SoraNews24 —Japan News—

Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.

RocketNews24 Japanese

Featured

Going round in circles: Japan considers introducing roundabouts

s20b 2
We recently talked about some changes the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism was making to street signs ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, but it seems they are not content with superficial changes. They have apparently started looking into the plausibility of introducing signal-less roundabouts to Japan, something that could have drivers feeling very grumpy.

The ministry established an expert panel on September 4 to perform a feasibility study into roundabouts.

For our readers who might not have seen them, a roundabout is a kind of circular intersection where traffic flows continuously around a center island. Drivers must merge into the circle, giving way to those who are already on it, and then turn off at their exit. Because you have to slow down or stop in order to merge into the circle, roundabouts are considered a safer option to stoplight intersections, where full-speed collisions can result in death and serious injury. Roundabouts also allow traffic to keep on flowing smoothly when there is no traffic ahead as, although drivers are required to reduce their speed, there is no need to come to a complete stop if the road is clear.

In earthquake-prone Japan, the lack of a signal has the additional benefit that traffic can flow normally even during a blackout, making evacuation easier.

However, since the ring shape limits the number of cars that can enter the intersection, roundabouts are not feasible where there is a lot of traffic. Their tendency to get really snarled up when it’s busy has lead some drivers to passionately detest the things, as the vociferous complaints on groups like I Hate Roundabouts will attest.

For now, the expert panel is just compiling a report about the reduction of accident rates and social changes in countries that have introduced roundabouts, so it remains to be seen if the roundabout will become commonplace in Japan. Considering how slowly Japanese traffic flows anyway, it’s hard to know if drivers would even notice.

Source: Yomiuri Online
Images: USDOT, Grumpy Cat

Like this:

Like Loading…

Related Stories

Trackbacks

  1. There are no trackbacks yet.
  2. Trackback URL

Trending Today

  1. Ichiran releases an at-home counter kit that turns your desk into a ramen restaurant
  2. Starbucks Japan releases new Bearista glass tumbler that changes character with every drink
  3. Yesterday’s cooking oil powers 410,000 pink winter sakura lights along Tokyo’s Meguro River
  4. Akihabara restaurant with 1.7 million sushi bowl options will have us coming back again and again
  5. Cup Noodles go isekai in crossovers with three of Japan’s other favorite foods [Taste test]
  6. Tokyo police arrest the Ame-zing Spider-Man
  7. Ichiran Japan is giving away free 2027 desk calendars, and here’s how to get them
  8. Life-size Gundam head going on display in Osaka, hopefully will find permanent home
  9. Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
  10. KFC now sells takikomi gohan rice boxes in Japan, if you know where to look for them [Taste test]

© SoraNews24 —Japan News— / SOCIO CORPORATION

Powered by WordPress VIP

%d