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Comment by paulette449 | Hacker News Reader

I spend a lot of time near Manchester, VT where there are a handful of roundabouts including two in quick succession, one of which is as small as it is busy. The problem, based on my observations, is that many Americans have no idea how to use roundabout, nor how to signal through them. I feel unsafe every time I'm in the roundabout and have nearly been T-boned multiple times by people feeling they have the right to enter the roundabout regardless of existing motorists already being there. The Yield sign before the roundabout is ignored.

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It’s a chicken and egg scenario. Until they’re more common, people won’t learn. Hopefully we’re just in that awkward middle phase.

There's a path to that though: start with single-lane or turbo roundabouts with a turn at each entrance and you're golden.

Also, require roundabout knowledge to pass the knowledge test to obtain a driver’s license, as well as practical experience when in a trainer’s permit. This ensures go forward expertise inherent in the population after a certain date.

People (education), process (implementation plan), technology (implementation).

I'm pretty sure this is tested in all states already.

It's possible, I haven't taken a driver's ed course in decades. Suggestions on potential data sources to confirm ground truth wrt this being included in current assessments?

(my motivation is more roundabouts)

> people feeling they have the right to enter the roundabout regardless of existing motorists already being there.

This baffles me. It's not like T-boning someone is good for your car either.

Only thing I can imagine is they think it will operate like getting on a freeway, where you have some time in a dedicated lane before you have to merge?

I live in the UK where roundabouts are ubiquitous and most people still don't understand them perfectly. The Highway Code[1] is too ambiguous.

- give priority to traffic approaching from your right, unless directed otherwise by signs, road markings or traffic lights

- watch out for all other road users already on the roundabout; be aware they may not be signalling correctly or at all

The second rule means if you have already entered the roundabout you have right of way over traffic yet to enter the roundabout to your right. What can happen in practice is that people to your right rock on and beep you out for the temerity of getting there first.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/using-the-road-...

In the UK, roads entering the roundabout are often curved sharply towards direction of the traffic on the roundabout, so that it's more like merging lanes than entering a junction, so collisions are more likely to be sides hitting sides than a t-bone.

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