I'm not saying I'd like a roundabout every 100m like in Ireland, or the connected ones that on a map look like an Audi logo, but they do reduce congestion and the needless sitting at redlights during low traffic hours. So I'm glad to see San Antonio giving it a shot.

But are they really that complicated for people to understand? Or is it just Americans who consider driving to be the lowest priority task they're doing at any moment?

Gig103: I'm not saying I'd like a roundabout every 100m like in Ireland, or the connected ones that on a map look like an Audi logo, but they do reduce congestion and the needless sitting at redlights during low traffic hours. So I'm glad to see San Antonio giving it a shot.

But are they really that complicated for people to understand? Or is it just Americans who consider driving to be the lowest priority task they're doing at any moment?

Drunk drivers.

Neighbors will help the city decide what to put in its place.

How about a Sparta style bottomless pit? This way, the drunk driver situation will be solved.

haemaker: Neighbors will help the city decide what to put in its place.

How about a Sparta style bottomless pit? This way, the drunk driver situation will be solved.

I like the cut of your jib.

FTA : The city is also looking for a place to put the fountain.

How about inside Khloe Kardashian?

I hate news sites that take you to the front page not TFA if you access them from a phone.

This is why we can't have nice things!

Some dumbfark hipster wearing an oversized tie and carrying a fistful of wildflowers tried to walk in front of me in a roundabout on First Hill here in Seattle today. When I stopped and waved him on, he became very angry and pouted very sternly and stalked across the road.

The center of the roundabout isn't for pedestrians. There isn't a sidewalk there.

I parked, got my Stumptown coffee, and left soon after. Life's too short to be so angry, hipster-guy.

AverageAmericanGuy: Some dumbfark hipster wearing an oversized tie and carrying a fistful of wildflowers tried to walk in front of me in a roundabout on First Hill here in Seattle today. When I stopped and waved him on, he became very angry and pouted very sternly and stalked across the road.

The center of the roundabout isn't for pedestrians. There isn't a sidewalk there.

I parked, got my Stumptown coffee, and left soon after. Life's too short to be so angry, hipster-guy.

I'm pretty sure it's only a $50 for running down a hipster.

I did a goggle map on that roundabout...looks dangerous.

haemaker: Neighbors will help the city decide what to put in its place.

How about a Sparta style bottomless pit? This way, the drunk driver situation will be solved.

That's way less messy than the gigantic horizontal spikes I envisioned.

I'm going to have to add driving through a roundabout to my driving bucket list.

/'do a seven point turn to get out of a parking' lot was recently scratched off

opiumpoopy: I hate news sites that take you to the front page not TFA if you access them from a phone.



/hautelinked

Bad driving. Call it morning driving through the sound and in and out the valley...

Replace the fountain with convicted drunk drivers and let new ones hit them.

Gig103: But are they really that complicated for people to understand?

Apparently, there's a roundabout near me and I've seen people get going the wrong way on it quite a few times (which takes some doing). Of course the way the roundabout is set up, once you get going on it the wrong way it's very hard to hit the proper exits, the people will then get confused and exit into oncoming traffic lanes.

since it was built three and a half years ago it has been hit 26 times - often by drunk drivers

Hmmm... how about a giant Nerf ring? That might help. Screeech.... plooompf!

Gig103: I'm not saying I'd like a roundabout every 100m like in Ireland, or the connected ones that on a map look like an Audi logo, but they do reduce congestion and the needless sitting at redlights during low traffic hours. So I'm glad to see San Antonio giving it a shot.

But are they really that complicated for people to understand? Or is it just Americans who consider driving to be the lowest priority task they're doing at any moment?

My hometown started converting a bunch of intersections to roundabouts several years ago. Eventually they vastly improved traffic flow, but for years they made it worse because people are farking idiots and didn't understand how they worked. Even today some people don't. Too many idiots stopped rather than yielding when they reached the roundabout, too many idiots switched cut across a lane to leave the roundabout, etc. Once people are used to them roundabouts are typically a great improvement (although my home town has developed a tendency to put them in intersections where they're unnecessary and make things worse), but when you first introduce them to people who haven't used them before, be prepared for a clusterfark.

jtown: haemaker: Neighbors will help the city decide what to put in its place.

How about a Sparta style bottomless pit? This way, the drunk driver situation will be solved.

That's way less messy than the gigantic horizontal spikes I envisioned.

How about putting the spikes at the bottom of the pit?

Gig103: I'm not saying I'd like a roundabout every 100m like in Ireland, or the connected ones that on a map look like an Audi logo, but they do reduce congestion and the needless sitting at redlights during low traffic hours. So I'm glad to see San Antonio giving it a shot.

But are they really that complicated for people to understand? Or is it just Americans who consider driving to be the lowest priority task they're doing at any moment?

