Retention is long, but finally arrived at the roundabout and from there the traffic will be more fluid in our journey home . It’s the worst of the rush hour. We approached the incorporation and have to wait: the cars travel at high speed and many of them invade the three lanes of the roundabout in an attempt to get out of it sooner. They arrive as missiles and one patiently endures his chance to get out, often accelerating and pole-position plan. But no way. When it is about to go get another car at high speed we also closes the options with an increasingly widespread habit and with devastating consequences for traffic: not point off the roundabout. They spend two, three or even four cars without indicating the start and we regret the fact that we could join before the first if he had indicated his maneuver. The line behind us is growing and patience conductor runs behind and start the “harassment”. The rest of the story can end each with their daily experience.
This misuse of roundabouts is spreading to our misfortune, and the worst is that it is invalidating the effectiveness of the best method of traffic management at intersections. Roundabouts provide all benefits, on paper
- register a accident significantly lower than that of the crossings, including those regulated by traffic lights. To get an idea of the magnitude of accidents occurring at intersections, in the United States die an average of twenty people a day in collisions that occur at intersections, whether they are semafóricamente or unregulated.
- managed in a more efficient traffic flow , since vehicles are not forced to stop and the movement is more fluid than at intersections with stop sign or traffic lights, in the always at some point stop vehicles.
- As a result of this, not least, the impact on the environment is lower, as cars are not required to be detained with the engine running.
- are much cheaper the cost in the medium and long term junctions with traffic lights.
The intermittent phobia
If you think driving in roundabouts know why you keep doing wrong?
Good, nice, cheap … and yet we are dynamiting gradually efficacy . Yes, we, the drivers. Just a couple of minutes as observers in a roundabout, especially if it has more than two lanes, to see what happens. This brilliant tool for traffic management and is under attack from several fronts simultaneously by driving attitudes that ultimately override traffic efficiency and therefore suffers:
- Rules for use : it seems incredible, but in the 2015 there are still many drivers who not only know openly how driving on a roundabout, but also do not hesitate to admonish angrily thinking you’re a Sunday when you turn it on the outside lane. Much has no idea about the highway code, and the remaining part is forced to breaching it to safeguard its own security. Only a small group of brave dares to move closer to the exit lane and it costs horns, braking and all kinds of insults, and so if you end up not stamped by one of those missiles on wheels.
- Intermittent : This is possibly one of the biggest problems in traffic management to face the roundabouts. As we pointed out when opening the article, which incorporates the driver can not do it until you have the assurance that the vehicle traveling she will leave. However, a considerable number of vehicles never shows off the roundabout, with cars entering can not do until it is not completely empty. And if this happens in a three-lane roundabout, actually are fatal managing resources.
What if we used it properly?
arrive in Spain the Turbo Roundabouts! a crazy design that will save traffic and accidents
Part of the set is solved with known as turbo roundabouts: a hacked roundabouts so that the outer rails force is used only to make the outputs and thus the driver to use the inside lane to turn and avoid the dreaded cross. This format provides the same entry and exit maneuvers are clearer, but has the disadvantage of being complex and excessive signaling, and if some are already bundled with the conventional ones, with these we can expect the worst. However, in an ideal situation in which the drivers properly utilize the roundabouts what would happen? We can only speculate, but speculation itself begin to guess what we’re missing.
In an ideal situation in which the drivers apply strictly the highway code drivers would use the outside lane for driving both outputs to effect , while the interior is reserved for turning only . In any case, any maneuver would conveniently indicated. Well, with this configuration, several things happen:
- Roundabouts would live a better use of its flow, as drivers would use both in a predictable manner, and therefore, more cars circulate inside simultaneously, which would ease traffic.
- Joining them would be much faster and safer because we would know that a car pointing his departure from the outside lane, clears us and we could incorporate us entry before it came out. Furthermore, the vehicle driven on the inside lane never change lanes without first indicate, so there would fear dangerous cross.
An idyllic situation, unfortunately, would be real if everyone did what should be behind the wheel. Unfortunately, it seems utopian.
If you think driving in roundabouts know why you keep doing wrong?
arrive in Spain the Turbo Roundabouts! a crazy design that will save traffic and accidents