Taken out my driver’s window at Carrington, North Dakota on Monday. Reeeeee….lated.
49 Replies to “North America Is Not Europe”
I just came back from driving in Scotland, lots of roundabouts. I also grew up in Edmonton and learned to drive with traffic circles. They are great for keeping traffic moving, but most people haven’t a clue on how to enter and exit them.
Development in my area has led to a particular intersection having a massive increase in motor traffic at a particular intersection, required to traverse in order to enter and leave a quiet, residential area.
As part of the development the traffic lights were replaced by a roundabout. And it definitely ain’t in the Dutch style.
I’m probably now the only cyclist who can exit and enter the residential neighborhood and have a fair expectation of surviving, in part because of my experience with European roundabouts, in part because of my experience cycling in American traffic and in part because there’s hardly an American driver within hundreds of miles of me who has clue what to do when faced with a roundabout, never mind one with a bicycle on it.
It’s refreshing to see that the stupidest engineers in Saskatchewan work for the government, just like in Alberta.
A note on trucks.
It is very hard indeed for a heavily loaded trailer to get around a traffic circle with the extra trailer wheels down. If the driver lifts the extra wheels, the trailer will damage the pavement. If her doesn’t, they drag.
That’s what you’re looking at in that picture, a guy trying to get around the traffic circle without lifting his trailer wheels. Or get around it at all, if the circle is tighter than his turning radius.
In Europe you don’t generally get huge long trucks on secondary roads like we do here.
captcha = road servicio ~:D
No here sympathy for the fellow farmer who has to drive a couple extra kilometers.
I see that in my area, farmers taking the road that is too narrow for oversized equipment rather than the route that a road better suited for oversized. Those farmers routinely break traffic laws. I guess they are the bigger and don’t care about putting others at risk so long as it saves them two minutes.
Obviously you know a lot about trucks, so I’ll wait for you to show how that driver should “lift” a fixed axel!!
@Gord tulk: Mostly for snow storage……
@Phantom: Don’t deny what your said about lifting wheels but truck shown has fixed axles down.
back in my Burlington days, there was a huge revamp of the turnoffs between QEW and 403.
oopsie. didn’t take long for a bunch of transports to keel over. naturally, the official response was to blame the drivers.
The photo shows smart design, which I have seen in AB and in AZ (and apparently in ND): extend the radius of the traffic circle and provide the rolled curb and a drive over area to cater to oversize loads. Why this was not done for the Regina by-pass, particularly at the junction with 46 which is all about oversize loads, is a very good question. And if we are on very good questions, I am curious (and a bit apprehensive) about the flyover on the (soon to be) East bound lane at Tower Road and how it will work in high winds and in winter; both factors that one would think would dominate design in SK. I shutter to think about a semi stuck sideways up there, or worse ending up toppled over onto the traffic lanes beneath…
A roundabout??? The rest of the world is getting rid of these things – and we have one on the Trans Canada?? How really stupid can they get???
I think you missed the point. The farmer who has land on both sides of the highway thought he had it made because he could now cross the highway without endangering himself and those using the busy highway but the dumb-ass designers of the road didn’t do it correctly.
C’mon Mike! Yeah, make them use a level crossing four miles away with traffic whizzing by at 120 kph in both directions while starting from a dead stop, piloting a power unit, air-drill and tanks. Much safer!
The inner-circle of the roundabout – i.e. the section with the brick surfacing – is the “truck apron”. It’s intended use is for large vehicles that cannot navigate solely within the outer-circle of the round-about. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truck_apron
nothing new, this is Canada. they build a two lane road where four are needed. they build a two lane bridge on a four lane surveyed road for future expansion. man tired of stupid does not come close to how I feel.
Ohhh gawwwwd !! There are TWO Euro engineering inventions that Leftists just LOVE to death (in my corner of the US anyway) … Roundabouts and Cable-stay bridges. My little, local town just installed a roundabout and it is a total nightmare. It was supposed to increase traffic flow, and reduce accidents … however it has done just the opposite. This particular intersection handles a high amount of traffic emanating from a huge retirement community (Rossmoor) … what a nightmare … the oldsters take forever to enter the roundabout causing massive traffic backups … and then usually STOP dead in the middle … panicked that another car is in the roundabout with them. Ugggh. But our city manager and city engineer believe they are geniuses for this Euro-style roundabout.
