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Roundabouts

Are superior to traffic lights. In nearly all instances. I do live in Carmel though. The unofficial roundabout capital of the world.

Something like a 90% reduction in injury causing accidents. Always work when the powers out. Sure, old people don’t know how to use them and you learn to get ready to avoid out of towners. But, on the whole, better.

However, I would feel guilty without mentioning the sole reason for this post. It’s our love affair with silver Dodge Chargers (or silver Altimas). Objectively the worst drivers, and probably people, in America. I’m picking up dinner because I’m lazy and the wife’s working late. Approach two lane roundabout.

A pause for the uneducated here. By two lanes I mean this

90


The blue outside (bottom to top) is straight or right turn ONLY. Inside lane is left or straight. Got it? Good.

Continuing - see commotion to my right as I’m looking left to enter (I’d be entering from stage right in the diagram). Wouldn’t you know it, a silver Dodge Charger is trying to make a left from the outside lane and smacks a Hyundai in inside lane which was trying to proceed straight. Around here, a tale as old as time.

But, our silver Dodge Charger driver? Out the car arms waving, screaming, cussing. I’ve never seen anyone so confidently incorrect since my daughter tried to explain tariffs to me.

TLDR; Roundabouts rule and could be used as an IQ test for most hiring decisions.
The conflict I often see is a driver entering the roundabout heading straight in the right lane and meeting the inside lane driver as they exit (going straight) You have to yield to both lanes not just the outside ln.

The descritor on the purple lane is also confusing as it indicates left turns and U turns. In reality you can go straight or what they refer to here as a left turn is in reality a right turn off of the loop. Clear?
 
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J-turn intersections are the new fad in Bton.
Ah yes, instead of crossing two lanes of stopped cars to turn left into a third lane of stopped cars you turn right into moving traffic, cross two lanes of moving traffic to get to a u turn lane then merge into a lane of full speed cars (45-70 mph). Perfect.
 
Ah yes, instead of crossing two lanes of stopped cars to turn left into a third lane of stopped cars you turn right into moving traffic, cross two lanes of moving traffic to get to a u turn lane then merge into a lane of full speed cars (45-70 mph). Perfect.
Exactly. The new one they're putting in on the south side will effect me directly.
 
Exactly. The new one they're putting in on the south side will effect me directly.
and when the u turn situation is bad enough, they install a light to stop all traffic which means you are back to where you were with the old intersection.

Dumb as shit.
 
The conflict I often see is a driver entering the roundabout heading straight in the right lane and meeting the inside lane driver as they exit (going straight) You have to yield to both lanes not just the outside ln.

The descritor on the purple lane is also confusing as it indicates left turns and U turns. In reality you can go straight or what they refer to here as a left turn is in reality a right turn off of the loop. Clear?
It's like anything else. You do it 5 times you're an expert. At least, most peopel become experts. Again, YMMV.
 
and when the u turn situation is bad enough, they install a light to stop all traffic which means you are back to where you were with the old intersection.

Dumb as shit.
Yeah, i've seen that.

My favorite was when they opened the one at Allisonville and 96th in Indy. But, within less than an eighth of a mile of each entracne/exit is a stoplight. Like, all they did was stop up traffic in the roundabout.

They've since made the lights flashing yellows and, ta-dahhh, it works fine.
 
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Given roundabouts started in Europe a certain type of American will automatically object to them.

P.S. Our founders included many whose democratic philosophies came from European philosophers. OMG.
Thankfully they were the right philosophers. Today's in Europe are power hungry socialists/communist types. Ours were for freedoms we have in the Bill of Rights
 
Thankfully they were the right philosophers. Today's in Europe are power hungry socialists/communist types. Ours were for freedoms we have in the Bill of Rights

Van, as you undoubtedly know, on the subject of power hungry authoritarian despots our Founders gave us a federal government complete with three branches along with checks and balances to prevent presidents from acting like kings.

Well, should rephrase the above. They can still act like kings, but hopefully not be able to exercise the power of a king :).
 
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People who rail against roundabouts don’t live in areas that actually have them. They are awesome and move traffic much more efficiently.
I like roundabouts other than all the people that can't navigate them properly and then honk at people because they assume it's the other person that is in the wrong.

People are lucky I don't make the roundabouts. I would put spikes in it for the people that think they can keep going straight when the sign clearly shows otherwise.
 
Van, as you undoubtedly know, on the subject of power hungry authoritarian despots our Founders gave us a federal government complete with three branches along with checks and balances to prevent presidents from acting like kings.

Well, should rephrase the above. They can still act like kings, but hopefully not be able to exercise the power of a king :).
The people have the power to vote the rascals out. That was a great gift to us.
 
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