Roundabouts... black holes of civil engineering?

Roundabouts seem to fascinate Americans. I am not entirely sure why, except that there are very few roundabouts in the United States. I had never encountered one until I moved to Washington (state). Someone in the WSDOT seems almost obsessed with them; there is an entire section in the Design Manual for the design of roundabouts. And a number of them in operation across the state with at least one more to be constructed in the near future. I know of two problem intersections where the idea of a roundabout is being considered.

I am still not sure on my view of roundabouts, but they do remove all left turn movements. This provides for a more efficient intersection. Other than taking up more land, there are very few negatives about them. I have heard people say that most drivers don't know how to navigate through a roundabout, but I feel that with proper signing it is simple to figure out. Below is the lone roundabout in Yakima. What appears to be a sidewalk around the center is in fact extra space for trucks/semis navigating the roundabout.The perfect situation for a roundabout is when an intersection has more than 4 legs (even though I would prefer to see the rouds rerouted instead). Swindon, England took this a little too far and came up with what they call the 'Magic Roundabout.' Pictured below:
I believe I can speak for nearly everyone in the world when I say 'FRELL!' Apparently, it does operate well. In the U.S., where the traveling public is less accustomed to roundabouts this would be a nightmare (accidents, road rage, etc.).

A college friend and I recently noted how many comedies, including, The Simpsons and National Lampoon's European Vacation, show drivers just driving around roundabouts for hours, never exiting. We joked about how roundabouts must be a kind of black hole... capturing and holding cars with, presumably, a gravitational pull.

Well, if I was either a better writer or had a more inventive imagination I could continue to rant and roar about roundabouts, but neither applies to me so... THE END.