The other Euro-sycophantic engineering envy is for Cable-stay bridges. Don’t they look sooooo kewl … with all those straight line cable emanating from a single mono tower ? The logical, and economical, rebuild of the SF Bay Bridge after the Loma Prieta earthquake was a simple concrete causeway … because the entire span was built over shallow bay mud. But that was too boring … and too American … for Jerry Brown, so he ordered the engineers to install a cable stay tower in the design at massive cost (except for the CHEAP Chinese steel). And as it turns out … the waterproofing details were bungled … so on opening day … the cable-stay roadbed attachment points were already rusting. The brand new multi-billion dollar bridge was being repaired at a cost of tens of millions of dollars the day it opened to the public. All to repair the Euro-cable stay design.
Leftists with Euro-envy are very costly to America. Such idgiots!!
Several roundabouts newly installed here in red deer and blackfalds and they are a godsend. We have our share of seniors and lots of heavy trucks and they seem problem free and traffic flows far better. That said if you have actual stats to compare accident rates between lights and roundabouts I’d like to see them otherwise I’ll just chalk it up to curmudgeonness.
“nothing new, this is Canada. they build a two lane road where four are needed. they build a two lane bridge on a four lane surveyed road for future expansion. man tired of stupid does not come close to how I feel.”
LOL. For our American friends, this post explains everything you need to know about government in Canada.
I remember 170th St. in Edmonton back from about 1970 to 1985 when it was rebuilt for the 15th time in 15 years as it went from a cow path to a 6 or more lane road. They seemed to have great difficulty planning more than 12 months ahead.
I grew up in South Jersey which was the “traffic circle” (not “roundabout” FFS) capital of the East Coast until some morons got the great idea to get rid of them and they were replaced with red lights. I used to enjoy playing a game of chicken seeing who would blink when another car would already be in the circle. Now the red lights last half a century.
I got a laugh at the NDP complaining. Did the NDP ever spend money on highways in Sask? We had a joke in Alberta about knowing where the border was because you went from smooth to washboard in a blink of an eye.
Roundabouts and traffic circles have different rules. With a roundabout, traffic in the roundabout has the right of way. In a traffic circle, traffic entering the circle has the right of way. Traffic circles are bad planning and lead to congestion and higher accident rates. Roundabouts are good planning and allow a higher volume of traffic to transit an intersection of two roads within a given time.
The ONLY roundabout I like … https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Xql99I1VSdI
Another of my nostalgic music indulgences … I like the whole Yes catalog of prog-rock much more now … than when a kid. Perhaps because it was just slightly ahead of its time. Steve Howe is in the Pantheon of brilliant guitarists, and Rick Wakeman a god on keyboards.
I am quite lucky to have the OOP Analogue Productions remaster of this rock masterpiece https://www.discogs.com/Yes-Fragile/release/6622810
They seemed to have great difficulty planning more than 12 months ahead.
Look at the Edmonton city council and you’ll have a good idea what’s going to happen.
I remember when that insufferable socialist Jan Reimer was mayor. Her doctrine was “people are more important than potholes” and, by the time she left office, the streets were in dreadful shape.
We had a joke in Alberta about knowing where the border was because you went from smooth to washboard in a blink of an eye.
I found out how much of a joke that was when I moved from Edmonton to Saskatoon in the early 1980s. The difference was immediately noticeable when I crossed the provincial border at Lloydminster.
Kenj, the problem you describe is driver ability, not round about. Were I go in Europe there are all most no stop signs or stop lights, lots of round-abouts and yield signs, and traffic flows nicely, without a lot of “jams”. There are too many people in N American who have a license but are piss poor drivers. You don’t need a round about to confuse them, they are confused as soon as they close the car door
I think I saw my first round about in Edmonton around the time Michael Jackson croaked. It was in the west end near the Mall. Then I noticed that the new road to Collingwood here in Ontario had a few (my parents live in Wasaga Beach and I was driving my mom to see my dad who was in hospital at the time).
