Does America have round-abouts?

[Nimcha]

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

We do and I've seen them, but now I want to ask a question.

Does Europe have any cloverleaf roadways? You know, like this?

Yep, we have a few of those in the Netherlands. Then again we only have a few major highways.

 

[Aur0ra145]

Yes, my town has 3, they are in the middle of no where, and all three are on the road to the lake's dam. It's annoying as fuck to drive around them, namely because it's generally just two roads going into them.

 

[Toriver]

Alright, I get it. Roundabouts in the US are not an east coast thing. I honestly didn't know exactly where they were so I went with the post earlier than mine that commented on them being on the east coast and not the west. I am very sorry for being wrong. Please stop quoting me with other locations.

 

[The Hero Killer]

I'm from the Houston, Texas area and I've never seen one. And if I did I wouldnt know what to do.

 

[smithy_2045]

Single lane roundabouts are great. Double lane roundabouts scare me though. (Australia, btw)

 

[LuckyClover95]

Heh, I live in England and there's two within 10 minutes WALK from my house, it seems crazy some of you have only seen them once or twice

 

[Danny Ocean]

You call that a roundabout? P'fah!

This is a roundabout.

Spoiler

Magic Roundabout in Swindon. Voted 5th scariest junction in the UK.

In all seriousness though, this is the best kind of roundabout. [http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=brunel+bus&sll=51.510158,-0.58749&sspn=0.005422,0.013647&ie=UTF8&t=k&ll=51.510636,-0.594935&spn=0.001355,0.00545&z=18&iwloc=A] It looks hellish, but it's actually simpler than a regular one. You just get into your lane and stay in it, and you get around.

We do and I've seen them, but now I want to ask a question.

Does Europe have any cloverleaf roadways? You know, like this?

A few, but our motorways don't tend to cross like that.

 

[Spencer Petersen]

We have a few here in my hometown. When they were proposed a lot of people got upset for no real reason, then the traffic accidents in those areas went down around 80% and that shut them up.

 

[cthulhumythos]

they are in here in cape cod. but here we call 'em rotary's.

 

[Jhuyt]

My home town has 12. More than any other city I have seen, and my city has less than 90,000 people in it.

There are 33 in my home town an dwe got 75000 people in it.
We love these things in Sweden

 

[Ren3004]

Well, I personally hate roundabouts. I understand they're necessary when there are like 5 or six intersecting roads, but here, they seem to build a roundabout whenever they feel like it. I've seen a roundabout with two exits... You know, like this -O-

 

[Jonny1188]

I can't even fathom the sheer amount of death and carnage a roundabout would cause where I live. People can'r even drive at the first sign of rain... which is ironic since it rains 80% of the year.

 

[Mcupobob]

I live in California and there is one in Fresno. Though I've never heard of it being called a rotary. We call it the roundabout here.

 

[Dwarfman]

They're not everywhere but we do have them. It's called a rotary where I live.

Okay please forgive the ignorant Aussie savage, but rotary? That's a funky engine in some brands of Japanese sports cars for us! Why did your government come up with the name rotary or is a that simply a popular term for it? Although I'm guessing rotary cause it's round right?

 

[ShasoRmyr]

There's one near where I live that has eight roads connecting to it. It's the bane of all new drivers. (Who are pretty much required to go on it at lest once to get their license.)

 

[Jewrean]

Yay I started a somewhat popular thread over a fairly stupid topic. I guess we can all relate to it somehow... anyway!

 

[4nthr4x]

I love how OP gives a pic for left hand side drivers in the UK and asks Americans what they think of it. Of course they will be confused looking at that!

regular roundabaouts are very common in our country.
As for the highways, we also have some good solutions. This one is under construction right now:

Spoiler

it's very easy, and completely along common sense

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

Yes we do have them. And, after three years of it being in place in my city, people still act like retards when they pull up to it.

I hate roundabouts. At best they tend to be white knuckle affairs. At worst (like the ones in Kuwait City), you simply close your eyes, mash on the gas and hope for the best. You'd think being in an armed and armored HMMWV would give me right of way but people in the middle east yield for nothing.

And for a truly exciting interchange, how about this little number in Dallas, TX:

 

[Magnesium360]

Yes we do have them. And, after three years of it being in place in my city, people still act like retards when they pull up to it.

They're common in Australia and we still have that problem.

 

[Giest4life]

I know we have some up here in D.C.