Favourite and Least Favourite Roundabouts

[Ginger N ick]

Having been cut up for the millionth time this morning I started thinking about roundabout (bored in a traffic jam). What are Pistonheaders best and worst roundabouts. Best could be for hoonability, design or efficiency. Worst could be for safety, number of morons or design. Also what are you pet hates?

Best: RAB on A22 just south of M25, this was the first time I was in a Caterham Seven sideways after the salesman used more throttle than might have been sensible. I have revisted it several times to do the same thing. It is a good choice for this activity late at night because of the level of visibility. The exit heading north has a lovely sweeping bend of it that does catch the odd person out!

Worst: A3 RAB with M25. Full of morons in the wrong lane, always full of traffic and covered in badly phased traffic lights. Always seem to get lorrys cuttings across lanes here too.

Pet hates:

Not indicating at mini roundabouts (how are we supposed to know where you are going) I reckon this must cost us all journey time while people wait for people they don't have to.

Boards that block your view. I know it is to discourage drivers going onto roundabouts at speed but it can be very annoying slowing down for a very large roundabout when it is totally clear off peak.

[alc]

I nominate every mini-roundabout - most people just don't know what to do and everyone just sits there looking at each other, until one brave soul decides to move - so they all do - at the same time! Grrrrrrrrrrr!
Why don't they act like on "proper" roundabouts?

[bad_roo]

That big roundabout in Telford with the McDonalds in the middle is the perfect shape for hooning. Four corners and loads of width. Shame there's a police station right on top of it.

[sebo]

Swindon's magic roundabout, five roundabouts around a large one in the middle

[twelve_75]

My favourites have to be on the lakeside. Junction 3, M18. There always slippery, 5 smallish, perfectly driftable roundabouts in perfect tarmac in the space of about a mile

[dougc]

Favourite - any empty one when I'm in the Tiv
Least favourite - used to be the Magic Roundabout in Hemel Hempstead but that one in Swindon is giving me cold sweats just looking at it. I can imagine the numpties bearing down on all side with glazed and confused expressions on their faces.

[calumcousins]

hate: the meadows roundabout in camberley, or any one with traffic lights on them for that matter, they're great in the mornings when theres so many people that the whole thing just gridlocks

love: couple of greasy little ones in bournemouth that i know of that are just brilliant in a rwd transit...!

[dick dastardly]

sebo said:

Swindon's magic roundabout, five roundabouts around a large one in the middle

Is that thing for real? How many accidents do they get there?

[bad_roo]

The camber on the roundabout on the Wessex Way near Asda in Bournemouth is unreal. The thing's like a saucer.

[wik]

Worst - A404 M40 Handycorss roundabout. Always busy, lots of lanes and most drivers never know which one they should be in !
M4 reading roundabout by the Madeski stadium - see above

Best -
There's a little one on the A4 just after the Pack Horse pub. I've seen a few cars stuffed there ( including a Caterham with its axle hanging off ) as it has a weird camber. Good fun to go round though.
Its not worth anyone travelling to see it or anything. I just like it..

[wik]

Swindon roundabout is real. There's one in Hemel Hempstead too !

[Zod]

bad_roo said:

The camber on the roundabout on the Wessex Way near Asda in Bournemouth is unreal. The thing's like a saucer.

upsied down or right way up? Right way up must make it a fast one!

[bad_roo]

Right way up! Great fun in the middle of the night - very busy otherwise.

[timmy30]

dick dastardly said:

sebo said: Swindon's magic roundabout, five roundabouts around a large one in the middle Is that thing for real? How many accidents do they get there?

It's a bloody meance!

[apache]

For me, the one on jct 3 of the M4 for obvious reasons closely followed by the Biggleswade roundabout on the A1 where some german tourist turned right from the lh lane taking out my lovely old Saab

[nightdriver]

The Rettendon turnpike roundabout in Essex, its an oval shape rather than the traditional round. Many a time I've had the pleasure of being very sideways round there, at night its deserted and after 240 motorway miles coming home from Uni I need to unleash some serious hooliganism

[bmwdrivernigel]

My fave is the 'peanut' roundabout between Windsor and Ascot, named after its shape, just like a mini race track but now sadly covered with anti skid stuff.
Worst is at the Windsor end of the relief road, 4 sets of lights that totally screw it up if more than 5 cars on it!!

[thekirbyfake]

wik said:

Worst - A404 M40 Handycorss roundabout. Always busy, lots of lanes and most drivers never know which one they should be in !

horrid lane markings

Best is the M40/A355 roundabout two junctions down. Travelling London bound and then south towards Slough. As you exit the roundabout there is a very fast right then left turn onto a short DC. Bit like The Bus Stop.

[baskey]

a414/a1081 signalised r'about by st albans (south) coming from hatfield the markings disappear on one section of the roundabout for no apparent reaosn and people who don't know/remember just drift over - seen so many near misses there....

[r988]

sebo said:

Swindon's magic roundabout, five roundabouts around a large one in the middle

How exactly does that work then?