Roundabouts at Disney

[Moonjoe]

Last time we went to WDW, we noticed all the complete Stops busses had to make at lights on roads and stop signs throughout the resorts. Of course, buses made complete stops at every stop sign, which they should.

I wondered why Disney hasn’t considered roundabouts on property to keep traffic moving and reduce emissions from all the stopping and going. Any thoughts or opinions on this? Modern roundabouts are becoming more popular in the states.

Joe

 

[Jon81uk]

For some reason the American road system in general doesn't like Give Way (Yield) systems where you don't have to stop and instead seems to prefer stop signs or traffic lights. Not sure why when in the UK and a lot of the rest of the world we only use Stop signs where there is a dangerous intersection where visibility means give way is not practical.

 

[lazyboy97o]

In Florida, many seem to consider stop lights and signs to be optional and Yield sign non-existent. Roundabouts would probably end up with more cars driving into the side of a Disney bus. Floridians are bad drivers who remain in denial by blaming the tourists and the tourists just make things worse.

 

[DisneyJoe]

In my area of NJ (southern NJ), over the last decade or so, they have actively been removing all roundabouts - and there were MANY that had been there for decades - they caused too many accidents, I don't think drivers knew how to drive them.

 

[ohioguy]

I'm all for it. This would keep traffic flowing and improve the experience. That's IF people not used to roundabouts know how they work.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Roundabouts work best on roads with a moderate amount of traffic, but not so well in heavy traffic. So ideally, they would probably work very well at Disney World. In the region where I lived in Germany for several years, they were actively trying to replace stop signs and traffic lights with roundabouts where ever possible. The end results probably shaved a few minutes off my daily commute.

However... many drivers in the US really don't understand how to use them, and as the poster from NJ mentioned, they often made traffic situations worse in these cases. I noticed that when they replaced the roundabout in Somer's Point with a traffic light, the usual back-up leading to the Ocean City causeway has all but disappeared except on very busy days.

So, given the tendency of some guests to leave their brains at home (just look at all the hullabaloo around the Skyliner!), I question if roundabouts would have any benefit at Disney World.

 

[G00fyDad]

Last time we went to WDW, we noticed all the complete Stops busses had to make at lights on roads and stop signs throughout the resorts. Of course, buses made complete stops at every stop sign, which they should.

I wondered why Disney hasn’t considered roundabouts on property to keep traffic moving and reduce emissions from all the stopping and going. Any thoughts or opinions on this? Modern roundabouts are becoming more popular in the states.

Joe

Because American's cannot seem to negotiate a roundabout safely. They installed one near my work several years ago and there is at least one accident a week there. Sometimes it involves a semi truck that overturns going through there too fast. But more often than anything else it is because people in this country do not understand that the street sign, lines on the road, lights, etc mean to STAY IN YOUR LANE. Or they get in the inside lane in the roundabout and then figure out at the last second that they meant to go straight and need to be in the far right lane so they yank their wheel over hard and hit other cars. We just cannot handle roundabouts in this country.

When it was first installed here a buddy of mine that is on the police department here said that a woman was found stopped dead in her tracks at the yield sign before entering the roundabout because she was paralyzed with confusion. People were going around her because they thought her car was broke down. Nope. Just too ignorant to understand the street signs.

 

[Nottamus]

In my area of NJ (southern NJ), over the last decade or so, they have actively been removing all roundabouts - and there were MANY that had been there for decades - they caused too many accidents, I don't think drivers knew how to drive them.

South jersey here as well....Roundabouts have all mostly gone away, like you said slowly....just one left that i travel quite a bit 77 & 40.

Most drivers cant handle a 4 way stop let alone a circle!

 

[G00fyDad]

For people that get stymied at a yield sign a roundabout sign must look like another language.

 

[Jon81uk]

Roundabouts work best on roads with a moderate amount of traffic, but not so well in heavy traffic. So ideally, they would probably work very well at Disney World. In the region where I lived in Germany for several years, they were actively trying to replace stop signs and traffic lights with roundabouts where ever possible. The end results probably shaved a few minutes off my daily commute.

