Very stupid cyclist .....

[Physician]

I'm pleased to confirm that the VR4 ABS/ASC, AYC does exactly what it says on the box.

Entered roundabout with traffic lights - exiting left where there is a traffic light controlled pedestrian crossing ..... my lights were green but just as I accelerated out of the roundabout a stupid cyclist flew off the path to cross the road straight into my path - slammed on my brakes whilst also turning sharp left to go behind him .... I briefly caught his eye as he realised he nearly ended up in the morgue. /Grrr

Anyway, the car handled impeccably without any issues - however, I needed clean underwear.

[Robotnik123]

So you have roundabouts with traffic lights in England? Seems strange. In New Zealand we either have a roundabout on an interesection or traffic lights, never both.


I'm pleased to confirm that the VR4 ABS/ASC, AYC does exactly what it says on the box.

Entered roundabout with traffic lights - exiting left where there is a traffic light controlled pedestrian crossing ..... my lights were green but just as I accelerated out of the roundabout a stupid cyclist flew off the path to cross the road straight into my path - slammed on my brakes whilst also turning sharp left to go behind him .... I briefly caught his eye as he realised he nearly ended up in the morgue. /Grrr

Anyway, the car handled impeccably without any issues - however, I needed clean underwear.

[bradc]

they also have magic roundabouts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Roundabout_(Swindon)

[Ryan]

they also have magic roundabouts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Roundabout_(Swindon)

Pity there is no article associated with this link Brad /pan

[bradc]

ohh it chopped off the final ) I thought you'd be smart enough to figure that one out

[Ryan]

Guess not - magic roundabout is pretty cool though.

[Robotnik123]

That Magic Rounabout has such low traffic islands. I bet big SUVs drive straight over them at night and ignore the intricacies of the roundabout.

[elnevio]

I drove round it once, about 14 years ago.

Never again!

[Paul Beazer]

I drove round it once, about 14 years ago.

Never again!
Me too. I can honestly say i had no idea how to negotiate it, i just followed someone else. It the only time driving where i had no idea how to negotiate something. Totally crazy.

[Pastor of Muppets]

the magic roundabout rocks i took a canadian friend of mine who'd never seen a roundabout before that day around it backwards and if you want to see real havoc there is a firestation on one of the exits (which is why the islands are all low) and that is great when three engines come out and belt right across it!!!

[Nick VR4]

I use to use the one in Hemel Hempstead great fun

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Magicroundabout_hemel.svg

[Scanny]

So you have roundabouts with traffic lights in England? Seems strange. In New Zealand we either have a roundabout on an interesection or traffic lights, never both.

more frustratingly, the traffic lights are in use 24/7. why have traffic lights on at night when there is very little traffic around?/pan

[pitslayer]

yeh never fan of the magic roundabout. the one or several coming up to the ace cafe off the north cicular, that got me in a right mess, like 3 roundabouts interlinking with each other and everyone cutting each other up /lol

its better when they are on at rush hour, then turn the lights off at 7pm and no one has a clue what to do, people parked on the roundabout waiting going wtf!!! lol

[Subaru ETA]

I'm pleased to confirm that the VR4 ABS/ASC, AYC does exactly what it says on the box.

Entered roundabout with traffic lights - exiting left where there is a traffic light controlled pedestrian crossing ..... my lights were green but just as I accelerated out of the roundabout a stupid cyclist flew off the path to cross the road straight into my path - slammed on my brakes whilst also turning sharp left to go behind him .... I briefly caught his eye as he realised he nearly ended up in the morgue. /Grrr

Anyway, the car handled impeccably without any issues - however, I needed clean underwear.

and if you had hit him it would have been your fault and you would be going to court!

[Throbbe]

more frustratingly, the traffic lights are in use 24/7. why have traffic lights on at night when there is very little traffic around?/pan


Oooooh sir, me me me, I know this one.

Roundabouts in the UK (different design criteria apply on the continent, where roundabouts are less efficient, but safer) are generally pretty good capacity wise. However, once they reach capacity, they lock up quite badly. Also, if one particular flow is dominant, you get big delays on the arms that are blocked by that movement.

That's where signal control comes in. You use it to move the capacity around to the arms that need it. It's less efficient for the junction as a whole, but it does redistribute the capacity where it's most needed.

On that basis, part time signals make a lot of sense. Keep the capacity up off-peak, then switch them on when needed. The reason they don't get used that often is that drivers get confused by part time signals and either sit there dithering when they're off, or ignore them when they are on. Yes, it beggars belief but look at it this way ...

Consider how good the average driver is. By definition, half the drivers on the road are worse than that. Scared? ;)

[Davezj]

isn't there a wacky roundabout in milton keens.

One small roundabout with no raised centre surounded by 7 (even smaller)satalite roundabouts all linking with no traffic light. i looks like some of those crop circles you get pictured.

EDIT:-just found it and it is the one you are talking about. 5 satalites.

[Throbbe]

The chap behind the magic roundabout actually died very recently.

Frank Blackmore obituary (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/frank-blackmore-traffic-engineer-who-invented-the-miniroundabout-856107.html).

Bit of a local hero around these parts. The first operational mini, a couple of miles from my office, was finally converted to signals by one of my colleagues last year. Apparently when it opened Frank Blackmore stood at the side of the road with a megaphone yelling instructions at drivers.