Roundabouts Are Safer. So Why Does The U.S. Have So Few Of Them? - CNBC

[Laurelin]

27. There are a lot of roundabouts near me

In the Netherlands, mostly two lanes plus a separate section with two lanes, one for bikes and one for people.

The bike and pedestrian lanes are really separate, with a grass verge between them and cars. They're outside the car roundabout. You could get hit by a car during the time you're crossing the street but cars are always responsible for accidents with bikes or pedestrians, no matter how many rules the biker/pedestrians are breaking. Cars tend to be cautious.

In my town we also have a bovenring for bikes and pedestrians under the car traffic circle, and a hovenring above a traffic intersection, on one of the larger roads.

I love the roundabouts when I'm biking because I never have to stop at a light. In a car, they're designed well enough that I don't have trouble entering and exiting. During rush hour you might have to wait a little while to enter but not as long as I'd wait at a light.

I'm still a bit nervous driving here because there are bikes, kids, people and dogs everywhere. The roundabouts don't make me any more nervous than the streets themselves.

Sidewalk curbs are really low, easy to bump over on a bike or a car. People drive cars and park on sidewalls because resudential streets are narrow and curvy (by design, cars have to go slow and there are fewer accidents,.)

I should add that before I moved here and lived with roundabouts I hated, hated, hated them.