RE: Video: When Roundabouts Go Bad

[g4ry13]

For those that like the music enjoy

[Harry Monk]

One of the key problems seems to be that in turning this from a crossroads inot a roundabout, it has moved the junction at looker's right so far back that drivers don't have a view of what's coming from theri left. Therefore, they creep so far forward that it forces drivers coming from the bottom of the screen to drive straight across the 'roundabout'.

It's crap.

[CampDavid]

It's obviously a roundabout viewed from the camera, probably isn't so obviously a roundabout when you're on the ground

[Corsair7]

Roundabouts in Germany,? Whatever next?

Its been a couple of decades since I lived there admittedly, but the only roundabout I encountered in Germany in 4 years was on Rhiendahlen Garrison....

[rich85uk]

van driver @ 1:10

[Salom]

A Scotsman said:

What's the problem? Nobody crashed and nobody died.

Yet.....

No scarier than Hemel Hempstead though...

[Snoggledog]

How would they cope in Milton Keynes?

[Sicob]

Be amusing to add a satellite roundabout there for entertainment value.

[Sivraj]

What are the rules for the roundabouts in Germany?
Are they like ours (people on the roundabout have priority) or is it like the French (people entering have priority)?

[ukaskew]

They have similar roundabouts between Oak Creek and Sedona (Arizona) where they have plenty of room for spacious roundabouts but have built massive islands with a very thin traffic lane around the outside, something you rarely see in the UK. Thankfully they have actually built islands at these, but the lanes are so narrow that large vehicles struggle to navigate them.

I guess we take them for granted in the UK, and usually they are pretty well designed. We're probably not in a position to mock our newly 'roundabouted' friends around the world though, considering about 90% of drivers in the UK navigate them incorrectly.

[Supervet]

Did you notice how the cyclists tackled it correctly!!! Must be self preservation.

[RichardR]

Must..... shop..... at..... Lidl.





Wow, that product placement really works!!

[Johnpidge]

Normal roundabout behavior - exept its in Germany and on the other side of the road

[anonymous-user]

They are all bloody driving on the wrong side of the road too!!!!! ;-)

[Ranger 6]

Hugo a Gogo said:

...normally, in the absence of markings 'Right before Left' applies...

I think the French term is 'priorite a droite', but yes, there doesn't appear to be the diamond signs to clarify things?

edit French speeling

Edited by Ranger 6 on Monday 24th January 13:42

[Morningside]

Love the car stopping in the middle of the lane.

Talking about confusing roundabouts. I know here in Suffolk (and maybe elsewhere) the 30 Mph limit written on the road with a circle round it had to be elongated as people were treating them as roundabouts

Looks like its not just a Suffolk problem

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/8363265.Moto...

[Stew2000]

Morningside said:

Love the car stopping in the middle of the lane.

Talking about confusing roundabouts. I know here in Suffolk (and maybe elsewhere) the 30 Mph limit written on the road with a circle round it had to be elongated as people were treating them as roundabouts

Looks like its not just a Suffolk problem

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/8363265.Moto...

Councils are always good for a laugh.
Around here they only fill in the pot holes that are marked. even though there are really big ones next to it.

[Petrolhead_Rich]

To be fair it's no different to the stty use of fully painted mini-roundabouts in the UK, this one at Morrisons in Knottingley being an excellent example, nearly had 2 head on's and several people "overtaking" across it as you go around:



Some contenders there for the "Bad Parking Thread" too....

[I WISH]

Roundabouts work brilliantly when they are:

a) Designed properly
b) Don't have traffic lights on them (why have a roundabout in the first place?!)
c) They are used properly

It is not widely known .... but the reason that we don't have MORE roundabouts ... and have traffic signal controlled junctions instead ..... is that roundabouts are considered to be "pedestrian unfriendly". More pedestrians are killed at roundabouts than at signal controlled junctions apparently - but FAR MORE DRIVERS are killed at signal controlled junctions. I'll leave you to ponder why it's OK for loads of drivers to get killed instead of a relatively few pedestrians. This seems to apply even to junctions in the middle of nowhere - where no pedestrians ever stray .... so traffic lights it is ... even though a roundabout would make far more sense.

The other little known fact relates to the most dangerous of roundabout species ..... the "Mini" Roundabout.

I'm willing to bet that most of you assume that all mini roundabouts have equal rights of way for each "entrance" to the roundabout. Not true. Have a look next time you come across one. Many mini roundabouts have a "Give Way" for one of the entrances and "normal" roundabout rules for the remaining entrances. Essentially the Highway Code states that you should treat a mini roundabout exactly as you would a full size roundabout UNLESS otherwise directed (e.g. by a Give Way sign).

This can make a big difference if you have a coming together in the middle of one. Trust me .... I know.

I'm in court soon to argue my case!

[Starfighter]

Snoggledog said:

How would they cope in Milton Keynes?

Based on comments from my German co-workers when we visit a supplier in MK the answer would have to be that they cannot cope.