# Roundabouts



## GW1970 (Jul 4, 2005)

Why do we have them in this country? They do without them in the United States.

1 in 12 accidents on the road is on a roundabout. There are always numpties who can't use a roundabout properly, usually by not giving way or staying in lane.

They seem to cause drivers a lot of additional stress, and for poor/inexperienced drivers they are difficult to negotiate. There are many factors to take in when approaching one, and logically IMO it would be easier/safer to have an intersection/junction. What are the arguements to the contrary??

http://www.lse.co.uk/ShowStory.asp?...roof_that_roundabouts_drive_us_round_the_bend


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

How do you manage (with stop signs and traffic lights) a junction where 3 or 4 roads meet (2 roads being a crossroads, of course) without resorting to a roundabout?

The American "grid" system usually has 2 roads meeting (and no more) because that is how the towns and cities were planned - but we do things differently here, and roads aren't as organised.

In Egypt, they have areas to perform U-Turns, so you don't even turn against the traffic at a junction, but instead turn into the flow THEN U-Turn and go the way you originally intended... another weird way of doing things, but they couldn't cope with roundabouts either (so my Egyptian friend tells me...)


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## steveh (Jan 14, 2004)

I think that the reason that they can get away without them in the States is because their roads are generally wide enough so that there is always room for traffic turning right to just do it from the far right hand lane into the far right hand lane of the road they're turning into without upsetting the flow of traffic on the road they're joining. Hope that makes sense. :?

I haven't driven on the Continent much except for France where they have a growing number of roundabouts instead of the old system where you just gave way to anyone joining the main road from the right, or was it left, or was it joining the minor road. Anyway, I know that when we came to a couple of major junctions where the old system still prevailed even the French didn't seem terribly sure who had right of way so we all just sat staring at each other until I made the first move.

Like all things motoring related in this country, roundabouts work well when everbody knows what they're doing but you only need one numpty and it can all go badly wrong. It's all down to poor driver education - again. :roll:


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## BAMTT (Feb 22, 2004)

Because we are superior


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## mighTy Tee (Jul 10, 2002)

There is nothing wrong with roundabouts, except they should be renamed "throughabouts" :roll:


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## was (Mar 24, 2003)

I work in Milton Keynes and have to encounter 19 roundabouts on my way to work :? most of the time idiots are using the wrong lane :evil:


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## Ria_saini (Jan 6, 2006)

well in hatfield there are about 10 aswell, and its seems to me people just went to get to their destinations quicker, so dont bother staying in the right lane, but just the shorter one, and then indicate as they go round. drives me up the wall


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

There's a lot to be said for them on minor roads where traffic lights would be costly and a proper junction with one road having the right of way would lead to lots of people being stuck and unable to join the main road.

However, the bigger ones do sometimes astound me. Handy Cross near High Wycombe is a nightmare to negotiate - mainly because there are too many lanes and too many people who either don't know or don't care about making sure they're in the right one.

And the Magic roundabout in Swindon just confused the hell out of me.


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## Mrs Wallsendmag (Dec 13, 2005)

Roundabouts ,growing up in Washington the home of several hundred of the things has driven me round the bend as the council kept changing the markings every couple of years :evil:


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## Sim (Mar 7, 2003)

I like them :!:

Nothing better than whizzing around an empty roundabout


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

Ria_saini said:


> well in hatfield there are about 10 aswell, and its seems to me people just went to get to their destinations quicker, so dont bother staying in the right lane, but just the shorter one, and then indicate as they go round. drives me up the wall


Hatfield?

Eeek.


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## was (Mar 24, 2003)

Does anybody know the 'Magic' Roundabout in Hemel Hempsted :?:


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

was said:


> Does anybody know the 'Magic' Roundabout in Hemel Hempsted :?:


Yup - used to live under a mile from it.

Great fun, and it actually works very well. Its easy to confuse stupid people... :lol:


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## geewceeTT (Aug 7, 2005)

Theres 2 mini roundabouts just opened up near my house. Its amazing how many times Ive approached them and people are just sat there in their cars wondering what the hell to do.. :roll: 
I hardly ever have to give way to the person on the right as they are usually sat there dumbfounded.


