| Polar Bear |
11-27-2016 10:59 AM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrs. Robinson
(Post 1326300)
Define "less effective."
In this case, less effective also means fewer accidents.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrs. Robinson
(Post 1326301)
The effective and (especially) efficient ones are usually quite large -- large enough to handle some pretty heavy traffic.
Those which have been built here are much too small to make traffic flow safely and efficiently.
The real problem is, regardless of how much the topic is talked and written about, 95% of the residents still don't know how to drive them!
They either just don't get it, don't care or are simply scared to death of them.
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Efficient (the word I used) means handles a greater volume of traffic and is also safer. The roundabouts in TV are an appropriate size for the traffic they are asked to handle and are still far more efficient than either stop signs or traffic signals would be at the locations they are implemented.
Replacing all the roundabouts in TV (it's not gonna happen by-the-way) would certainly result in far greater delays and almost as certainly an increase in the number of accidents. This claim is backed up by numerous traffic studies over the years as roundabouts have become more widespread.
Roundabouts are only good at intersections and in areas that meet certain criteria, and the locations in TV where roundabouts have been implemented meet those criteria.
From a more anecdotal perspective, I have been in TV for almost four years now, and I've never witnessed an accident in a roundabout. I've seen a few of the silly, potentially dangerous driver actions of course, but none that couldn't be avoided by adhering to the two most important roundabout driving principles... 1) when approaching a roundabout always yield to traffic in both lanes of the roundabout, and 2) never drive alongside another vehicle when within the roundabout. Obey those two "rules" and the only mistake that can hurt you in the roundabout is one of your own doing.
I will agree with you that many residents, and especially visitors, don't know how to drive the roundabouts. But if you drive according to the two rules listed above, even those drivers' mistakes will be easily avoidable.
By the way, just for the record, during my career I spent roughly thirty years in the field of traffic and transportation. I am a Professional Engineer in the State of Florida and have a Masters Degree in Transportation Engineering from the University of Florida. |
