VIDEO: The new roundabout traffic circle at Albert Avenue and Oak Street was put into use today, as Oak Street is opened to through traffic. However, the newly installed traffic circle has residents questioning the safety of the cement roundabout. This afternoon, TLS went down to the newly opened road and shot some video of vehicles driving around the circle.
For the most part, motorists seem to have known what to do at such a circle.
However, at the 1:20 mark in the video, a car can be seen approaching the circle, and then – instead of yielding right – makes a left around the circle into oncoming traffic.
The question is, is this just another traffic pattern motorists need getting used to, or is it an accident waiting to happen?
Only time will tell.
the circle is a great idea but the driver doesn`t know how to drive!
the roundabout is a good idea. however there are not very many signs explaining what to do and for someone who has never seen 1 before it can be confusing. the added stop signs at vine and oak however ARE an accident waiting to happen as there is no signage posted that there is a new traffic pattern and i watched 3 cars in a row today just drive right through the stop.
They just need to add some arrows and maybe “do not enter” or “wrong way” for the wrong direction…
Coming from a large city where they have roundabouts at alot of intersections in residential neighborhoods, I can tell you that they are certain things that should and should not be done.
First of all, yes for a person who has never driven on one they can be confusing, especially if there is alot of traffic.
In the city I am from there are trees and flowers in the middle. I think this is a very bad idea as it makes visibility very difficult.
As many of us old timers in Lakewood know there used to be “circles” on many main roads that have been taken out. The reasons they were taken out is that they caused too many accidents.
If the roundabouts are driven correctly and not at too high of a speed, which is the purpose to lower the speed, they can be a great help.
They also can not be used at an intersection that already has bad visibility. For example where I am from the city is built on mountains and at the top of a hill, is a very bad place to put one. Since Lakewood is almost flat we don’t have that problem.
But from experience I can tell you, they do lower speed as it is much harder to go around one at high speeds.
thanks for the video – out of curiosity , what kind of camera did you use? i am very impressed with the quality
1:Bring down the dash cam guy…I’m sure he’ll have a field day!!! 2:Do we need a pedestrian sign there? 3:Can that circle be used for GO-CARTS!!!(At off-peak hours)
Just go to the right…simple minds cause serious problems
Duh, you are always supposed to go to the right, we are not in England!
It is not how safe the circle is, it’s how stupid the driver is? The driver doesn’t know that you always veer to the right going around a circle. Dangerous and stupid
After viewing the video, the license plate can be seen quite clearly. The TLS should inform the police concerning this driver, the driver is bound to cause an accident somewhere else with their stupid driving habits.
Drivers in this town are always taking short cuts, not completely stopping at stop, making a right on red where there is no right hand turn allowed and many other dangerous actions. DRVERS take time, you may get there 2 minutes later but at least you will get there in one piece.
so its not so פשוט to drive like an ישראלי
Drive it and you will see its a bad idea, just put a 4-way stop sign!
If you don’t know how to drive stay off the road! Since when do you drive on the left side of the street? We always stay to the right!
An allway stop sign would have been cheaper & safer IMHO.
Some contractor got a payoff?
4 way STOP signs should be installed at many of our township (expressway) intersections
oops im all mixed up
I once saw someone drive left at a traffic circle, and he did it because he was in a rush
Can u shorten the video to the point or do u wanna play it all out?
Get real! Your in Lakewood! No one stops at stops signs! And you say ideas should have been discused with the public? Good grief! This is Lakewood! Rules are created depending on the situation.
i’m waiting to see who’ll park there first…?
maybe we can put the next muster area in the middle of the circle!
that guy knew exactly what he was doing… he just didn’t want to go all the way around the round a bout… and their were no cars coming….
# 19 that is a good thing but to cold for them now
Maybe all the way can have a substation in the middle of the roundabout to collect all the war wagons that wreck there everyday.
4 way Stops are just as bad as a circle, regular stop sign, red light, green light, amber light, yield. People don’t know how to proceed with a 4 way stop. No one would know who goes next and everyone would be trying to go at the same time. People don’t know what to do at a stop sign never mind a 4 way stop! And they’re not paying attention because they’re on the PHONE!!
Oak and Vine is dangerous, no warning of traffic pattern change!!!! I guess they were too excited with their new toy (the roundabout) and forgot to address this issue.