Since then I have spent 3 weeks just north east of Paris, FR and had a rental car all the time. I think round abouts are great and I’m reminded of that every time I wait at a light for an extended period. If you miss an exit you just circle around and get it right the next time. The ones in France can have 3,4 or 5 ways in and out.
The only extra challenge was listening to the GPS say (for example) “enter round about and take the 3rd exit”. When you aren’t familiar with the area at all sometimes you miscount. But, again, you just whip around and do it right the second time.
They’re still more efficient than stop lights.
Easiest intersection to get through. No electrical lights, traffic flow is much smoother. Hats off the traffic engineers of the world! Keep looking right Kate, it always works out!!
I think the idea that Kate was trying to get across is that the roundabout in the picture is made for tiny Euro trucks, unlike the more productive ones we use in North America.
FWIW, I tend to think of roundabouts as skid pads
I became a huge fan of round-abouts on a rented motorcycle in Ireland a few years ago.
I was freaking out over the number of exits on some of them, fearing that I would not be able to process the signage in a timely manner, until it hit me (not the best word choice!) that I did not need to know my exit on the first pass; that I could stay in the round-a-bout until I knew for sure and then exit.
The round-abouts near UBC in Vancouver have vastly improved traffic flow.
I love them. Motorists are generally more careful and considerate in them I find.
I know it’s flat, but you can’t see the Trans-Canada Highway from Carrington, North Dakota even on a clear day.
Edmonton has had quite a number of traffic circles and even put lights on one to increase traffic flow. Lately Alberta highways have put in at least two ‘pink nipples’ one east of Villenue and the other west of Camrose. They seem to make the drive a little easier.
Lived in the UK, drove in Europe too.
Roundabouts in the UK work very well. I think this may be related to the less than 50% first time pass rate on the drivers exam and the strong suggestion that you take driver training. Another thing is the signage as you approach the roundabout. You can see where you should be to line up for a smooth circuit to your exit. European roundabouts looked a bit like this – no real direction for those approaching the roundabout.
Give it time. Those using them will get much better.
100% agreed. I suspect that “bold”, “confident” drivers have little problem with roundabouts, hence, I have no problem with them. But I am also a 100% engaged driver who scans the horizon constantly looking and cataloging everyone else on the road. So when there are multiple cars in the roundabout … I don’t freak out. Just mentally calculate speed and distances, meh. I suspect it is all the disengaged, timid drivers whose innate indecisiveness who have problems with them. Perhaps with a little practice … ?
I am still committed to LOVING you … 🙂
https://www.therecord.com/news-story/2606479-the-safety-showdown-roundabouts-vs-traffic-lights/
You are 2.6 times more likely to collide at a roundabout than at a traffic signal. This is based on 2010 collision rates. A local roundabout will see 1.56 collisions per million entering vehicles; a traffic signal will see 0.61 collisions per million entering vehicles. This finding confirms that local roundabouts are plagued by fender benders.
“I think the idea that Kate was trying to get across is that the roundabout in the picture is made for tiny Euro trucks, unlike the more productive ones we use in North America.”
Europe has plenty of large trucks comparable to our North American ones, as a drive along any major autoroute there would soon reveal.
Truck drivers there also drive comparable distances: a refrigerated truckload of produce has to travel 3,000 km from Spain to Sweden.
stard, context is not you lefties strong point, is it?
that “study” is BS
Here’s the money quote from that study though, second line down-
“You are three times more likely to be injured or killed at a traffic signal than at a roundabout. This is based on injury rates on regional roads. People are hurt or killed in 27.1 per cent of collisions at traffic lights. In roundabouts the injury rate is nine per cent.This finding confirms it’s much harder to get hurt in a roundabout. No one has been killed in a roundabout but there have been four fatal collisions at comparable traffic signals.”
And that’s what it comes down to for civic planners and engineers.
