News Yanks start to embrace roundabouts

cHodAX

I am a FH squatter
Joined
Jan 7, 2004
Messages
19,742
Found this report on the BBC, was very suprised to read that the roundabout (as God intended, without signal lights) is starting takeoff over there, as the guy rightly states they do indeed cut the number of accidents and also fuel consumption. Some of my family who live in California get freaked out when they go around a roundabout visiting over here, they do agree though that it does help traffic flow as long as there are no stupid signal lights. Sadly in the U.K. we are plagued by thousands of the bloody things with long queues around them, all because the health and safety brigade have to nanny a few imbeciles who can't nagivate them without driving into some poor fucker.

BBC News - Is the British roundabout conquering the US?
 

GimmlyThe3rd

Banned
Joined
Aug 24, 2008
Messages
744
We got some of the crazyist fucking roundabouts in London (Around heathrow, Sheppards bush and N Circular springs to mind), you realise this when you go to other parts of the world. I'm all for them though, Bangkok pisses me, 90% of my time is due to traffic lights at intersections sitting in 35C sun on a motorbike in heavy traffic. 4 Sets of traffic have to take in turn going usually and it's so congested, like 5mins each intersection.

Roundabouts make the world go round, literally :p fucking miss em :D
 

Lamp

Gold Star Holder!!
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
Messages
22,950
The number of motorists who don't know how to handle double-mini RAB's is staggering

eg here: Offord Rd, London, N1, UK - Google Maps

You're supposed to treat each one separately and give way to the right at each one. The number of ppl who just charge straight across - almost with their eyes closed....
 

Lamp

Gold Star Holder!!
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
Messages
22,950
HPC (Hyde Park Corner) is another one - gotta keep your eyes open for the noobs
 

Edmond

Is now wearing thermals.....Brrrrr
Moderator
Joined
Apr 21, 2008
Messages
11,518
When i went to Florida there was a new roundabout in Tampa, it was funny watching the yanks trying to go round it. Apparently there was only about 5 in the country back then.

But it was wierd when you pull up to a red light to go right, and as long as nothing is coming, you can go. We were getting honked from behind cos we were just sat there
 

Cerb

I am a FH squatter
Joined
Jun 18, 2005
Messages
5,033
DC actually has a few roundabouts but they call them "traffic circles" (accentuate the nasally voice). People still have trouble with them and complain about them.

Speaking of the turn right on red thing thought. Here in DC you can go right on red, but the pedestrians on your right actually have right of way first to cross the road. I swear I've nearly been killed a couple of times by out of towners who don't know about that rule because it's not really ubiquitous here.
 

cHodAX

I am a FH squatter
Joined
Jan 7, 2004
Messages
19,742
DC actually has a few roundabouts but they call them "traffic circles" (accentuate the nasally voice). People still have trouble with them and complain about them.

Speaking of the turn right on red thing thought. Here in DC you can go right on red, but the pedestrians on your right actually have right of way first to cross the road. I swear I've nearly been killed a couple of times by out of towners who don't know about that rule because it's not really ubiquitous here.

The ones in DC aren't proper roundabouts thought right? They have a jumble of lane markings and traffic lights?
 

Ormorof

FH is my second home
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
9,817
ugh roundabouts with traffic lights what a stupid idea, they have them all over the place in Dublin... THE WHOLE POINT OF A ROUNDABOUT IS SO YOU DONT NEED TRAFFIC LIGHTS AAAAARGH

theres a crazy one near where the M1 meets the M25 (cant for the lift of me remember the name) but every exit seemed to have its own mini roundabout with traffic going in both directions... my friend who was driving was unfortunately of the "close eyes and accelerate" persuasion... i havent driven with him anywhere since!

(we ended up in a town called Egypt because he took the wrong exit)
 

Cerb

I am a FH squatter
Joined
Jun 18, 2005
Messages
5,033
The ones in DC aren't proper roundabouts thought right? They have a jumble of lane markings and traffic lights?

They do you're right, but most of them have a system that 70-80% of the time they have a blinking amber signal which means go if there are no cars coming. The one that annoyes me most is Dupont circle

washington-pentagram-topleft-dupont-circle-fountain.jpg


What really annoys me about this is that it's 4 lanes, but they are seperated into an inside and outside "lane" that confuses the shit out of most of the people that use it who end up doing ridiculously dangerous things trying to get into the lane they need to be in at the last minute. Also on this one the lights are normal so it takes a fucking age to get around, not to mention the fact that the lights themselves seem about 100 years old and it's nigh impossible to tell when they change!

Rant over.
 

old.user4556

Has a sexy sister. I am also a Bodhi wannabee.
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
16,163
ugh roundabouts with traffic lights what a stupid idea

Whilst I don't like them, they certainly are required in a lot of places for effective traffic management. You would get nasty tailbacks and roundabout blocking in some situations.
 

Vasconcelos

Part of the furniture
Joined
Dec 26, 2003
Messages
4,022
Spain is full of roundabout and no lights, and honestly: it sux donkey balls.
 

cHodAX

I am a FH squatter
Joined
Jan 7, 2004
Messages
19,742
Spain is full of roundabout and no lights, and honestly: it sux donkey balls.

That is because the Spanish are lazy, feckless, flatulent, overweight bean eaters who cannot drive!




Oh wait, that is Mexicans!



Close enough.
 

DocWolfe

Part of the furniture
Joined
Jan 3, 2005
Messages
2,855
We got some of the crazyist fucking roundabouts in London (Around heathrow, Sheppards bush and N Circular springs to mind), you realise this when you go to other parts of the world. I'm all for them though, Bangkok pisses me, 90% of my time is due to traffic lights at intersections sitting in 35C sun on a motorbike in heavy traffic. 4 Sets of traffic have to take in turn going usually and it's so congested, like 5mins each intersection.

Roundabouts make the world go round, literally :p fucking miss em :D

My mate lives in Ealing and when I drive back from his I have to go N. Circular > M4, and that roundabout is a fucking arsehole especially on a Sunday afternoon.

I'm massively hungover and I want to climb into bed but I have queue for an hour on what is normally a 25 minute drive.
 

SheepCow

Bringer of Code
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
1,365
I love a good magic roundabout. So far I've conquered the ones in Swindon and High Shitcombe. One day I shall catch them all.
 

GimmlyThe3rd

Banned
Joined
Aug 24, 2008
Messages
744
My mate lives in Ealing and when I drive back from his I have to go N. Circular > M4, and that roundabout is a fucking arsehole especially on a Sunday afternoon.

I'm massively hungover and I want to climb into bed but I have queue for an hour on what is normally a 25 minute drive.
Yea been there done that, sucks :p . Even had traffic jams on M25 while I'm late for a job interviews etc and I leave a good hour before ...

One time sticks in my mind, I was driving back from Loughton to Harrow, missed the exit on M25. Was like 7miles just to turn around and go back, and all I wanted to do was jump into my own bed.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top Bottom