The Roundabouts Are Coming

Roundabouts are getting more popular. In Hammond, LA, the city has installed three traffic circles near a Pilot. You need to go around all three to get in and out of the truck stop.

Oh boy!!!! I hope they understand them over there. Here in NJ, most motorists don't seem to know that the driver already in the rounderabout has the right of way!!

They're popping up everywhere. I hate them. What's wrong with a good old-fashioned traffic light anyway?

They're popping up everywhere. I hate them. What's wrong with a good old-fashioned traffic light anyway?

What's wrong? Roundabouts allow vehicles to move through an intersection without having to wait at a red light. No fuel wasting idling.

I like roundabouts if they're done properly. Some of them are just way too small for a big rig to be comfortable so you're going like 3 mph and you're constantly within a foot of running over top of something. When you can look out your driver's side window and read the writing on the side of the trailer you know you're in a tiny roundabout! And you're probably watching out the window as your tandems are climbing over top of the bushes or something.

This link should let you see a zoomed in view of a new roundabout they put in about a year or two ago in Batavia, NY.

Google Maps View Of Roundabout In Batavia, NY

Look at the size of the cars near the roundabout. Now imagine a big rig with a 53' trailer trying to get around that thing. You can certainly do it. But you'll notice it has a few bushes in the middle with a wide reddish ring around them and then the roadway around that. The reddish ring is red brick. They built almost the entire inside of the roundabout out of brick because they knew big rigs would have to climb all over it the entire way around. And the road itself is narrow which makes it even worse. It's interesting watching trucks go through there.

Ill stop at Hammond if I'm supposed to fuel there, but I'm no longer taking 30s there. Used to always hit the petro for some jumbalaya but screw those roundabouts and the traffic there.

Took me forever to get out of the petro last time I stopped there (post roundabout). Also, having to take the interior lane on the first one coming out sucks with your tandems back. Especially with cars next to you with no clue what they are doing.

Ever since I moved to the US, 18 years ago or so, I've known what a roundabout is. They're everywhere here. I'm used to them, although it might be different to maneuver one with a big rig. It was fun to watch my dad when he visited a long time ago, trying to find his way through one....lol

I lived in England for a few years and can say most Americans don't have a clue about how to use Roundabouts. My wife just said, most people are like her and do not know how to signal in Roundabouts. Because Americans just don't get it, Roundabouts can be a problem here. For a quick primer: Stay on the outside lane if it's a multiple lane Roundabout. I got stuck in the middle at Piccadilly Circus. After that, you'll never use anything but the outside lane. And right after you pass the turn you're not taking, put your turn signal on so the people behind you know what you are doing. I personally like Roundabouts because you don't have to stop. You just slow down and maneuver around it. Anyway, that's my 2 cents on that one.

Bad Bob

Some roundabouts around here are indicating which lane to travel on in order to go to a certain exit. So sticking to the outside lane wouldn't work so well, as cars would probably bump into each other...lol