Personally, I like the things. No problems. Especially if I manage to catch an empty one. I also seem to be fairly adept at getting through most regular intersections and overpasses without disaster. There are WAAAYY too many extremely poor drivers on the road in NA, traffic circles aren’t the problem, the standard of driving is.
Even with seniors, roundabouts work. Any problems can be solved by increasing the radius. Stop signs and lights take years off of people’s lives.
Getting ready for those autonomous vehicles…:-) I guess that’s why the lefties like them.
Cattle being herded in safer ways…safety first.
That should read ”When I was kid, the statue was made of boiler late and riveted together. He’s now had a face lift. I liked the old one better.”
God almighty Lord, I’m getting old. That should read ”boiler plate.”
Wash D.C. (someone please) has traffic circles… with lights… and lane strategies that often leave you having to exit on the wrong road if it’s your first time on them. Effing traffic nightmares.
I have a few “rotaries” where I live. Yield to traffic in the circle kind. Quite effective and no death.
The trucker in the picture is lazy, going too fast, or both. From the wear pattern on the brick and sloped curb one can see the option is there by design but it is a negative bank and may prove a load too top heavy.
I do not share the road with bicyclists.
I suppose bad luck having the TransCanada severed through the middle of the homestead back in the 1880’s. Maybe in the next 100 years will have an opportunity to sell the portion on the other side of the TransCanada.
What is that? The farmer decided to pick up land on the other side? Good golly, the taxpayers better build him a special overpass for his special oversized equipment.
Looks like the circle is being used as designed.
Grain truck drivers are another matter. Worst and most dangerous on the road.
Good golly, the taxpayers better build him a special overpass for his special oversized equipment.
Just like he pays special taxes to build special schools for your special git.
I just went across that exact roundabout 2 days ago in my semi. It can be done easily without going over the inner curb. Even if you do usually they’re quite rounded and designed for that.
feel free to google ’roundabout accident first day’
same thing happened in my town on the first day the first roundabout opened.
I just came back from driving in Scotland, lots of roundabouts. I also grew up in Edmonton and learned to drive with traffic circles. They are great for keeping traffic moving, but most people haven’t a clue on how to enter and exit them.
Development in my area has led to a particular intersection having a massive increase in motor traffic at a particular intersection, required to traverse in order to enter and leave a quiet, residential area.
As part of the development the traffic lights were replaced by a roundabout. And it definitely ain’t in the Dutch style.
I’m probably now the only cyclist who can exit and enter the residential neighborhood and have a fair expectation of surviving, in part because of my experience with European roundabouts, in part because of my experience cycling in American traffic and in part because there’s hardly an American driver within hundreds of miles of me who has clue what to do when faced with a roundabout, never mind one with a bicycle on it.
It’s refreshing to see that the stupidest engineers in Saskatchewan work for the government, just like in Alberta.
A note on trucks.
It is very hard indeed for a heavily loaded trailer to get around a traffic circle with the extra trailer wheels down. If the driver lifts the extra wheels, the trailer will damage the pavement. If her doesn’t, they drag.
That’s what you’re looking at in that picture, a guy trying to get around the traffic circle without lifting his trailer wheels. Or get around it at all, if the circle is tighter than his turning radius.
In Europe you don’t generally get huge long trucks on secondary roads like we do here.
captcha = road servicio ~:D
No here sympathy for the fellow farmer who has to drive a couple extra kilometers.
I see that in my area, farmers taking the road that is too narrow for oversized equipment rather than the route that a road better suited for oversized. Those farmers routinely break traffic laws. I guess they are the bigger and don’t care about putting others at risk so long as it saves them two minutes.
Obviously you know a lot about trucks, so I’ll wait for you to show how that driver should “lift” a fixed axel!!
@Gord tulk: Mostly for snow storage……
@Phantom: Don’t deny what your said about lifting wheels but truck shown has fixed axles down.
back in my Burlington days, there was a huge revamp of the turnoffs between QEW and 403.
oopsie. didn’t take long for a bunch of transports to keel over. naturally, the official response was to blame the drivers.
