Accident near Traffic Circle

[Zeke]

It is obvious that a good many memebers do not like traffic rounabouts. And in this case, were quick to blame a traffic circle. It's not the circle, it's driver error, the cause of just about every accident. Pay attention, your driving a vehicle, and it's a big responsibility. Having spent a fair bit of time driving in Europe and using them, I think they are an excellent design idea. They keep traffic moving and avoid backups. My sense is this dislike is more a matter of unfamiliarity. They do however require you pay attention, a concept most drivers would rather not have to deal with. The big error the DOT engineers have made is not accounting for the fact that to many drivers do not have a clue, and drive like crap. Conceptually, they work great. Put down your phone, finish your 3 course meal before you drive, get your news from the radio instead of reading the paper, and drive the car. rant over

[Resident 2B]

Zeke,

Excellent rant!

R2B

[hazelnut]

We have a couple of traffic circles here where I live full time. I am constantly amazed by how idiotic people are in a traffic circle. I mean it's like having a test where you have the answers in front of you and you STILL get an F.

The signs tell you who should Yield yet people still come blasting in to the circle as if they have the right of way. My guess is that these are the same idiots who think that they always have the right of way on the water regardless if they are the give way boat. It really isn't that hard just pay attention.

[Pineedles]

Thanks. Now I understand the location of the circle. Must have mised it on the previous thread. It doesn't look like they changed anything on the Rt. 104 & 3 Intersection. I was concerned that it too was incorporated into the circle.

[wildwoodfam]

[QUOTE=hazelnut]We have a couple of traffic circles here where I live full time. The signs tell you who should Yield yet people still come blasting in to the circle as if they have the right of way. QUOTE]

It amazes me each morning as I head off to work and have to merge with another on ramp line which has a Yield sign to my on ramp - the amount of idiots and careless drivers who would risk getting into an auto accident at a major highway on ramp rather than obey the law and let the right of way folks get ahead of them. My daughter used to ask "daddy why did you beep the horn at that driver" - now when I beep the horn she simply says 'guess they forgot to yield again, didn't they daddy." At age 7 she already knows the concept!!

It's become "I gotta get there first and fastest" as opposed to "I gotta get there!"

As for traffic circles - there is a notorious one in Methuen, MA - which unfortunately backs up traffic onto 93 because -- yes, you guessed it -- people are clueless on right of way and entering one of these things. Even though this particular "rotary" has been there since I-93 was built in the 60's!

North Andover, MA is planning one for its Olde Center - its taken them 4 years to do the preconstruction work - it'll be another 4 to get the rotary in place and another 40 before folks understand how to drive in it!

[OFD232]

Originally Posted by Zeke

It is obvious that a good many memebers do not like traffic rounabouts. And in this case, were quick to blame a traffic circle. It's not the circle, it's driver error, the cause of just about every accident. Pay attention, your driving a vehicle, and it's a big responsibility. Having spent a fair bit of time driving in Europe and using them, I think they are an excellent design idea. They keep traffic moving and avoid backups. My sense is this dislike is more a matter of unfamiliarity. They do however require you pay attention, a concept most drivers would rather not have to deal with. The big error the DOT engineers have made is not accounting for the fact that to many drivers do not have a clue, and drive like crap. Conceptually, they work great. Put down your phone, finish your 3 course meal before you drive, get your news from the radio instead of reading the paper, and drive the car. rant over

Sounds remarkably like Roundabouts don't kill people, people kill people HMMM maybe

[wires1999]

Originally Posted by Zeke

It is obvious that a good many memebers do not like traffic rounabouts. And in this case, were quick to blame a traffic circle. It's not the circle, it's driver error, the cause of just about every accident. Pay attention, your driving a vehicle, and it's a big responsibility. Having spent a fair bit of time driving in Europe and using them, I think they are an excellent design idea. They keep traffic moving and avoid backups. My sense is this dislike is more a matter of unfamiliarity. They do however require you pay attention, a concept most drivers would rather not have to deal with. The big error the DOT engineers have made is not accounting for the fact that to many drivers do not have a clue, and drive like crap. Conceptually, they work great. Put down your phone, finish your 3 course meal before you drive, get your news from the radio instead of reading the paper, and drive the car. rant over

Again you're missing the point. Maybe you should read what most of us are saying. It's tooooooo narrow, not the idea of the circle. Again it's toooooo narrow. Try towing a trailer with a medium to large boat through there then give your opinion.

