roundabout ... delayed

[kalakoa]

http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/news...ut-delayed

Punchline:

"I think we're all looking forward to when (the roundabout) finally opens up for real and we get to see how it works,"

[Royall]

Interesting what Ruderman said “The implication is people around here will never learn that,(use of the roundabout) and I find that kind of insulting,” Ruderman said. “It was the same thing with the plastic bag bans.” Personally I feel with the local style of stopping in the main flow of traffic to let the merge lane in ahead of you, will start a major back up on its own. Hope I'm wrong but I've seen it all the time where people will stop (going with the right of way) and flag another care to go ahead.. I seen several accidents over the last 11 years caused by that. Then you consider the lack of "merging" skills on this island!!

[james weatherford]

At a roundabout, there are yield signs.
"Yield" is what is done rather than merger.

Helpful information...
http://www.roundaboutsusa.com/
http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/...undabouts/
http://www.roundaboutresources.org/round...ircle.html
http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/ltc_09/pdf/Doctor,%20Mark.pdf

... and, regarding safety...
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Safety/roundabouts/benefits.htm
"Roundabouts reduced injury crashes by 75 percent at intersections where stop signs or signals were previously used for traffic control, according to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Studies by the IIHS and Federal Highway Administration have shown that roundabouts typically achieve:

A 37 percent reduction in overall collisions
A 75 percent reduction in injury collisions
A 90 percent reduction in fatality collisions
A 40 percent reduction in pedestrian collisions"

btw: one in five traffic fatalities in the U.S. are caused by someone running a red light.

[sistersue]

I know roadwork in the hot sun is a difficult job. I don't go to Pahoa very often but the few times I've been there since the roadwork began I've noticed that the workers aren't working. And some of them are standing around "talking story". Maybe it's just coincidences of the times I'm driving by (or stuck in a jam) or maybe the boss wasn't there.

[kalakoa]

standing around "talking story". Maybe it's just coincidences

I think they're unionized -- just a coincidence, of course.

[Kapoho Joe]

quote:

---

Originally posted by sistersue

I've noticed that the workers aren't working. And some of them are standing around "talking story".

---

It's a government contract so no need to rush! Finishing early means less money, just another reason why the State should have it's own road/highway construction crew.

[pahoated]

Except this isn't a roundabout. The community people that ramrodded this through, thought they were being all European bon vivante, they have to brag about their travels to much nicer places in Europe that had roundabouts and they were just fine.

This thing isn't a roundabout. The out bound lane into town is virtually the same, just having one new yield. The traffic from south going to Hilo aren't going to be affected unless the roundabout is totally clogged. It is the traffic coming back from Hilo that is going to clog the roundabout. Most of the time, the traffic isn't that busy, so it should be OK. It has to be OK, there is no choice, thanks to the Luquin's coffee clutch 'bosses'. That coffee clutch sure did have a bunch of bossy people, now they 'keep it on the low'.

"Aloha also means goodbye. Aloha!"

[leilanidude]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kapoho Joe

quote:

---

Originally posted by sistersue

I've noticed that the workers aren't working. And some of them are standing around "talking story".

---

It's a government contract so no need to rush! Finishing early means less money, just another reason why the State should have it's own road/highway construction crew.

---

In the civilized mainland world, these type of contracts pay bonuses for early completion.

[kalakoa]

In the civilized mainland world, these type of contracts pay bonuses for early completion.


Exactly. Here, they charge extra up front -- just in case -- followed by "change fees" (finishing late is still a "change", right?)

[TomK]

Royall,

"Personally I feel with the local style of stopping in the main flow of traffic to let the merge lane in ahead of you, will start a major back up on its own."

Just to be clear, you don't merge onto a roundabout, you yield to vehicles already on the roundabout, and when there's a gap large enough, you join the roundabout.

There is no merging as that will cause an accident.