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## genocidalduck (May 19, 2005)

I love roundabouts. However when using one you do have to have alot of consideration for the prats that for some reason dont know how to use them. You would think they would remember their driving lessons.

What i cant stand is traffic lights on some roundabouts...Mainly the one at Lakeside by Sainsburys. WTF.


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## steveh (Jan 14, 2004)

jampott said:


> was said:
> 
> 
> > Does anybody know the 'Magic' Roundabout in Hemel Hempsted :?:
> ...


I also used to live under a mile from it - not with Tim I hasten to add. 

I always found it worked very well but it was funny watching people drive all the way round it to turn left when all they had to do was turn left at the first 'mini' roundabout.


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## GW1970 (Jul 4, 2005)

There is a mini roundabout near me, at the joining of three roads, which I always approach with some trepidation. Due to the angle at which the roads join the roundabout, as someone mentioned before - people just sit there. In fact very often people are sitting in all 3 roads waiting for the first move.

Roundabouts like this, and there are others (it's just I use this one several times a day) cause confusion and lead to accidents. I believe this is not just down to bad driving skills although that doesn't help :?


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## TTej (Sep 10, 2003)

was said:


> Does anybody know the 'Magic' Roundabout in Hemel Hempsted :?:


I didnt know what you were going about so a quick google search










thats not bad, they have that system in heathrow and i fly round it.

if you want to see bad behaviour on a roundabout, two words HANGER LANE!


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## GW1970 (Jul 4, 2005)

TTej said:


> was said:
> 
> 
> > Does anybody know the 'Magic' Roundabout in Hemel Hempsted :?:
> ...


Jeez - that looks like a nightmare. Fortunate never to have gone through there. Imagine that in rush hour!!


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## steveh (Jan 14, 2004)

GW1970 said:


> TTej said:
> 
> 
> > was said:
> ...


No, really it does work. Well it did back in the '80s when I used to live in Hemel. It actually works like lots of mini roundabouts linked by short stretches of road and because, for example, if you want to turn right you simply turn right at the first mini roundabout without having to go all the way round a large roundabout, it actually runs quite smoothly in the rush hour as there are fewer cars on the smaller sections of road than would be on a conventional roundabout. I hope that makes sense.


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## John C (Jul 5, 2002)

And why do the people from Dundee call them circles? WTF

PS You know who you are...... :wink:


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## neil_h (May 8, 2002)

well, not that I am from that fine city in the north, but....

what shape are they?


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

neil_h said:


> what shape are they?


Round shaped. :lol:


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## neil_h (May 8, 2002)

I didn't want to play this card but....

it must be our fine Dundonian intellect - we prefer to look at the geometric form...


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## Hev (Feb 26, 2005)

neil_h said:


> I didn't want to play this card but....
> 
> it must be our fine Dundonian intellect - we prefer to look at the geometric form...


I think unique is the word you're looking for :wink:

Hev x :-*


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## neil_h (May 8, 2002)

does unique mean special?


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## Hev (Feb 26, 2005)

neil_h said:


> does unique mean special?


special in your own unique way :lol:

Hev x


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## saint (Dec 6, 2002)

Councils bung them up 'cos they have spare cash 'cos folk just can't drive out of junctions. :evil:


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## John C (Jul 5, 2002)

Hev said:


> neil_h said:
> 
> 
> > does unique mean special?
> ...


Hev - don't get involved with this one - he's trouble believe me!


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## Hev (Feb 26, 2005)

jacTT225 said:


> Hev said:
> 
> 
> > neil_h said:
> ...


Hey Big Brother, you protecting me? 

Hev x


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## John C (Jul 5, 2002)

always


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## Hev (Feb 26, 2005)

jacTT225 said:


> always


awwww bless, thank you Bro 

back on topic....... now what REALLY bugs me is when half-wits use the right-hand lane to go all the way around the round-about (circle :wink so they don't have to wait in line to go straight across!!! :x

Hev x


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