The photo shows smart design, which I have seen in AB and in AZ (and apparently in ND): extend the radius of the traffic circle and provide the rolled curb and a drive over area to cater to oversize loads. Why this was not done for the Regina by-pass, particularly at the junction with 46 which is all about oversize loads, is a very good question. And if we are on very good questions, I am curious (and a bit apprehensive) about the flyover on the (soon to be) East bound lane at Tower Road and how it will work in high winds and in winter; both factors that one would think would dominate design in SK. I shutter to think about a semi stuck sideways up there, or worse ending up toppled over onto the traffic lanes beneath…
A roundabout??? The rest of the world is getting rid of these things – and we have one on the Trans Canada?? How really stupid can they get???
I think you missed the point. The farmer who has land on both sides of the highway thought he had it made because he could now cross the highway without endangering himself and those using the busy highway but the dumb-ass designers of the road didn’t do it correctly.
C’mon Mike! Yeah, make them use a level crossing four miles away with traffic whizzing by at 120 kph in both directions while starting from a dead stop, piloting a power unit, air-drill and tanks. Much safer!
The inner-circle of the roundabout – i.e. the section with the brick surfacing – is the “truck apron”. It’s intended use is for large vehicles that cannot navigate solely within the outer-circle of the round-about.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truck_apron
nothing new, this is Canada. they build a two lane road where four are needed. they build a two lane bridge on a four lane surveyed road for future expansion. man tired of stupid does not come close to how I feel.
Ohhh gawwwwd !! There are TWO Euro engineering inventions that Leftists just LOVE to death (in my corner of the US anyway) … Roundabouts and Cable-stay bridges. My little, local town just installed a roundabout and it is a total nightmare. It was supposed to increase traffic flow, and reduce accidents … however it has done just the opposite. This particular intersection handles a high amount of traffic emanating from a huge retirement community (Rossmoor) … what a nightmare … the oldsters take forever to enter the roundabout causing massive traffic backups … and then usually STOP dead in the middle … panicked that another car is in the roundabout with them. Ugggh. But our city manager and city engineer believe they are geniuses for this Euro-style roundabout.
The other Euro-sycophantic engineering envy is for Cable-stay bridges. Don’t they look sooooo kewl … with all those straight line cable emanating from a single mono tower ? The logical, and economical, rebuild of the SF Bay Bridge after the Loma Prieta earthquake was a simple concrete causeway … because the entire span was built over shallow bay mud. But that was too boring … and too American … for Jerry Brown, so he ordered the engineers to install a cable stay tower in the design at massive cost (except for the CHEAP Chinese steel). And as it turns out … the waterproofing details were bungled … so on opening day … the cable-stay roadbed attachment points were already rusting. The brand new multi-billion dollar bridge was being repaired at a cost of tens of millions of dollars the day it opened to the public. All to repair the Euro-cable stay design.
Leftists with Euro-envy are very costly to America. Such idgiots!!
Several roundabouts newly installed here in red deer and blackfalds and they are a godsend. We have our share of seniors and lots of heavy trucks and they seem problem free and traffic flows far better. That said if you have actual stats to compare accident rates between lights and roundabouts I’d like to see them otherwise I’ll just chalk it up to curmudgeonness.
“nothing new, this is Canada. they build a two lane road where four are needed. they build a two lane bridge on a four lane surveyed road for future expansion. man tired of stupid does not come close to how I feel.”
LOL. For our American friends, this post explains everything you need to know about government in Canada.
I remember 170th St. in Edmonton back from about 1970 to 1985 when it was rebuilt for the 15th time in 15 years as it went from a cow path to a 6 or more lane road. They seemed to have great difficulty planning more than 12 months ahead.
I grew up in South Jersey which was the “traffic circle” (not “roundabout” FFS) capital of the East Coast until some morons got the great idea to get rid of them and they were replaced with red lights. I used to enjoy playing a game of chicken seeing who would blink when another car would already be in the circle. Now the red lights last half a century.
I got a laugh at the NDP complaining. Did the NDP ever spend money on highways in Sask? We had a joke in Alberta about knowing where the border was because you went from smooth to washboard in a blink of an eye.
