🚀 go-pugleaf

Shiva Nataraja wrote:
> 
> That's exactly the reason.

Correct. Having said that, I have no doubt that I could take a
reasonable US driver, give them a couple of days driving over here to
get used to the other side of the road, and then spend another three
days just spending a couple of hours per day doing all the roundabouts
in my area, and by that stage, they'd never be scared of a roundabout
again.

> Roundabouts are a throwback to the old horse and buggy days.

Most definitely not. In fact, most of the newer roads in the UK have
roundabouts instead of junctions: there are some (not all) situations
where roundabouts are easier.

In some parts of the UK roundabouts are more common than junctions.
Junctions tend to be used on older or smaller roads & in cities. The
roundabout tends to be most commonly used over here on newer roads in
partially built up areas.

Just to give you an idea of the proportions, I'd say it's a 12 mile
drive to workfor me, about 6 mins on "A" and "B" roads, and 6 mins on
the freeway. Basically it works out like this:

- 1/2 a mile on small suburban roads with housing either side. All
normal junctions, no lights.

1 to 2 miles onto the freeway, comprising :
- One two lane roundabout onto a reasonably main road.
- One set of pedestrian lights, followed by an offset junction (to sets
of lights 50 yds apart). Later on, another big T junction with lights.

- Roundabout leading onto the motorway slip road (on ramp) - 3 lanes
with 4 big exits & 1 minor one. This is part of a very complicated
interchange, involving two motorways, 3 major roads and 3 large
roundabouts, all within about a mile of each other. Can only be
described with a JPG of the map!

- Loadsa freeway.

1 mile off the freeway comprising:

Freeway slip road (off ramp) leads onto large 2 lane rounadabouts. This
then leads to the dreaded "Segensworth Roundabout": which is 3 lane, and
has 7 exits (I think!) with new "spiral" lane markings indicating
procisely where the lane changes should be made. 

They only added the different lane markings six months ago... one monday
morning, all the commuters got a *big* shock as they drove in. Complete
carnage for the new two days, but traffic now flows much better :-)

MH.

--
Martin Harvey.
New email address!!!!!!!!
martin@pergolesi.demon.co.uk
http://www.pergolesi.demon.co.uk