# The Roundabouts of Great Britain



## SeaBreeze (Jun 26, 2015)

I think this would be confusing to me personally while driving, but it is interesting.  http://www.amusingplanet.com/2015/06/the-roundabouts-of-great-britain.html



> Kevin Beresford is the President of The United Kingdom Roundabout Appreciation Society, an odd group of people who meet in and around Redditch, a town in north-east Worcestershire, to discuss everything about roundabouts – their architecture, design, style, location as well as their safety features.
> 
> Any why not? Roundabouts are not only an essential traffic management system but they also provide space for gardening, sponsorship and sculpture. These roundabouts range from a simple expanse of grass to magnificent landscaped beauties. Some feature works of art or are wildlife havens, others are sources of local history. There are 10,000 roundabouts in the UK. Redditch alone has over forty.
> 
> ...


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## Josiah (Jun 26, 2015)

Roundabouts depend on a very law abiding driving public. I'm not sure in how many countries I feel comfortable entering a roundabout. Maybe Switzerland?


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## Josiah (Jun 26, 2015)

How about here in China?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8bfNplEmfo


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## NancyNGA (Jun 26, 2015)

Amazing!    I don't understand the reason for making it so complicated.  

To allow for U-turns?   Too much in a hurry to go all the way around the circle?  Allows one to change their mind in mid-circle?


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## imp (Jun 26, 2015)

Several were installed along I-44 in Missouri, in Rolla and Springfield. They are confusing, at first, and considering the proportion of "newbies" encountering them constantly, a source  of potential trouble.   We did not like them.   imp


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## hollydolly (Jun 26, 2015)

Not just the UK but most of Europe too.  Here in the UK They are usually very straightforward as in the second picture but generally larger ...they are very easy to navigate . You stop at the junction leading to the roundabout and give way to the traffic on the right..simple..as soon as there's a space you enter the roundabout , and those at the junction further around give way to you until there's a gap and then they can leave... Of course in America as you drive on the wrong side of the road..you would give way from the left!!  

Those ''Magic'' r/a's in the pictures where there's mini r/a's inside larger R/A's  are rare in the UK (the one in your first pictures SB is well known in the Uk, because it's a rarity and it's in my county)  there's another one in the West Country which is well known for being confusing with mini r/a's inside larger r/a's...   .....mostly R/A's are straighforward structures..large or small with usually 3 , 4 or 5  exits.. There are direction signs on the approach to every Roundabout so you always know exactly which exit you need to take for your destination ..


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## Warrigal (Jun 27, 2015)

Wow. Never saw anything like that. 

Canberra has huge "roundabouts" that are actually circular roads and Sydney has a few large roundabouts but most are just small circular islands at suburban intersections. I like these small ones because they do make the intersections safer and give everyone a fair go.


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## hollydolly (Jun 27, 2015)

Exactly DW..everyone does indeed get a fair go as you say...no madness with people crossing intersections etc...


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## Ameriscot (Jun 27, 2015)

It took me months to get comfortable driving on roundabouts (driving on the left was easy) but once I did I found how much more efficient they are than stoplights and stop signs.


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## NancyNGA (Jun 27, 2015)

Oh, I get it now.  All that confusion is imposed just so you can have two-way traffic *on* the circle (roundabout).  What's the hurry?


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## Ameriscot (Jun 27, 2015)

NancyNGA said:


> Oh, I get it now.  All that confusion is imposed just so you can have two-way traffic *on* the circle (roundabout).  What's the hurry?



There are roundabouts with 4 lanes!


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## NancyNGA (Jun 27, 2015)

Ameriscot said:


> There are roundabouts with 4 lanes!



I would be too afraid, even if everyone were driving on the "proper" (  ) side.


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## Falcon (Jun 27, 2015)

There's only ONE where I live and that's over in Long Beach and I've used it (with no problem) several times. I can see their value.


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## RadishRose (Jun 27, 2015)

There are some of these in the US, I know of one in CT. They are more commonly called rotaries or traffic circles here. The small one I am familiar with is on the way to the shore & very simple thank goodness; I couldn't handle the big ones with multiple lanes.


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