The Real Reason Why Rockford Drivers Still Hate Roundabouts

The first roundabout in Rockford, Illinois was built in 2013, so residents should be used to driving through them by now, but that doesn't mean they have to like them.

Roundabout Fears

Up until I began driving through two different roundabouts twice a day, five days a week, about four years ago, I used to avoid them like the plague. Why? Because they looked weird, felt intimidating, and were way outside my driving comfort zone.

The truth is, roundabouts are great at keeping traffic flowing and should be easy to use. All you have to do is yield to oncoming traffic on your left and keep moving. So, why do so many Rockford residents hate roundabouts?

The answer is simple: other drivers.

Why Rockford Residents Hate Roundabouts

After the news broke that construction on a $2 million roundabout project would be beginning soon at the intersection of Riverside and Argyle in Loves Park, people, unsurprisingly, started losing their minds.

Eyewitness News took to the streets to figure out why:

I agree that roundabouts can get a little hectic during high traffic times, especially when you're dealing with unfamiliar or selfish drivers constantly cutting you off.

When it comes to roundabouts, the most important thing to remember is to never treat it as a 4-way stop. Just yield to traffic on the left, stay in your lane, and proceed driving through it at a safe and reasonable speed.