Accident near Traffic Circle

[Mickomally]

I can't believe it, but it's growing on me. I HATED this idea, hated it more when I first saw it, but now It's growing on me.
I guess as a "typcal local" I am sorta skeptical of change, but it seems to be working okay so far.
Now if we can just get people to use their turn signals (Police and Troopes included!!) while they are in the circle before exiting.

[Windrider]

Originally Posted by Mickomally

I can't believe it, but it's growing on me. I HATED this idea, hated it more when I first saw it, but now It's growing on me.
I guess as a "typcal local" I am sorta skeptical of change, but it seems to be working okay so far.
Now if we can just get people to use their turn signals (Police and Troopes included!!) while they are in the circle before exiting.

Another convert!! As a Parade Road resident life has become so much easier with the new roundabout. Yes, people who don't understand it will continue to gripe about it not being wide enough etc. and, yes, folks do need to use their turn signals but, all in all it really works just fine, even for trucks and cars with boats. Good job to the DOT and my sympathies if they read this site, at least early on.

[Puck]

Ok after following this thread and listening to my relatives bemoan the new circle all weekend I just had to go the long way home so I could go around it myself. Now don't get me wrong, I have no problems with the traffic circle concept but.... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Very quaint with the cobbles and all. Just two little problems: A low bed trailer will not have enough ground clearance to get up on the cobbles and the state doesn't own a plow that can navigate it with the blade down.

[boat_guy64]

I just spent 9 days in Meredith and negotiated the roundabout many times. I still don't like it. I waited several times in lines of traffice going both north and south and was almost hit by someone coming out of parade road that was probably going through for the first time. You have to wonder if it can possible be a good design if it requires 3 large lighted signs running 24/7 for the past month just so that people know what to do.

[sa meredith]

OK...so yesterday, because of the rain, we took the niece and nephew to the Weirs for some ski ball and bumper cars. On the way back, I drove up onto the cobble stones on the rotary (or roundabout...whatever) just so I could post today that I did it.
Try it.

[Newbiesaukee]

Not sure of the correct protocol, but it seems to me that using turn signals in the roundabout kind of slows things down and would be confusing. Am I missing something important or just misunderstanding?

[hilltopper]

I've only gone through it twice now. Both times, heading home from Laconia to Meredith, I have noticed that drivers coming into the circle from the Meredith side of Route 3 have not even look to their left for oncoming traffic. If I were continuing in the circle like I was heading to Parade Road instead of Route 3 south, it would have been ugly. Hopefully as people use it more they'll figure it out but something tells me they won't.

[dan]

Originally Posted by Newbiesaukee

Not sure of the correct protocol, but it seems to me that using turn signals in the roundabout kind of slows things down and would be confusing. Am I missing something important or just misunderstanding?

Turn signals should be used. Without them any one else would have to stop until they see you commit to some direction. If memory serves me that could have up to 4 people not knowing what you are going to do. " Enter from Meredith, pass parade rd, don't head to Laconia, miss Pemi glass and finally take a rt. back the way you came."

[sa meredith]

I'm not trying to be rude, honestly! But someone has to explain to me WHAT THE BIG DEAL IS!!!!!!!! It's a rotary people! Nothing new. Just a plain old rotary. In the town I grew in, there was no less than 10. Do people honestly not know what to do when entering one? Maybe rotaries are just MA things?
When I saw the instructions in bright lights, I laughed out loud. Honestly, are they not used nation wide? That would explain it.

[Paugus Bay Resident]

I'd have to agree, it's no big deal. In terms of the cobbles, it is my understanding that the pavement will be brought up so everything will be even. I don't mind, just something new to get used to. Kind of like life

[Newbiesaukee]

I appreciate the response. However, there is a very short time to put your turn signal on and I won't go into the circle based on someone's turn signal as half the time people do not know they are on...I just will not commit to entering the circle until I see the car in the circle to the left turn off of the circle. I am familiar with traffic circles, I just do not trust drivers intentions based only only on the turn signal. In a perfect world I see your point, but still not sure I agree.

[sa meredith]

The whole point is to keep cars moving....don't wait.
It's a rotary. Technically, a person could spend all day driving in one circle if he so chooses. When he is ready to exit, flip on the right side directional and turn off. And the best part about a rotary, is if you miss your turn off, just keep going, and it will be there next time around ...I promise.
But, holy cow, don't wait until the other driver has turned off. They are designed for more than one car at a time.
Embrace the rotary...do not fear it.

[hiker47]

I have driven roundabouts through out the UK, both small towns and large cities (London) and find them a great way for directing traffic but, people need to know the correct "ettiquette" (simply how to novigate them safely and correctly). Unfortunately, many US drives do not possess this knowledge or skill. The Rt 3 / Parade roundabout is poorly designed and a hazard, irregardless of knowledge or skill. The diameter is too small, especially for large trucks or trailers, and the use of the cobblestone is both contradiction to safety and traffic movement. The idea is great but the design faulty.

Irregardless of fault and location, it is a shame someone died in the accident. May they rest in peace.

Safe travel. doc

[sa meredith]

Someone died in an accident at this thing? I guess I never read the whole thread, as I had no idea. I'm embarrassed at having made a joke of this whole situation. My apologies to anyone I may have offended.

[SIKSUKR]

The accident was NOT in the rotary.

[chmeeee]

Originally Posted by sa meredith

Someone died in an accident at this thing?

Actually...

Originally Posted by Paugus Bay Resident

According to WMUR (last night), it had nothing to do with the circle. A motorcycle crossed the yellow line on Parade Road and hit another motorcycle head on. One of the drivers was killed.

[chmeeee]

Originally Posted by hiker47

The diameter is too small, especially for large trucks or trailers, and the use of the cobblestone is both contradiction to safety and traffic movement. The idea is great but the design faulty.

The cobblestone truck apron is a fairly standard design, and is addressed in every design guideline that I have ever seen for roundabouts.

http://www.tfhrc.gov/safety/00-0676.pdf

In cases where right-of-way, topography, or other constraints preclude the ability to expand the inscribed circle diameter, a mountable apron may be added to the outer edge of the central island. This provides additional paved area to allow the over-tracking of large semi-trailer vehicles on the central island without compromising the deflection for smaller vehicles. Exhibit 6-23 shows a typical central island with a traversable apron.

Where aprons are used, they should be designed so that they are traversable by trucks, but discourage passenger vehicles from using them. They should generally be 1 to 4 m (3 to 13 ft) wide and have a cross slope of 3 to 4 percent away from the central island. To discourage use by passenger vehicles, the outer edge of the apron should be raised a minimum of 30 mm (1.2 in) above the circulatory roadway surface (6). The apron should be constructed of colored and/or textured paving materials to differentiate it from the circulatory roadway. Care must be taken to ensure that delivery trucks will not experience load shifting as their rear trailer wheels track across the apron.