Video description:
Roundabouts - the circular intersections seen all over Europe and elsewhere in the world - are said to be far safer than traffic lights. Research shows they reduce crashes, clear up congestion and save cities quite a bit of money. They have a heritage in the U.S., but America has a fraction of the roundabouts that far smaller countries like France, Spain and the United Kingdom have. But there are some states that are adopting them, and one small town in particular: Carmel, Indiana. The people of Carmel love their roundabouts and the mayor credits them with helping revitalize his city. So are they all they’re cracked up to be? And if so, why hasn’t the U.S. adopted them?
My girlfriend’s parents are from small rural communities and still live in one. Just last weekend we got to hear all about how there was a roundabout installed, and “traffic is going to be messed up” and “it is so confusing” and “why can’t we just have the stop sign back?”.
No amount of telling them facts to the contrary will change their opinion because they’re also of the generation that thinks: if this isn’t how we’ve always done it, it must be wrong, because we’ve always been the best.
“We don’t want it to change because that is how it was and if you change it then it won’t be that, that’s why we can’t change it”
Small town folk when they approach a round about:
Crying hillbilly Flea