Roundabout Hall Of Infame

[CommanderJameson]

The roundabout is a wonderful thing. Without it, we'd have vast cloverleaf intersections at every motorway junction, and there'd be even more traffic lights at minor crossings. Without doubt, the roundabout is a good thing.

But there is a dark side. Some roundabouts are evil.

Have a look at this monstrosity, connecting the A19 with the A1046 just north of Middlesbrough:



It looks better from the air than from the ground. If you're approaching from the A1046 S/B to the A19 N/B, (i.e. going from the top of the picture round the RABs to head out of the left of the picture) it's basically a free-for-all to get to the bigger of the two. There's whitelining, but it's in such poor condition (and it's pretty much invisible) that it might as well not be there. The problem comes because the small roundabout wants you in the middle lane for straight on, but then you need to get over to the right hand lane on the big one. This sounds easy. It isn't. You're very likely to be cut up by traffic coming south off the A19 and heading for the A1046 on the far side, because it needs to get across you. Fun at rush hour.

Here's fun at the other end of the country:



Good old Sarf Mimms. J23 on the M25. I often have to go north on the A1M here, and have learnt my lesson: even though there are two lanes in the offslip, take the left hand one. If you take the right hand one, you run a reasonable chance of collecting a car in your offside front door, as it chops across the tigertail. At about the 3 o'clock position on this roundabout, too, there's a rather hairy lane change from right to middle, if you're going from the services back up the A1M.

And as CptSideways says, Gordano roundabout is a bloody nightmare.

Edited by CommanderJameson on Sunday 25th October 09:14

[Puddenchucker]

CommanderJameson said:

Good old Sarf Mimms. J23 on the M25. I often have to go north on the A1M here, and have learnt my lesson: even though there are two lanes in the offslip, take the left hand one. If you take the right hand one, you run a reasonable chance of collecting a car in your offside front door, as it chops across the tigertail.[/footnote]

I used to often go down the A1M and then West on the M25, and quite often I ended up going around that one twice, because I was in lane 2 and all the traffic in lane 1, at the exit to the M25 West, was is going straight on towards so I couldn't get accross.

I also nominate the Hardwick roundabout on the outskirts of King's Lynn. I hate this Roundabout with a passion. It's one of those Roundabouts where it seems, unless you are either very familiar with it or prepared to ruthlessly change lanes, you'll be in the wrong lane if taking anything other than the first exit.

[matchmaker]

I'll nominate the Keir Roundabout on the A9 near Dunblane.

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll=56.170298...

Due to be replaced and not before time.
http://www.allanwaternews.co.uk/index.php?option=c...

Edited by matchmaker on Monday 26th October 13:43

[Alex]

Obviously. The "magic roundabout" in Swindon:

[NorthernExposure]

blimey...there's roundabouts within roundabouts on that one!

[Puggit]

I used to have to commute through this monstrosity:



Or as seen when approaching from the South:



Is it a roundabout or a set of crossroads, or just something someone thought would be good for creating congestion...?

[Puggit]

I've mentioned this a few times in this here forum - but M40 jc10 at Cherwell Valley (A43) takes the biscuit for the most stupidly designed simple roundabout.

Edited by Puggit on Tuesday 27th October 10:17

[Marvindodgers]

Alex said:

Obviously. The "magic roundabout" in Swindon:

Never too sure which is worse, Swindon (above) or Hemel Hempstead (below)

http://thumbsnap.com/v/pcCIYpMQ.jpg

(apologies - thumbsnap numpty!)

Edited by Marvindodgers on Wednesday 28th October 12:25

[Alex]

Marvindodgers said:

Never too sure which is worse, Swindon (above) or Hemel Hempstead (below)



(apologies - thumbsnap numpty!)

There you go!

Edited by Alex on Wednesday 28th October 17:59

[snowy slopes]

Marvindodgers said:

Alex said:

Obviously. The "magic roundabout" in Swindon:

Never too sure which is worse, Swindon (above) or Hemel Hempstead (below)

http://thumbsnap.com/v/pcCIYpMQ.jpg

(apologies - thumbsnap numpty!)

Edited by Marvindodgers on Wednesday 28th October 12:25

Having driven around both of these two beauty's, the hemel version of the magic roundabout is by far the nastier of the two, mainly due to the pratt's that use it every day!

[jmorgan]

Alex said:

Obviously. The "magic roundabout" in Swindon:

I like that one, never seem to go the same way twice.

[timlongs]

+1 the A19 roundabout, I work just off that roundabout, have had so many near misses with idiots changing lane, and many colleagues from work suffering similar problems!