Roundabouts and traffic circles have different rules. With a roundabout, traffic in the roundabout has the right of way. In a traffic circle, traffic entering the circle has the right of way. Traffic circles are bad planning and lead to congestion and higher accident rates. Roundabouts are good planning and allow a higher volume of traffic to transit an intersection of two roads within a given time.
The ONLY roundabout I like …
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Xql99I1VSdI
Another of my nostalgic music indulgences … I like the whole Yes catalog of prog-rock much more now … than when a kid. Perhaps because it was just slightly ahead of its time. Steve Howe is in the Pantheon of brilliant guitarists, and Rick Wakeman a god on keyboards.
I am quite lucky to have the OOP Analogue Productions remaster of this rock masterpiece
https://www.discogs.com/Yes-Fragile/release/6622810
They seemed to have great difficulty planning more than 12 months ahead.
Look at the Edmonton city council and you’ll have a good idea what’s going to happen.
I remember when that insufferable socialist Jan Reimer was mayor. Her doctrine was “people are more important than potholes” and, by the time she left office, the streets were in dreadful shape.
We had a joke in Alberta about knowing where the border was because you went from smooth to washboard in a blink of an eye.
I found out how much of a joke that was when I moved from Edmonton to Saskatoon in the early 1980s. The difference was immediately noticeable when I crossed the provincial border at Lloydminster.
Kenj, the problem you describe is driver ability, not round about. Were I go in Europe there are all most no stop signs or stop lights, lots of round-abouts and yield signs, and traffic flows nicely, without a lot of “jams”. There are too many people in N American who have a license but are piss poor drivers. You don’t need a round about to confuse them, they are confused as soon as they close the car door
I think I saw my first round about in Edmonton around the time Michael Jackson croaked. It was in the west end near the Mall. Then I noticed that the new road to Collingwood here in Ontario had a few (my parents live in Wasaga Beach and I was driving my mom to see my dad who was in hospital at the time).
Since then I have spent 3 weeks just north east of Paris, FR and had a rental car all the time. I think round abouts are great and I’m reminded of that every time I wait at a light for an extended period. If you miss an exit you just circle around and get it right the next time. The ones in France can have 3,4 or 5 ways in and out.
The only extra challenge was listening to the GPS say (for example) “enter round about and take the 3rd exit”. When you aren’t familiar with the area at all sometimes you miscount. But, again, you just whip around and do it right the second time.
They’re still more efficient than stop lights.
Easiest intersection to get through. No electrical lights, traffic flow is much smoother. Hats off the traffic engineers of the world! Keep looking right Kate, it always works out!!
I think the idea that Kate was trying to get across is that the roundabout in the picture is made for tiny Euro trucks, unlike the more productive ones we use in North America.
FWIW, I tend to think of roundabouts as skid pads
I became a huge fan of round-abouts on a rented motorcycle in Ireland a few years ago.
I was freaking out over the number of exits on some of them, fearing that I would not be able to process the signage in a timely manner, until it hit me (not the best word choice!) that I did not need to know my exit on the first pass; that I could stay in the round-a-bout until I knew for sure and then exit.
The round-abouts near UBC in Vancouver have vastly improved traffic flow.
I love them. Motorists are generally more careful and considerate in them I find.
I know it’s flat, but you can’t see the Trans-Canada Highway from Carrington, North Dakota even on a clear day.
Edmonton has had quite a number of traffic circles and even put lights on one to increase traffic flow. Lately Alberta highways have put in at least two ‘pink nipples’ one east of Villenue and the other west of Camrose. They seem to make the drive a little easier.
Lived in the UK, drove in Europe too.
Roundabouts in the UK work very well. I think this may be related to the less than 50% first time pass rate on the drivers exam and the strong suggestion that you take driver training. Another thing is the signage as you approach the roundabout. You can see where you should be to line up for a smooth circuit to your exit. European roundabouts looked a bit like this – no real direction for those approaching the roundabout.
Give it time. Those using them will get much better.
