Which are more efficient - roundabouts or 4-way stops?

[Amazon 7]

Trafficdiver

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iAgX6qlJEMc

Look kids, there's Big Ben.

I like roundabouts better, of course, in Massachusetts they're called rotaries. I have no idea why.

They threw all the English junk into Boston Harbor with the tea

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

airtwardo

They're not real common in a lot of older communities...they put a few in up at Oshkosh a few years back.

I guess the idea was to help the massive flow of traffic that suddenly appears there one week a year. Amazing to watch people that probably have never seen one try to navigate through it.

I rode my Harley up to the show last year, after nearly being killed 1/2 dozen times at the roundabouts I elected to avoid them altogether and took the residential side streets instead.

Conversely, there's a really big one in Paris that can have 100+ cars in it at any given time...it's nothing to whip right through there when the drivers know what they're doing.

I live about a half hour north of Oshkosh. I don't think it had anything to do with the traffic associated with the airshow. The DOT just decided that they are a good thing and started building them.

There weren't any anywhere around here, anywhere until a few years ago. Since then, they've sprouted up like weeds.

Overall, I like them. they are more efficient. I think some of the lights could have been left in, and more 4 way stops replaced.
Lights have the advantage of providing breaks in the traffic so that the cross traffic on either side of them can get out onto or across the main street. There's a couple places where it's very hard to cross or make a left turn onto the main street now. Yes, I know the "make a right then a left" trick. Not everyone does and some of the "I've waited long enough and that gap is big enough" near misses are pretty hairy.

I also agree that some sort of mandatory "Roundabout Operation and Navigation" training is really needed. The stupid "Take It Slow" DOT tv commercials are not doing enough.

Some people think that because the stream of traffic ahead of them is going, they don't have to yield to the car in the circle.
Others seem to think it's a mandatory stop to enter.

I had a discussion with an older friend who was complaining about them and he was amazed that different (multi-lane) roundabouts have different lane configurations. Apparently he never realized that the lane designations (through with turn optional, mandatory turn, mandatory through) vary from one to another. And apparently he never read the big, reflective signs that they put all over the things, including painted directly on the pavement.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo