[jdmichal]

Then there's roundabouts that look like this:

https://www.google.com/maps/@27.9775503,-82.8273026,101m/dat...

Multiple two-lane entrances. An inner lane that goes all the way around but cannot exit. An outer lane that has a single break between the incoming and outgoing sides of the same road.

Oh, and cherry on the sundae, it's in a tourist-heavy area, so many drivers have little-to-no familiarity with it. People block the outer lane waiting to move inside when the outer lane disappears. And then block the inner lane waiting to go through the outer lane to exit.

Not all of this is on the drivers...

[jermaustin1]

I'd actually say that is close to an optimal traffic circle. I'd add an even inner-er-er lane, make the outside lane a mandatory exit. If you enter in the right lane, you exit. The middle lane connects to the left of each entrance, and is able to exit at ANY of the exits, and the most inner-er lane would allow you to potentially bypass a traffic jam at another exit.

[jdmichal]

I think what you're describing is GGP's second example:

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.2981376,-73.935245,212m/data...

In which case I agree completely. And, from what I can tell, they're about the same size, so IMO this was a design miss, not a space constraint.

For me, it's all about the surprise factor. In my example, the outer lane almost goes all the way around. So you end up surprised after passing two exits and then being forced to merge to pass the next one. GGP's example is completely symmetrical, so nothing is surprising.

[icebraining]

Yeah, that outer lane thing is weird, you should always be able to circle the roundabout (although you should be going on the inner lane, unless you know you're exiting next).

[TylerE]

At some point someone has to bite the bullet a break the people don't know how to use roundabounts so no one builds them because no one knows how to use them vicious cycle.

It's finally starting to happen, at least in some parts of the country.

Even a mediocre roundabout is far better than that bane of American suburbia, the 4 way stop.

[HarryHirsch]

Look harmless. From the description you'd have thought this was the Magic Roundabout in Swindon!

It just reinforces the prejudice that Americans can't drive.