Roundabouts

Tchaikovsky · 15-06-2009 06:57PM #1

So I'm learning to drive at the moment and I've come to notice... why are there so many roundabouts in this country!? In places it seems there are roundabouts every 50 yards, mostly ones built in the last 10 years. It's ridiculous!

My name is URL · 15-06-2009 06:59PM

They're supposed to be safer than intersections

15-06-2009 07:00PM

We have traffic lights where we should have roundabouts and we have roundabouts where we should have traffic lights.

Then we have a traffic light / roundabout combo where we should have a yield sign.

JangoFett · 15-06-2009 07:03PM

Learning to drive in Portlaoise? More roundabouts than any other town in the country!

markok84 · 15-06-2009 07:08PM

what about those roundabouts that have pedestrian crossings within 2 feet of them, are they trying to kill people?

Tchaikovsky · 15-06-2009 07:11PM

Isn't the M50 Blanchardstown roundabout the largest in Europe? Says it all really... traffic lights everywhere too.

ShooterSF · 15-06-2009 07:12PM

Don't worry about it, when you learn to drive you'll care less about the roundabout and more about the other drivers going around it and their indicators.

Abi · 15-06-2009 07:14PM

Tchaikovsky wrote: »

So I'm learning to drive at the moment and I've come to notice... why are there so many roundabouts in this country!? In places it seems there are roundabouts every 50 yards, mostly ones built in the last 10 years. It's ridiculous!

It's not the number of roundabouts that piss me off, it's the dumb cnuts that don't know how to use them.

Splendour · 15-06-2009 07:22PM

Abigayle wrote: »

It's not the number of roundabouts that piss me off, it's the dumb cnuts that don't know how to use them.

Absolutely agree with this. It drives me crazy the amount of people who haven't a clue, they take up two lanes when approaching roundabouts or worse still block up the bloomin thing! They're meant to be freeflow, people! Oh don't get me started...:mad:

ScumLord · 15-06-2009 07:26PM

It's to confuse the tourists, they're much more susceptible to buying stupid tat with Ireland written on it when their confused.

SoupyNorman · 15-06-2009 07:27PM

A roundabout is a glorious thing as it's self policing and has a natural order that keeps the traffic moving, it's just the users need a timblefull of intelligence to use one.

/Ponders why there are no roundabouts in America...

Biggins · 15-06-2009 07:29PM

Driving you round the bend are they!

Personally I think we should name them all after useless politicians who get us no where!

Maddison · 15-06-2009 07:29PM

The mini roundabouts are the worst.....like does anyone actually go around them??They are like roundy speedbumps. I had a very near bad experience with a silly b*tch on one only there on Sat, I was going straight ahead & I thought she was too as she had no indicator on. Silly cow decided to turn left when on the roundabout, I had to jam on & my little fella roared with the fright. Oh my lordy if I had have got my hands on her.....she would be impailed on something very sharp.:mad:

Splendour · 15-06-2009 07:48PM

SoupyNorman wrote: »

/Ponders why there are no roundabouts in America...

Tut tut...

timmywex · 15-06-2009 07:59PM

Roundabouts are much safer than any light controlled junction or intersection.

They also act as traffic calming. Im a big fan of them, much safer than having cars coming to a stop on a dual carrage way for example.

Howver irish drivers are idiotic with them,they are seriously not that hard to understand.

old people stopping in mid roundabout and waving me on/People who dont know who has right of way so insist on stopping at junction!

Tchaikovsky · 15-06-2009 09:26PM

But aren't traffic lights on roundabouts self-defeating???

Saibh · 15-06-2009 09:34PM

Tchaikovsky wrote: »

But aren't traffic lights on roundabouts self-defeating???

Not in the case for some people who don't know what a roundabout is

TheDublinMan · 15-06-2009 09:41PM

What about the roundabouts that are painted on, a white circle in the middle of the road. Always laughing at the ways people go round them.

P.C. · 15-06-2009 09:49PM

If they had to change all the roundabouts to four way stops, the whole country would be gridlocked for the rest of time.

I agree with the complaints about people who do not know how to use roundabouts, but...

try getting those people to use a four way stop :eek:.

Tchaikovsky · 15-06-2009 09:51PM

I only like my roundabouts magic and that's that

Saruman · 15-06-2009 09:59PM

SoupyNorman wrote: »

/Ponders why there are no roundabouts in America...

Actually there are, I have even driven around them. They are not very common obviously but more are being built all the time.

In actual fact I think they know how to use them better. Their original equivalent was/is a 4 way stop where the rule of thumb is the person who stops at the junction first goes next. They are amazing as almost everyone obeys them properly, in fact a single stop sign is always stopped at, even in a car park where you know there is nothing coming, everyone still stops and then moves off as if they did not and a cop saw them then they WOULD be ticketed.

As P.C. said though, if a 4 way stop appeared here there would be mayhem.

And those mini roundabouts are pretty lethal, even if like me you actually indicate correctly on roundabouts you still have clowns (like today) that keep going as you are going around.

Roundabouts are my biggest problem with driving here. Most roundabouts themselves are fine, its the users that need a slap in the face.

cashback · 15-06-2009 10:02PM

If only everyone would learn how to indicate on roundabouts. A lot of drivers like to keep you guessing.

Capt'n Midnight · 15-06-2009 10:08PM

Tchaikovsky wrote: »

I only like my roundabouts magic and that's that

Ever been to Swinden ?

http://www.strum.co.uk/pix/mr.jpg

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/content/images/2007/10/22/msn_magic_roundabout_470x350.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Swindon_Magic_Roundabout_eng.png

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Magic_Roundabout_Schild_db.jpg/800px-Magic_Roundabout_Schild_db.jpg

KTRIC · 15-06-2009 10:12PM

Surely it's "rindabite", I think you all got your spelling wrong :rolleyes:

Abi · 15-06-2009 10:14PM

cashback wrote: »

If only everyone would learn how to indicate on roundabouts. A lot of drivers like to keep you guessing.

That drives me fucking crackers.. I'm really pedantic about indication. And as for mini-roundabouts, nobody seems to take them seriously.

kleefarr · 15-06-2009 10:18PM

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Ever been to Swinden ?

http://www.strum.co.uk/pix/mr.jpg

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/content/images/2007/10/22/msn_magic_roundabout_470x350.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Swindon_Magic_Roundabout_eng.png

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Magic_Roundabout_Schild_db.jpg/800px-Magic_Roundabout_Schild_db.jpg

The original is in Hemel Hempsted. (Maybe not, built a year later) Used it many times.

More roundabouts

15-06-2009 10:19PM

JangoFett wrote: »

Learning to drive in Portlaoise? More roundabouts than any other town in the country!

You've never been to Galway.

Spastafarian · 15-06-2009 10:32PM

Tchaikovsky wrote: »

Isn't the M50 Blanchardstown roundabout the largest in Europe? Says it all really... traffic lights everywhere too.

I doubt it.

gernon · 15-06-2009 10:37PM

Has anyone mentioned Zebedee yet?

Saibh · 15-06-2009 10:44PM

Tchaikovsky wrote: »

I only like my roundabouts magic and that's that

gernon wrote: »

Has anyone mentioned Zebedee yet?

In a roundabout way

phasers · 15-06-2009 10:52PM

I hate roundabouts, I'm learning to drive now and they terrify me! There's one huge one near my house that is absolute chaos, you have to look in about 8 places at once to make sure you're not going to die...

Roundabouts

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