Texans + Liquor = Stupid¹⁰⁰

As a truck driver, I'd like you to please consider keeping roundabouts on secondary roads. They are great for controlling 4 wheel traffic, but a real bear for an 80' truck, especially when they're busy. We need all the lanes we can get on those things just to squeeze through. People constantly try to pass on the right and it is down right dangerous. Big trucks can't see you there.

Keep them near schools and subdivisions, but away from anywhere that receives freight or heavy truck traffic.

/all for the drunk pit.

texas- pffft

change1211: I'm pretty sure it's only a $50 for running down a hipster.

Wait, are we talking a $50 fine or a $50 reward?

Texas is a shiathole.

I enjoy roundabouts, by and large, but I've also seen a few "additions" that are mind-numbingly stupid. For example, a tiny residential intersection with a planter and a tree placed right in the middle and stop signs still in place. Good luck figuring that one out. Turns are impractical and even going straight requires you to weave.

Roundabout near my house. Most people don't have a problem with it but it scares the hell out of you when you approach it for the first time.

I went round it on my first day on a motorcycle......now THAT was scary.

opiumpoopy: I hate news sites that take you to the front page not TFA if you access them from a phone.

Me too. At least I didn't have to search for it for an hour

Pert: [i.thelocalpeople.co.uk image 448x300]

Roundabout near my house. Most people don't have a problem with it but it scares the hell out of you when you approach it for the first time.

I went round it on my first day on a motorcycle......now THAT was scary.

There's one like that in Hemel Hempstead, confused me first time I encountered it

http://g.co/maps/zncje

It's like a concrete DWI test! Hell, if it works that well, I'd be putting them on every street with a CCTV and a crash sensor.

change1211: AverageAmericanGuy: Some dumbfark hipster wearing an oversized tie and carrying a fistful of wildflowers tried to walk in front of me in a roundabout on First Hill here in Seattle today. When I stopped and waved him on, he became very angry and pouted very sternly and stalked across the road.

The center of the roundabout isn't for pedestrians. There isn't a sidewalk there.

I parked, got my Stumptown coffee, and left soon after. Life's too short to be so angry, hipster-guy.

I'm pretty sure it's only a $50 for running down a hipster.

I ran over hipsters before they fined you for it.

This roundabout is in Olmos Park. Olmos Park is a municipality which San Antonio later grew around. Same as here; about four miles east down Olmos Boulevard in Alamo Heights.

I drive that intersection often; preferring the use of the round and have never had issue with it. I've only had issue with bufoonery behind the wheel on the part of some others using the round. Pulling out directly in front of me when I have right of way being already in and moving about the round. Then my favorite; those in front of me, moving about the round with me; slowing or stopping to let cars in the roundabout. Cue Morbo the newsmonster: "Roundabouts don't work that way!!"

The fountain was "dismantled" on Saturday and will be replaced with native greenery. I am concerned some drunk peckerwood will now just sail through the plants and possibly be lined up with oncoming traffic on whatever street is opposite of their entry.

It's annoying they made concessions to irresponsible pinheads. I'd rather Darwinism take its course with the fountain or the low maintenance bollards that preceded it.

As for the fountain itself; with water restictions I did not often notice it spewing water (you'd think it would circulate a fixed amount with some infeed for evaporation /shrug). It will be stored by Olmos Park and may be relocated to a much larger round, Alameda Circle; in a residential area just to the NE (maybe half or quarter mile-ish? away).

The "dismantling" looked rather brutal more like a demolish and the top pan did not come come off cleanly. I would not be suprised if the fountain is not seen again, and the citizens group that raised money for it; is later at further odds with City of Olmos Park.

Artemus_Hackwell: Then my favorite; those in front of me, moving about the round with me; slowing or stopping to let cars in the roundabout.

Do they ever post signs that say, "Traffic in circle has right of way" or "Signal when exiting circle"?
They seem to be needed in the US. But of course I'm assuming basic literacy here, so your signage may vary.

Pert: [i.thelocalpeople.co.uk image 448x300]

Roundabout near my house. Most people don't have a problem with it but it scares the hell out of you when you approach it for the first time.

I went round it on my first day on a motorcycle......now THAT was scary.

I design roundabouts; that's a traffic circle, which is a completely different type of intersection. After reading TFA, it sounds like drunk drivers are the main reason for all the crashes. Sorry, highway engineers can't design for stupid. As for the truck driver claiming they don't work on roads with lots of big trucks, I disagree. I've designed roundabouts at interchanges that handled truck traffic very smoothly; it's all about the usable pavement width and interior truck apron.

0Icky0: Artemus_Hackwell: Then my favorite; those in front of me, moving about the round with me; slowing or stopping to let cars in the roundabout.

Do they ever post signs that say, "Traffic in circle has right of way" or "Signal when exiting circle"?
They seem to be needed in the US. But of course I'm assuming basic literacy here, so your signage may vary.

There are yield signs as you approach / enter the roundabout.

Artemus_Hackwell: 0Icky0: Artemus_Hackwell: Then my favorite; those in front of me, moving about the round with me; slowing or stopping to let cars in the roundabout.