Its very similar in the UK, where there is space to do so many simple junctions now have roundabouts.

But also as we have more roundabouts in Europe they form a central part of driving lessons and tests. If the US has fewer roundabouts it is therefore harder to teach how to drive round them.

 

[Master Yoda]

In my area of NJ (southern NJ), over the last decade or so, they have actively been removing all roundabouts - and there were MANY that had been there for decades - they caused too many accidents, I don't think drivers knew how to drive them.

We are seeing the opposite thing happening here in Jacksonville. Seems like every new intersection is a roundabout and many 4-way stop intersections are getting replaced with them.

As mentioned earlier, they work well in areas with light to moderate traffic. The biggest issue is people just don't get how to use them. I can't tell you how many times I have seen someone freak out and lock up their brakes while in the roundabout.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

In my area of NJ (southern NJ), over the last decade or so, they have actively been removing all roundabouts - and there were MANY that had been there for decades - they caused too many accidents, I don't think drivers knew how to drive them.

That's because no one knows the definition of YIELD...

 

[JustAFan]

In Florida, many seem to consider stop lights and signs to be optional and Yield sign non-existent. Roundabouts would probably end up with more cars driving into the side of a Disney bus. Floridians are bad drivers who remain in denial by blaming the tourists and the tourists just make things worse.

Yeah, that's not just Florida.

 

[lazyboy97o]

For people that get stymied at a yield sign a roundabout sign must look like another language.
View attachment 420290

There is a roundabout that I use where the marking on the road does not have the circle or curve in the arrows. The left lane has a straight and left turn arrow and the right land has a straight and right turn arrow like you would see at a four way intersection.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Yeah, that's not just Florida.

Florida seems to be worse than other places I have driven. My favorite is the surprisingly widespread belief that if the person directly in front of you turns then you do not have to stop for a stop sign.

 

[Jon81uk]

There is a roundabout that I use where the marking on the road does not have the circle or curve in the arrows. The left lane has a straight and left turn arrow and the right land has a straight and right turn arrow like you would see at a four way intersection.

That's almost exactly how the lanes would be marked in the UK.

 

[JustAFan]

Aren't roundabouts a British thing? We Americans fought for our freedom from the British so we can drive selfishly. ME ME ME! It's the American way.

 

[danlb_2000]

In my area of NJ (southern NJ), over the last decade or so, they have actively been removing all roundabouts - and there were MANY that had been there for decades - they caused too many accidents, I don't think drivers knew how to drive them.

I live in that area also, and have actually seen them build some new ones recently, but on roads with lower traffic volume. The ones that were removed were a nightmare because of the huge traffic volume going through them, they seem to work better at lower volumes.

 

[stratman50th]

Some of the issues I see with roundabouts.
The main issue is you really need to know where you are going before you hit them. If you can visualize what road you need to be on so you can continue on the other side of the roundabout you are ok. If not, confusion. People who use them every day are good to go. Throw in someone who isn't sure and they screw up everyone in there.

They rely on yielding which we in the US really aren't that good at. People want to be in front like they're trying to beat the pace car out of the pits.

I've seen many that are designed poorly. There was one where I used to live that had flowers and plants in the center island blocking the view of everyone trying to enter or exit. Pretty, but kinda stupid.

They don't work well with heavy traffic (as said previously).

Disney specific: All of the above but with "Disney Syndrome" drivers. Normal people that in any other situation would do fine but when they hit the property line they take their brain out and play with it. Gazing around completely forgetting that they're actually driving. Plus, the road/traffic direction signage on property can be kind of confusing.

Just throwing in my opinion.

 

[Andrew C]

They are putting a ton on new roads where I live, as well as on existing roads that they are expanding. I personally am glad they are. So much better than a stop sign or traffic light on a road with light to moderate traffic.