Two cars collide at the roundabout

Please correct me if I am wrong, but if my mind serves me right, I "think" I remember reading that this “round-about” was to be SAFER than the intersection that was there before? If that is true, how come there have been a number of accident in a short period of time at this location then?

Most of the problem is there are yield signs at each entrance of the roundabout and people see a yield sign and just think they can keep on going without paying close attention to traffic. There should be stop signs at each entry point to ensure people are stopping more and paying attention to those who have already entered the roundabout. Many times when I have used the roundabout I will come to a complete stop to ensure it is safe for me to enter the roundabout. While I am at a complete stop I see people from the left blowing through the yield and entering the roundabout when it should be me because I was there first. People are too much in a hurry and they don't care if other people were waiting first they just go without any concern for other drivers. I really think put stop signs instead of yield signs would be better off. That way police have another ticket spot if people aren't obeying the stop signs. Not that anyone wants a ticket, but you have to learn to drive with others in mind and not just yourself being in a hurry.

I new from the start of the roundabout project that it was going to be a mistake. First of all people coming off the main roads such as routes 33 and 5 use to have the right away. Sure this was a problem for people going north on Walnut St aka route 98, but it worked. I agree with the person who said it would have made more sence to take the walking bridge out and put in a bridge. After all it was a bridge way before it was a walking bridge and north bound traffic would have a light there at Main St. instead of having to take the long wait at the stop sign at the Oak St Exchange and So. Main St intersection during 2:30- 4:30 or so especially with our school bus service down on Rt.98 and every bus is ban from using Law St. to go to out city schools. They are to heavy for the bridges unless there is road construction or an emergency situation blocking rt 98 between Law and Oak St Exchange. Then they aren't to heavy for the bridges.
The first day the roundabout was open for traffic, while it was still being worked on, I had to pass a car on the roundabout because they got stuck on the curb. Then with all the reflective signs around it makes it so confusing. Melissa Barone had said she stops at the yield signs before entering the roundabout because there are cars that just jump right in without stopping. Well these people have time to jump right in because there aren't any cars to their left right there and the car entering from the next entrance to the right isn't trying to enter but just sitting there. They don't have to stop if their left is clear but the person on the right has to wait anyways. When entering a roundabout, not only do you have to pay attention to the vehicles already in it but also to who ever else is on the left entering as they have the right away and only need to "yield" to their left. There are going to be many more accidents there as time goes by and think...the snow hasn't even began to fly.
I don't understand half of what is going through the DOT's heads while making all these road changes on the main routes in the city. If something has been working for many decades, why mess with it and waste A LOT of taxpayers money? We have had 2 lane streets for a long time and a lot of times they got backed up. Let's see how smooth traffic is going to move through our little city now that we are being cut to a lot of one lane streets.

Posted by Chuck Lowder on October 28, 2010 - 10:31pm
Please correct me if I am wrong, but if my mind serves me right, I "think" I remember reading that this “round-about” was to be SAFER than the intersection that was there before? If that is true, how come there have been a number of accident in a short period of time at this location then?

-I think it's a commentary on the general intelligence level of Batavia residents.

Jason,

I didn't realize that the roundabout was to be used exclusively by Batavia residents and no one else. I haven't noticed any detour signs pointing all non-Batavia residents to alternate routes.

Round Abouts or Rotaries are common in the New England States. I remember years ago transversing those as I worked for a Massechsetts based company and spent weeks at their corportate headquarters. They can be confusing for the newbie if you don't know exactly where your exit is. The one that exits the tunnel from Logan Airport use to get me every time. You leave a semi dark tunnel on to this huge and extremely busy round about plastered with dozens of signs and exits. It was usually too congested and fast moving to read all the signs and you could not slow down with the flow of traffic. I would always end up going in the wrong direction and end up on some Interstate highway to parts unknown.

You think the Oak St. roundabout is bad, try navigating around the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

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and that's nothing, I've driven in that gaggle at 9pm on a Saturday night and lived to tell about it.