Roundabouts

[Fat Tone]

In my experience they generally work very well in the UK apart from the mini-roundabouts which for some reason people don't always seem to realise they should assign the same right-of-way to as for larger ones.

There are a couple of local examples where an island was swapped for traffic lights and vice-versa, both to reduce accidents. Both are now slower than before though. Horses for courses I guess.

[Brian Ellis]

What about this monstrosity in Hemel Hempstead? Traffic flows round the main roundabout in both directions but round each satellite in one direction. Yes, this is real.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_R...emel_Hempstead)

IMHO, roundabouts are better than lights to ease traffic flow at important crossroads where both roads have similar traffic densities. Lights are better at important crossroads where there is at least twice as much traffic on one road than on the other, on condition the lights are traffic operated with a good algorithm. Roundabouts are justified at motorway/highway junctions/termini if only as a warning that the motorway has ended.

Of course, priority must ALWAYS be to traffic on the roundabout, no exceptions (except at Hemel Hempstead, where you have to stop at each satellite!).

[Kooldino]

I almost got into an accident on my local roundabout (we call them circles here). There's a yield sign to those entering the circle, and those on the circle have the right of way (the way it should be). Some dumbass in an suv did 60mph onto the circle, never yielded to me, and caused me to dive onto the brakes to avoid him merging into me.

I was pissed, to say the least.

I like that circle even less on my motorcycle.

[The PIT]

I used to Hate Mini Roundabouts until Hiugh Wycombe Council tore down some Traffic lights. The two mile daily tailback disappeared which quiet impressed me. Sometimes planners don't measure the road width and you have to drive over them unles you want to edge round at 1 mph.

You get just as many idiots at Traffic lights as you do on roundabouts. Red Light, doesn't apply to me I'll just drive through. Very bad problem in Sheffield.

[Dr Mordrid]

IMHO, roundabouts are better than lights to ease traffic flow at important crossroads where both roads have similar traffic densities.

If you tried that at Telegraph and Ford roads in suburban Detroit it would start a war, not to mention the biggest traffic jam in history

Intersection map

Or Telegraph and Plymouth roads;

Intersection map

Note the use of "J" turns instead of a circle.

No, these are not freeways. They're surface routes....big ones.

Of course US roads often having 3-5 lanes in each direction doesn't help

Dr. Mordrid

[az]

I am so very happy to live in a city without such big roads, but with trees and lakes and rivers and culture and great public transport... and the Autobahn

[Dr Mordrid]

This is Michigan. We have more shoreline than California and Florida combined; 3,288 miles (5,291.5 km), which is also more than the entire eastern coastline of the United States.

There are also 36,350 miles (58,500 km) of rivers, 19.3 million acres (78,105 sq/km) of forests, most of the Great Lakes, 11,037 inland lakes, major beaches, hiking trails, campgrounds etc. etc. etc., virtually all within a days drive of anywhere in the state

Dr. Mordrid

[Nowhere]

Like them. When comparing before-after they always shorten the wait time. All I've seen here are of the German kind - traffic in the circle has right of way (interestingly, that's not the defualt behaviour in road law - when there are no signs saying otherwise, entering traffic has priority...but I've never seen such rundabout)

Gotta go.

[Jon P. Inghram]

Recorded a little video of the two roundabouts I know of in town with my S3 IS using a DCR-6600PRO wide-angle converter lens: http://media.putfile.com/Roundabouts-77

[agallag]

Time to dust off that dash?

[Jon P. Inghram]

Time to dust off that dash?

Nope, it's "urban camouflage."

[Fat Tone]

Sorry, but this link on the same page is far more interesting: http://media.putfile.com/Picture-9377

[Brian Ellis]

Love to see a video of someone going round the one at Hemel Hempstead for the first time. I know that I was totally flummoxed and I still don't like it after negotiating it hundreds of times (I had an important client close to it from 1991 to 1997).

[ND66]

I just had to resurrect this thread.

I just don't know what's worse, Roundabouts or THIS!

[lowlifecat]

I just had to resurrect this thread.

I just don't know what's worse, Roundabouts or THIS!

lol, looks like the kinda driving they do in leb.

rule #1a of driving in leb: whoever gets there first wins (has right of way)
rule #1b: no two objects can occupy the same place at the same time.