Recent article in the news was the confusion in the US when a US state next door here introduced roundabouts.
Having grown up in the UK, coming to Canada in the early '70's, I was suprised by the number of gas wasting 4 way intersections.
The reason for the confusion IMO, is the foisting on the general public with the total lack of education on their useage.
The result here was drivers going the wrong way around etc, etc.
I had always considered them a boon, and was very glad I grew up with them.

 

Having grown up in the UK, coming to Canada in the early '70's, I was suprised by the number of gas wasting 4 way intersections.

Having grown up in the US, watching National Lampoon's European Vacation in the mid '80's, I was suprised by the number of land- and time-wasting circular roundabouts.

 

We call the rotaries here in Massachusetts, and they are everywhere. The rule is that the vehicle in the rotary has the right-of-way, but only about half the drivers seem to know that.

 

I’m in favour. There are five on my 15 mile drive to work. Traffic slows down but rarely stops, and when there is no traffic there is no needless waits like with traffic lights. Statistically, they are a lot safer than trafffic light (no equivalent of “running a red light” or you crash into the vegetation in the middle).
They work less well when traffic backs up in all directions.
I wouldn’t want to Live in Milton Keynes as it has 130 of them.

 

I like them in general for high traffic areas, but they are annoying when used in a residential area with a slow speed-limit and little traffic, where a side-street stop-sign would have been sufficient.

 

I like them in general for high traffic areas, but they are annoying when used in a residential area with a slow speed-limit and little traffic, where a side-street stop-sign would have been sufficient.

Until now I haven’t noticed or given thought to a couple factors. A full stop requires using maybe more gas than a non-stop round about. But, here near a university at times can be difficult. I don’t mind them.

kv