Comments on: Roundabouts https://www.isegoria.net/2013/10/roundabouts/ From the ancient Greek for equality in freedom of speech; an eclectic mix of thoughts, large and small Thu, 04 Jun 2026 12:05:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6.1 By: Bob Sykes https://www.isegoria.net/2013/10/roundabouts/comment-page-1/#comment-1000812 Bob Sykes Tue, 22 Oct 2013 11:04:28 +0000 http://www.isegoria.net/?p=33064#comment-1000812 Back in the 50s, rotaries (the local name) were common in Massachusetts, as were three-lane highways (middle lane for passing). Both work well where traffic is light.

Today, the Ohio DOT has become enamored of them, and they are being installed in even high-volume areas. People generally hate them and are frightened by them.

]]> By: Chris C. https://www.isegoria.net/2013/10/roundabouts/comment-page-1/#comment-1000518 Chris C. Tue, 22 Oct 2013 01:36:00 +0000 http://www.isegoria.net/?p=33064#comment-1000518 I live in an Eastern Seaboard (US) suburb. Several years ago, a traffic circle was installed nearby, just outside a small but growing college campus. (Traffic was quite variable: from near-zero most of the time to rather busy.) The circle is clearly marked with large arrow signs (pointing to the right) at each of the four entrances. Yet I have encountered someone turning left (clockwise) into the circle, and another coming to a complete stop and BACKING UP because she had missed her exit! Neither was a college student (both were middle-aged women). I sincerely do not understand what is difficult about a traffic circle for some people. It’s not even NASA-level rocket science.

]]> By: Grasspunk https://www.isegoria.net/2013/10/roundabouts/comment-page-1/#comment-1000274 Grasspunk Mon, 21 Oct 2013 18:58:05 +0000 http://www.isegoria.net/?p=33064#comment-1000274 Seattle’s traffic circles are often on little urban streets and serve just to slow things down. There were no laws stating which way around them you had to go, and going the long way around was often a tight turn so folks just cut the corner and went around the wrong way. Imports would sputter at the ‘illegality’ but that’s just how they worked. I’m thinking by now with the huge influx to Seattle the usage could have switched to the standard model.

]]> By: L. C. Rees https://www.isegoria.net/2013/10/roundabouts/comment-page-1/#comment-1000263 L. C. Rees Mon, 21 Oct 2013 18:29:50 +0000 http://www.isegoria.net/?p=33064#comment-1000263 The problem with traffic circles I’ve fought across America is that they’re context-free. Since they never became the default intersection layout on this nation’s roads, American traffic circles are either first-generation vestiges, new planned community fetishes, or, worse, contemporary faddish retrofits of existing intersections. Whichever species they are, their lack of ubiquity leaves most American drivers unprepared for sudden traffic circle ambuscades from unexpected quarters. I’ve suffered sudden moments of traffic circle inflicted terror from backwoods North Carolina (vestige) to newer communities where the tyranny of fashion makes them mandatory. Along with the growth of adult American interest in football soccer, traffic circles are a leading indicator of Euro-decline in America.

]]> By: Abelard Lindsey https://www.isegoria.net/2013/10/roundabouts/comment-page-1/#comment-1000166 Abelard Lindsey Mon, 21 Oct 2013 16:13:59 +0000 http://www.isegoria.net/?p=33064#comment-1000166 I prefer roundabouts to intersections. However, they do not work well for multi-lane roads with lots of traffic.

]]> By: Tschafer https://www.isegoria.net/2013/10/roundabouts/comment-page-1/#comment-1000150 Tschafer Mon, 21 Oct 2013 15:46:15 +0000 http://www.isegoria.net/?p=33064#comment-1000150 I have no words to state how much I despise these things. Not exactly sure why, but I do.

]]> By: James James https://www.isegoria.net/2013/10/roundabouts/comment-page-1/#comment-1000025 James James Mon, 21 Oct 2013 12:05:24 +0000 http://www.isegoria.net/?p=33064#comment-1000025 You’ve covered this before, of course.

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