It feels like the stuff of urban legends, but almost every Australian has heard the doomed tale of American roundabouts.
Legend says that they attempted to trial roundabouts in multiple locations across the US, but that they caused so many traffic incidents, the cities immediately scrapped the rollouts and returned to the standard four-way stop streets.
Americans: Roundabouts are so confusing! Also Americans: It's always my turn at a 4-way stop.
Today, there are approximately 7,000 roundabouts in the US — but to put that into context, the UK boasts over 25,000 and is roughly 40 times smaller than the States.
Now you might be thinking, "Oh, you're just exaggerating — of course Americans understand roundabouts! They're so simple, safe and efficient!" Well, to those of you who doubt the tale, I'd like to present exhibit A:
Americans and roundabouts. 😁
A snippet from Rowan County, Kentucky, where drivers were faced with confronting their very first roundabout earlier this year.
And exhibit B:
Americans, confronted with a roundabout
And, who could forget, exhibit C:
So you’re telling me that Americans are fine using this, but they cannot figure out how to use a god damn roundabout.
"Nobody understands how to drive around a simple circle, so let's make them navigate this friendly infinity loop."
— An American town planner, probably.
Now it seems that more and more Australians are clocking onto this bizarre bit of trivia — and we've got some questions for American drivers:
I'm from Australia, forgive me, but for those in USA, this is an Intersection in LA, how on earth does this 6 way intersection work? Like where is the roundabout? We give way to our Right, who do you actually give way to? #ConfusedAustralian #RHOBH @BravoTV @hayu_au
Why are Americans more afraid of roundabouts than of semi automatic rifles?????!!!!
Okay Americans what did Roundabouts do to yall
@NewtonMark I used to think the stuff about Americans and roundabouts were a joke, until I saw tourism exit surveys from them. Roundabouts and wildlife were the two things that scared the hell out of them driving in Australia
No one: No one: Absolutely no one: Americans at a roundabout: