a type of road junction at which traffic enters a one-way stream around a central island. In the United States it is technically called a modern roundabout, to emphasize the distinction from the older, larger type of traffic circle.

Overall, roundabouts are statistically safer than both traffic circles and traditional intersections,[1] with the exception that cyclists have a significantly increased crash rate at large roundabouts. Roundabouts do not cope as well with the traffic on motorways, highways, or similar fast roads.


I have only recently experienced roundabouts, in Utah and in Colorado. I've never seen any in Southern California, where I've always lived. I'm curious what you all think about them.

 

We have two roundabouts in Covington. Both are new. They work fine, and I think I spend less time getting through them than I used to when they were traffic lights.

However, now that you mention it, I can see why they might be dangerous for bike riders. Cars entering the roundabout have a very short period of time in which to spot traffic already in the roundabout. If they don't spot a bike rider (quite possible), then they may drive right into him.

 

As a Cali Girl, they are very foreign to me. On my/our way home from Colorado we were in a Saint George, Utah gas station, next to an I-15 off ramp. I hated the thing when I got off the freeway. As Jerry (Spokes Man ) said, if you don't know where you want to go, they are worthless. Anyway, I watched as a car went in the opposite direction of the traffic flow, after I looked because I heard a horn. Maybe they work good for locals, but not for anyone else?

 

I hate them because they always confuse me. We have a couple around here and I always timidly creep through hoping I don't get hit.

 

You definitely get used to them if you travel in the UK much. They were everywhere in Scotland. They are used sparingly in this area, instead of speed bumps, in neighborhoods where speed is a problem. Small ones on local streets. I don't think there are any large ones around.

 

Seattle has hundreds of those. Those are "traffic circles", intended to "calm" traffic (ie. slow it down). The difference between those and roundabouts is that roundabouts are intended to speed up throughflow, compared to a light or a four-way stop.

 

My experience here in Florida and in Colorado is with single (entrance) lane, local-road roundabouts; I don't think I've seen one with more than two circling lanes. These work fine, although when the traffic is heavy, people get confused and they slow down significantly.

I've seen pictures of multi-entrance-lane ones, with many circling lanes, in European cities. Like the very concept of driving on the left side of the road, these big boys scar the hell out of me. HPH

 

They are called Rotaries where we live. In our area traffic already in the rotary has the right of way, while in other states traffic entering the rotary has the right of way. It can get confusing.

They can be a challenge, as some folks think they are a "free for all." Not a favorite part of driving in unknown areas for me.

 

If you find a single lane rotary fun, you really need to try the accelerated version which is the two lane rotary.
And yep you can't travel a 1/4 mile in Scotland without going through a roundabout.
The Mother of all roundabouts that I have seen is the end of the Champs D'Elysee around the Arc de la triumph which is something like 8 lanes of fun.

 

We had an automatic, thank goodness. I was nervous enough with the +1 driving on the left. I felt like we were going to crash into something any minute on the left shoulder, since the roads out in the country were very narrow. The roundabouts weren't so bad once we got through a few.