[vrrooom]

Interesting dialogue as I am in Middletown WI this week, and low and behold I came upon an identical (to the Meridith) structure. But the big difference is that the size of the circle is 1.5-2X the one in NH . When I say identical, right down to the center island design and granite curbs. My suspicion is that this design is a standard highway design (prehaps someone can find it in the DOT database) that NH DOT has lifted. The larger structure here seemed to work well with Semi's ( I saw 2 go arround both 90 and 180 degrees of the circle) with out hitting either the inside island or curbs.

[Misty Blue]

This is just stupid.

The new "roundabout" in Meredith was a solution looking for a problem. I live here and use parade road often and very rarely have I had a problem making a left and heading down the hill.

These roundabouts may work in Europe, but this ain't Europe. Our vehicles are bigger and can not negotiate these things with ease. What's more, look at where they put it! On a down hill on RT-3! RT-3 is a MAJOR road in these parts. Much of the comerce that takes place between the industrial south of the state and the north country must pass this roadblock. I do not know how they will ever get a modular home past it.

Nope. Until you have had to squeeze your cheeks through this hole in the wall you really can't understand.

Misty Blue

[rander7823]

This going to save me a lot of money. Looks like it is right near the Annalee shop. Now I can tell my wife it is too dangerous to go there

[fatlazyless]

According to the info in last week's LaDaSun, the large square granite pavers in the center are not curbs but are a central rumble zone for big trucks and big trailers, because their rear wheels track in a tighter radius than the front steering wheels and are welcome to roll......er, make that rumble.... over the granite pavers. After bike week, another layer of asphalt will be added to make the road level with the granite pavers.

As you already know, the vehicles already in the rotary have the right of way, so the vehicles entering the rotary are the give-way or yielding vehicle.

[chmeeee]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

According to the info in last week's LaDaSun, the large square granite pavers in the center are not curbs but are a central rumble zone for big trucks and big trailers, because their rear wheels track in a tighter radius than the front steering wheels and are welcome to roll......er, make that rumble.... over the granite pavers. After bike week, another layer of asphalt will be added to make the road level with the granite pavers.

FLL, you are correct. The paved width of a roundabout is typically only designed to accommodate a car. Trucks and anything towing a trailer will put their inside rear wheels up onto the granite truck apron. The reasoning behind this is if you make the paved surface wide enough for a truck, it is too wide for a car, leading to higher speed. It also allows traffic traveling straight through to “straighten” their path, once again allowing higher speed and decreasing safety. There is a roundabout even smaller than the Meredith one at the end of the street I live on here in CT, so I have gotten used to how it works. Heck, I live down the street from a fire station, and they have no problem whatsoever in the trucks.

[Windrider]

The new circle works great. I pass through several times a day and find it a great improvement. There was an issuethere in the past if you were turning left from Parade Road. Anyone who experienced that during commuting hours understands how difficult it could be to make that turn.

I've seen large trucks as well as cars hauling boats negotiate the roundabout with a problem.

There was no long back up of bikers the past week as was the case last year. If you understand the concept of yield, you'll have no problem. If not, well, you're going to keep complaining.

[chipj29]

Originally Posted by Windrider

The new circle works great. I pass through several times a day and find it a great improvement. There was an issuethere in the past if you were turning left from Parade Road. Anyone who experienced that during commuting hours understands how difficult it could be to make that turn.

I've seen large trucks as well as cars hauling boats negotiate the roundabout with a problem.

There was no long back up of bikers the past week as was the case last year. If you understand the concept of yield, you'll have no problem. If not, well, you're going to keep complaining.

I don't know what day you went through there last week, but I was there on Saturday, and there was a backup almost all the way back to the Wiers. I don't think it was caused by the traffic circle, because when I turned left onto 104, traffic was backed up all the way down the hill, or so it appeared.

[nj2nh]

I have read the entire thread and understand basically where this new circle is, but am hoping for landmarks rather than highway numbers. Is this the intersection near the Burlwood Antique Center, right where the McDonald's is up on the hill?

I hate that intersection, but I hate rotaries (as we call in Massachusetts) even more. There is one down here in Bloomfield NJ that is simply hellish although it really isn't any worse than any other. I am not too fond of the one in Epsom, either. I guess I just don't like the darned things.

Jersey Girl
(two days and counting!)

[fatlazyless]

It's located on the Daniel Webster Highway, aka Route 3, a couple hundred yards up the hill from McDonalds, directly next to the Pemi Glass business, and just below the top of the hill. As you drive around the round-about, there's a 30 mile view to the north that includes Red Hill, Sandwich Mt, Squam Mt, Mt Wonaloncet and Jennings Peak to name a few. All in the southern White Mountain National Forest, and the Sandwich Notch Wilderness Area.

You may want to drive around it a few times to get a better view as the mountains get lit up, yellow-red-black, by the setting sun.