100% agreed. I suspect that “bold”, “confident” drivers have little problem with roundabouts, hence, I have no problem with them. But I am also a 100% engaged driver who scans the horizon constantly looking and cataloging everyone else on the road. So when there are multiple cars in the roundabout … I don’t freak out. Just mentally calculate speed and distances, meh. I suspect it is all the disengaged, timid drivers whose innate indecisiveness who have problems with them. Perhaps with a little practice … ?
I am still committed to LOVING you … 🙂
https://www.therecord.com/news-story/2606479-the-safety-showdown-roundabouts-vs-traffic-lights/
You are 2.6 times more likely to collide at a roundabout than at a traffic signal. This is based on 2010 collision rates. A local roundabout will see 1.56 collisions per million entering vehicles; a traffic signal will see 0.61 collisions per million entering vehicles. This finding confirms that local roundabouts are plagued by fender benders.
“I think the idea that Kate was trying to get across is that the roundabout in the picture is made for tiny Euro trucks, unlike the more productive ones we use in North America.”
Europe has plenty of large trucks comparable to our North American ones, as a drive along any major autoroute there would soon reveal.
Truck drivers there also drive comparable distances: a refrigerated truckload of produce has to travel 3,000 km from Spain to Sweden.
stard, context is not you lefties strong point, is it?
that “study” is BS
Here’s the money quote from that study though, second line down-
“You are three times more likely to be injured or killed at a traffic signal than at a roundabout. This is based on injury rates on regional roads. People are hurt or killed in 27.1 per cent of collisions at traffic lights. In roundabouts the injury rate is nine per cent.This finding confirms it’s much harder to get hurt in a roundabout. No one has been killed in a roundabout but there have been four fatal collisions at comparable traffic signals.”
And that’s what it comes down to for civic planners and engineers.
Personally, I like the things. No problems. Especially if I manage to catch an empty one. I also seem to be fairly adept at getting through most regular intersections and overpasses without disaster. There are WAAAYY too many extremely poor drivers on the road in NA, traffic circles aren’t the problem, the standard of driving is.
Even with seniors, roundabouts work. Any problems can be solved by increasing the radius. Stop signs and lights take years off of people’s lives.
Getting ready for those autonomous vehicles…:-) I guess that’s why the lefties like them.
Cattle being herded in safer ways…safety first.
Carrington.
That’s the town with the big Sioux Indian in front of the motel. When I was kid, the statue was made of boiler late and riveted together. He’s now had a face lift. I liked the old one better.
http://www.ndtourism.com/carrington/hotels-motels/chieftain-conference-center
That should read ”When I was kid, the statue was made of boiler late and riveted together. He’s now had a face lift. I liked the old one better.”
God almighty Lord, I’m getting old. That should read ”boiler plate.”
Wash D.C. (someone please) has traffic circles… with lights… and lane strategies that often leave you having to exit on the wrong road if it’s your first time on them. Effing traffic nightmares.
I have a few “rotaries” where I live. Yield to traffic in the circle kind. Quite effective and no death.
The trucker in the picture is lazy, going too fast, or both. From the wear pattern on the brick and sloped curb one can see the option is there by design but it is a negative bank and may prove a load too top heavy.
I do not share the road with bicyclists.
I suppose bad luck having the TransCanada severed through the middle of the homestead back in the 1880’s. Maybe in the next 100 years will have an opportunity to sell the portion on the other side of the TransCanada.
What is that? The farmer decided to pick up land on the other side? Good golly, the taxpayers better build him a special overpass for his special oversized equipment.
Looks like the circle is being used as designed.
Grain truck drivers are another matter. Worst and most dangerous on the road.
Here’s an idea. Next time we spend 1.88 billion on a bypass why don’t we make the lanes wide enough so that vehicles larger than Honda Civics are able to use it.
http://globalnews.ca/news/2149065/regina-bypass-costs-pegged-at-1-88-billion/
Good golly, the taxpayers better build him a special overpass for his special oversized equipment.
Just like he pays special taxes to build special schools for your special git.
I just went across that exact roundabout 2 days ago in my semi. It can be done easily without going over the inner curb. Even if you do usually they’re quite rounded and designed for that.
feel free to google ’roundabout accident first day’
same thing happened in my town on the first day the first roundabout opened.