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Recently, in my hometown of Cheltenham, we`ve been bombarded with those blasted mini-roundabouts that I believe serve no purpose but to disrupt the vital and natural flow of traffic. They are simply plonked in places hardly big enough to swing a cat to make out they`re `doing something for road safety` when in fact the constant stop-start of motors in suburban areas is more likely, in my opinion, to be a hazard to other road users and pedestrians. Part of the reason why motorways are the safest raods is because they are constant-flowing and there is no stop-starting. It is integral to keep the traffic flowing!
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Mini roundabouts are designed to keep the traffic flowing, my town is full of them and they seem to do just that.
Robert
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There are two types of mini roundabout. Properly installed they indeed keep the traffic flowing much more effectively than traffic lights. But as Anthony says, they are now being misused in many towns as "Traffic Calming" measures, being placed at minor junctions which worked perfectly well without them. They actually cause quite a few minor prangs which don't show up on govt accident statistics as they are not reported.
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I have always wondered in what circumstances it is permissible to cut across them when turning right, rather than making the often very tight turn. Obviously lorries or cars towing caravans are allowed to. Anyone have any thoughts?
Cliff Pope
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Cliff Pope wrote:
>
> I have always wondered in what circumstances it is
> permissible to cut across them when turning right, rather
> than making the often very tight turn. Obviously lorries or
> cars towing caravans are allowed to. Anyone have any thoughts?
>
I once asked this question plus the add on about sticking in lane round a bigger island of a class 1 driver. No doubt in some peoples eyes this disqualified her from making any valid comment but there you are it takes all sorts.
Her answer was "*If* its appropriate the safest route is the straightest route"
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I have always drove straight over them in the absence of any other traffic having the opinion to do otherwise would be pointless.Have I been breaking the law all these years. I stand to be corrected and educated on this point.
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The law actually states that you MUST go round these roundabouts unless your vehicle is too large to do this. Like Malcolm I find this rather pointless on a lot of occasions.
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Has anyone ever seen the, so-called, Magic Roundabout in Swindon?
9 - yes, 9 (nine) mini-roundabouts linked in a circle. It looks more like a crop circle than a roundabout.
The best way to attempt it is to close one's eyes and drive straight across.
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Guy
Yes, know it well as I live near Swindon. Works OK, as long as you remember you're crossing a series of roundabouts. Can confuse as there are so many options to cross the roundabout, but you soon get the hang of it! The locals tell me that if you thing the Magic Roundabout (and that's its official name) is bad, then you should have seen the junction before it was installed!
Regards
John
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Guy, Is that like the one in Hemel Hempstead, with a massive island, which itself is two way with lots of little islands all the way round?
Mind you bouncing across the mini islands.......booiinngg said Zebedee!
Its a bit like the chicane @ Knockhill ;-)
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Similar on the A13 somewhere Canvey Island. Bad for those who know the area, total nightmare for strangers. Locals swear that some old boy in a Metro has been trying to find his way off the system for the last five years.
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You wonder that if the Americans can manage without the need for roundabouts as I understand it, then why do we put up with it.
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They have no roundabouts in the US for these reasons:
1. They have 5 lane highways in even the smallest of towns.
2. Their cars dont like going round corners
3. Stoplight drag racing is better for their dire sports cars (see camaro)
4. Traffic lights are easier to understand.
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er there is one (only one i think) in chicago, people drive for miles to see it...
driving in the states is very different
i) if you crash you dont argue since very high chance the other driver has a hand gun on him/her
ii) road surfaces have to cope with much wider temperature extremes, and i was told by an engineer (please tell me if this is BS) - that means they have to be made from a compound which presents a much less grippy surface to the car - which actually fits in with experience cos even new cars with very fat tyres slide at the slightest provocation
iii) its generally slower but dumber driving, much less common sense from drivers (yea i know hard to believe)
iv) turn right on red in many states, i've often though turn left on red (when its clear) would be good here
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