[michael c]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

It's located on the Daniel Webster Highway, aka Route 3, a couple hundred yards up the hill from McDonalds, directly next to the Pemi Glass business, and just below the top of the hill. As you drive around the round-about, there's a 30 mile view to the north that includes Red Hill, Sandwich Mt, Squam Mt, Mt Wonaloncet and Jennings Peak to name a few. All in the southern White Mountain National Forest, and the Sandwich Notch Wilderness Area.

You may want to drive around it a few times to get a better view as the mountains get lit up, yellow-red-black, by the setting sun.

For you old timers, it is directly in front of the old Spragues building and the body shops in town had better add extra bays soon ...gonna need them ...

[Windrider]

Originally Posted by chipj29

I don't know what day you went through there last week, but I was there on Saturday, and there was a backup almost all the way back to the Wiers. I don't think it was caused by the traffic circle, because when I turned left onto 104, traffic was backed up all the way down the hill, or so it appeared.

Actually chipj29, you are undoubtedly correct, I was thinking about Parade Road which, in years past, has had some long backups throughout Bike Week. Perhaps the Route 3 backup was as a result of the accident on Saturday which closed Parade Road for about six hours and likely diverted some traffic onto Route 3. Still, I'm convinced that the roundabout is a success so far and people seem to be willing to yield....remarkable.

[gravy boat]

Hubby, the girlies and I headed to Meredith for dinner this evening and were able to experience the circle/roundabout at about 6:15 pm. Having grown up in South Jersey where negotiating a circle was a part of daily life, I have to say that the design was not what I am used to...it didn't seem to flow at all. Maybe my living in NH for almost 20 years has left my circle skills rusty. Hubby and I agreed that the cobblestone area on the inner circle makes no sense to us and could be hazardous at best. There must be a reason for that design, but we don't see the benefit.

We just don't understand why a traffic circle was necessary at that location...traffic is fairly heavy for 2 months a year, that's about it (personal experience only -- we don't have to travel that route daily).

Maybe this was addressed earlier in this thread or elsewhere on the forum, so please bear with us. Can anybody offer the reasons/justification by the town/state regarding this?

Thank you -- Gravy

[shooter]

The reason and justification for the traffic circle is that the state and town have nothing better to spend the tax payers money on , the schools are great taxes are low , the extra money that the state and town has ,should be spent on great ideas like this , after all it keeps people working. you know workers to design workers to build and now workers and engineers to tear the mess down then they can spend more money to figure out who thought of this foolish idiotic project , keep smilin folks your politicians are hard at work for you , god bless america.amen PS... maybe they could spend some more excess money and build a bridge over the traffic circle in case someone wants to tow their boat to the launching ramp , ya that would be nice because some people in the area do have boats you know .

[bigpapi34]

i responded to that call with MFD...it was no where near the traffic circle it was about 4 mile into parade road

[imalocal]

Originally Posted by Windrider

The new circle works great. I pass through several times a day and find it a great improvement. There was an issuethere in the past if you were turning left from Parade Road. Anyone who experienced that during commuting hours understands how difficult it could be to make that turn.

I've seen large trucks as well as cars hauling boats negotiate the roundabout with a problem.

There was no long back up of bikers the past week as was the case last year. If you understand the concept of yield, you'll have no problem. If not, well, you're going to keep complaining.

Now if we can get people to use turn signals......... There are many times I use the circle (I go through at least twice a day) that I yield to someone in the circle who then exits at the last second without a signal.

[wires1999]

Originally Posted by Misty Blue

This is just stupid.

The new "roundabout" in Meredith was a solution looking for a problem. I live here and use parade road often and very rarely have I had a problem making a left and heading down the hill.

These roundabouts may work in Europe, but this ain't Europe. Our vehicles are bigger and can not negotiate these things with ease. What's more, look at where they put it! On a down hill on RT-3! RT-3 is a MAJOR road in these parts. Much of the comerce that takes place between the industrial south of the state and the north country must pass this roadblock. I do not know how they will ever get a modular home past it.

Nope. Until you have had to squeeze your cheeks through this hole in the wall you really can't understand. I totally agree. Never mind the modular home, it's a challenge to manuver a long boat trailer around there. Huh, boat trailers around a lake, who'd a thunk it. Also, I've been @ this lake for 20 yrs and didn't know there was a problem in that area. Was there enough to justify this nonsense?

Misty Blue

I totally agree. Never mind the modular home, it's a challenge to manuver a long boat trailer around there. Huh, boat trailers around a lake, who'd a thunk it. Also, I've been @ this lake for 20 yrs and didn't know there was a problem in that area. Was there enough to justify this nonsense?