Does America have round-abouts?

[aeroblaster]

They are VERY uncommon in the United States. They are only found in suburban neighborhoods. Rarely anywhere else.

Round abouts in the United States are typically found in places trying to be 'fancy' such as a hospital or business with extra money to spend.

Round abouts are usually poorly made in the United States, and the lanes barely meet regulation width. That's why drivers freak out. They're not used to it, plus it's built with thin lanes on purpose to slow them down because all these little neighborhoods always complain about cars speeding by their houses.

The thing is, the mere fact it is a circle is enough to slow a driver down. You should not try to couple thin lanes and quick curves. It can be disastrous at times.

On the flip side, cloverleaf roadways are VERY common. You will see them EVERYWHERE.

 

[ENKC]

...You mean to tell me people can't work out how to use them? They're not exactly difficult. You drive around them and turn off at your chosen exit.

 

[Rune342]

I live in Washington and my town has one. Although ours only goes one way, and yet people still have trouble with it.

 

[General Torg]

I live in Iowa and I have seen one in my entire life.

 

[DustyDrB]

Yep. I know of 3 or 4 around Charleston.

 

[emeraldrafael]

I dont think so. At least I've never seen one. we have cul-de-sacs, which are kinda like them (in a way).

When i frst read the title though, I thought you meant merry go rounds. XD

 

[Bailoroc]

East coast has rotaries, West does not.

And that's all I think I know about it.

>.<

Actually, I live in El Paso, Texas and we recently built one.

 

[Lilani]

Oh yeah, they're popping up more and more in Missouri. I don't mind them at all, in fact, I find them quite convenient compared to most standard intersections like that.

Diverging diamonds, though, those freak me out. Looks like this.

It literally makes the lanes switch sides, so you're driving on the left instead of the right. It's confusing as all get out. You get stoplights that look like this.

It freaked me right out the first time I went through one D: I had no clue what was going on. And even now I just have to keep telling myself "just follow the lines, just follow the lines." And I have to be careful because the main one I have to use will shoot you back onto the highway you just got off of if you can't get out of the far left lane in time >.>;

 

[Plazmatic]

In European countries and also here in my home country of Australia roundabouts are extremely common.

I was told that there are indeed roundabouts in America but are extremely uncommon. This was also shown in the Simpsons when they visited England and were completely clueless about a roundabout.

Roundabouts reduce traffic considerably by means of increasing throughput. I suppose my question is why aren't there many roundabouts in America? If you are not from America; are roundabouts common or uncommon?

A simple roundabout

oh we have them allright, the problem is DUMBASS DRIVERS DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE ONE!

Jesus christ I swore I saw a guy just drive over one because he was so confused!

Any way, unlike a lot of european countries we aren't squished in so tightly and have massive highways, there is little need for them most of the time.


also this guy VVV

Oh yeah, they're popping up more and more in Missouri. I don't mind them at all, in fact, I find them quite convenient compared to most standard intersections like that.

Diverging diamonds, though, those freak me out. Looks like this.

It literally makes the lanes switch sides, so you're driving on the left instead of the right. It's confusing as all get out. You get stoplights that look like this.

It freaked me right out the first time I went through one D: I had no clue what was going on. And even now I just have to keep telling myself "just follow the lines, just follow the lines." And I have to be careful because the main one I have to use will shoot you back onto the highway you just got off of if you can't get out of the far left lane in time >.>;

 

[feather240]

I thought you meant the board-game. I'm very disappointed. :C

OT:
I don't think I've ever seen one.

 

[WOPR]

In European countries and also here in my home country of Australia roundabouts are extremely common.

I was told that there are indeed roundabouts in America but are extremely uncommon. This was also shown in the Simpsons when they visited England and were completely clueless about a roundabout.

Roundabouts reduce traffic considerably by means of increasing throughput. I suppose my question is why aren't there many roundabouts in America? If you are not from America; are roundabouts common or uncommon?

A simple roundabout

Yeah we have roundabouts but they're really rare

 

[Heeman89]

My town just put one in and then traffic accidents doubled in town because nobody knows what to do at one

 

[RazgrizInferno]

There's one right in the middle of my college campus. Only one I've ever seen.

 

[shaboinkin]

I seen one in New Orleans

 

[loc978]

I live in the Pacific Northwest... and yes, they exist here, usually in older neighborhoods in the city... and I know them as traffic circles.

...that said, they are much, much more common in Germany. I drove regularly over there for about two years, give or take.

 

[BabyRaptor]

I saw one of those in Waco once. Driving around it confused the hell out of me.

 

[Devil's Due]

I compare this to kids saying things like down with homework simply because it's too hard and challenging for them to understand.

Or an even better example, picture an old guy refusing to use a word processor because the type-writer suits him just fine.

I like how you rarely give us a real chance to defend our system of measuring, and the only pictures you can offer are ones of people who are obviously clueless. I could easily find some of idiots doing the same thing for the metric system. Give the full facts. And honestly? It's our country, and our way to measure. Seriously, quit all these hate posts. This thread is about round-abouts, not our measuring system. Make another thread for that.

As for the thread at hand, we have them, but most are uneducated at trying them since they're so rare. Though there are some all over, including in the West unlike one poster stated. When I was in driving school a bit back, we had to go through some a bit just to get the experience, or else we couldn't pass the school, to help increase the knowledge of all types of roadways possible for maximum training.

 

[Brian Hendershot]

We have a tiny one just outside of college. I live in Missouri.

 

[Twilight_guy]

There are round-abouts in the US In certain towns there quiet popular actually. I'm not sure why there aren't more of them except for maybe nobody liked them that much way back when and its just tradition to not have them now.

 

[sinsfire]

yes we have roundabouts but since we haven't figured out how to merge properly they haven't really caught on in a mainstream sort of way.