Do they ever post signs that say, "Traffic in circle has right of way" or "Signal when exiting circle"?
They seem to be needed in the US. But of course I'm assuming basic literacy here, so your signage may vary.

There are yield signs as you approach / enter the roundabout.

Also I like to signal as I enter and as I pick my exit point.

But what will they do with the fountainhead?

teardrop: There's one like that in Hemel Hempstead

Well unless I farked up the link, that WAS the one in Hemel Hempstead!

Bendal: I design roundabouts; that's a traffic circle, which is a completely different type of intersection.

I disagree. Even if it is a traffic circle (and I don't think it is and anyway we'd never use that phrase in the UK) it's a traffic circle that has got a series of mini roundabouts around the periphery.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a traffic circle just one gigantic roundabout, probably with multiple lanes, and round which you can only travel in one direction?

This is the one in the picture:



It's a series of mini roundabouts and therefore as you approach the overall junction you can (depending on which lane you select) go round the whole thing clockwise or anticlockwise.



Here's the Wikipedia page on it

Pert,

I'd still call that thing a traffic circle; I didn't notice the mini-roundabouts at the intersections initially, but those just control the traffic flow at specific locations. The traffic circle is the larger construct which the mini-roundabouts are part of; in the US we'd call that thing exactly what I just described it as. In the US a traffic circle is much larger than a roundabout, and the traffic in the circle has to yield to entering traffic (the reverse of a roundabout). Also I didn't notice it was in the UK; you guys have a lot of odd intersections over there...

I think they should put in a big solid catcher's mitt. Make it seriously strong so it can take the impact of the idiot drunks who run their cars into it.

Gig103: I'm not saying I'd like a roundabout every 100m like in Ireland, or the connected ones that on a map look like an Audi logo, but they do reduce congestion and the needless sitting at redlights during low traffic hours. So I'm glad to see San Antonio giving it a shot.

But are they really that complicated for people to understand? Or is it just Americans who consider driving to be the lowest priority task they're doing at any moment?

You must consider that the amount of Americans who seemingly can't be bothered with following simple directions from a stoplight is rather large.

No, "just turned red" does not mean you get to keep going through the intersection.

Bendal: the traffic in the circle has to yield to entering traffic (the reverse of a roundabout)

I see. But in that one the traffic entering the junction has to give way (yield) to the people already in the junction. The traffic going around any of the mini roundabouts has priority over the traffic entering any of the mini roundabouts.

Here's some video of the Hemel roundabout in action:

Link

Here is an animation of a roundabout in Swindon....... I really have no idea what's going on here...

Link

Atomic Spunk: Bad driving. Call it morning driving through the sound and in and out the valley...

Came for this. Leaving with earworm stuck in my head.

I don't understand why they're removing such an apparently effective traffic control device!

Think about it: If this was a regular intersection, these drunks would have sailed right through it, probably getting into an accident with an innocent party and causing injuries, if not death, to the innocent parties. I'm sorry, but they're drunk! Best thing you can do for everyone is to get them off the road as quickly as possible. Roundabouts everywhere! Especially near sport event stadiums.

Bendal: Pert,

I'd still call that thing a traffic circle; I didn't notice the mini-roundabouts at the intersections initially, but those just control the traffic flow at specific locations. The traffic circle is the larger construct which the mini-roundabouts are part of; in the US we'd call that thing exactly what I just described it as. In the US a traffic circle is much larger than a roundabout, and the traffic in the circle has to yield to entering traffic (the reverse of a roundabout). Also I didn't notice it was in the UK; you guys have a lot of odd intersections over there...

I never thought I'd witness a Fark nerd-fight over the Hemel magic roundabout.

My Internet experience is now complete.

7th Son of a 7th Son: jtown: haemaker: Neighbors will help the city decide what to put in its place.

How about a Sparta style bottomless pit? This way, the drunk driver situation will be solved.

That's way less messy than the gigantic horizontal spikes I envisioned.

How about putting the spikes at the bottom of the pit?

Not quite enough. They would have to electrify the spikes. And they'll need wolverines. Lots of them.

I like the concept of a roundabout, and the first time going through one was a bit odd, but I quickly saw its merit. However, my fellow Floridians are freaked-the-fark-out by them. I tend to avoid the few we have just because the other drivers PANIC and try to escape like its some sort of commie death trap or something.

They look good on paper, but the drivers here are confused and afraid of them. But then again, stop signs and turn signals are more of a suggestion around here. People be crazy here.

Pert: Roundabout near my house. Most people don't have a problem with it but it scares the hell out of you when you approach it for the first time.

I went round it on my first day on a motorcycle......now THAT was scary.

WTF is with the marking? The big one I've dealt with is the inside lane can turn at anytime, the outside lane has to get off the next turn.

That looks like you have to stop.

Not a repeat from Clearwater Florida. The fountain there kept peeing on windshields. This confused and angered the Q-tips and wrinkle monsters that populate the area. The fountain was ripped out not long after it was built.