Oh no!!!! I was hoping no one would get me started on roundabouts, traffic
circles, and rotarys, but there you go -
IMHO, They are in fact, very efficient traffic moving devices - as long as 2
conditions are met: 1- Traffic volume does not exceed a certain magic number
at which point they just gridlock - and I've been on roads in England that
were stopped solid between roundabouts. Traffic couldn't get off one
because it couldn't get on the one up the road. When traffic reaches the
point where the cars in the circle are continuous to the point of blocking
entrance from subsequent feeders, the only way for traffic to enter the flow
is to violate condition #2: Everyone has to follow the rules. This doesn't
seem to be as big a problem in the UK as it is places like, say NEW JERSEY
or Boston. No offense, but it seems like in those places people believe that
traffic entering the circle/rotary has the right of way, that is until they
are actually in the circle/rotary at which times the rules somehow change.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. (apologies to Dennis Miller)
> As for roundabouts, follow these rules:
Now, about your rules, they work great when traffic is relatively light, but
during rush hour -
>
> 1. If your exit is the one immediately after your entrance, stay on the
> outside lane of the roundabout (that is, towards the perimeter)
This one is pretty easy, you can just sortof sneak on and sneak off, but-
> 2. If your exit is one of the exits beyond the next exit. move to the
> right-hand, inner lane (the closest to the middle)
If you can get over there. Those Brits like to drive on the bumper of the
car in front and of course while you are trying to move into an inner ring,
they are trying to get into the space you are in so they can get off at the
next spoke.
until your exit comes
> around.
Yeah, right. Once you get into the inner ring (by the way you've been
concentrating so hard on making you're way over there you failed to notice
that you've passed your exit 3 times, and now you have to try and get back
while the traffic from the spokes keep filling every inch of the outer ring.
(This never happened to me, I just saw Chevy Chase get into this fix in
"European Vacation")
> 3. Be ASSERTIVE, but not aggressive. English drivers tend to drive fast
and
> expect everybody else to drive the same way. They will not appreciate
> indecision or timidity on roundabouts.
I'll have to try this with my wife next time she accuses me of being an
aggressive driver - "No Dear, I'm just assertive - they appreciate that in
England" :-)
Micahel, please don't take offense I don't disagree with what you said, you
just gave me the opportunity to go off on one of my favorite rants.
Bob
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