http://195.24.41.144/fun/roundabout.htm

That would mess me up too! I got used to being in the left lane for driving and going on a roundabout on the left side! People in WA state stilll haven't figured out the roundabouts! Even with the big FRICKIN SIGN!

wow! I think I would just park and walk I hope those circle with arrows are just indicatiing the way around and not you have to drive in little circles. There are a few of those in south beach hilton head, quite amusing and reduces the need for a traffic light.

I grew up near this beast... It was so big it had a park in the middle with a lake.

Ah the magic roundabout. That's where Dougal hangs out eating sugar lumps!

Here you go Patrick.

I bet jay walkers do not last long over there.

They actually paint "LOOK RIGHT FOR TRAFFIC" in the streets on corners because so many westerners reflexively look over their LEFT shoulder before crossing. Bad habit to have over there...

To borrow from SI, this week's sign of the apocolypse: Kids are no longer commonly taught to look both ways before crossing the street.

I was always taught to look left, look right, look left again.

Now I have seen these crazy things in both England and Austraila.
My question is this. Would of it really been that hard to build a couple overpasses or some traffic lights?

Dave,

Then they would take out a central urban park. If used properly, roundabouts can actually reduce overall congestion on the road and improve traffic flow. Putting in lights would defeat the purpose of it.

I rad somewhere that roundabouts wre actually statistically safer than any counterpart we have in the states. I suppose, once you get used to the concept, it becomes very efficient.

Too back it would never work in the US. People would sue and our drivers are too dumb to ever get used to it.

That's one of the most jacked up things I've ever seen.

"Look kids.....Big Ben." - Chevy Chase

"Look kids.....Big Ben." - Clark Griswald


Brent

I spent months in England and roundabouts are easy. I love them cause you can get through them very fast (most of them and those without traffic signals). Just drive left and yield to the right. In a combination roundabout, while in the center, you are going a different direction, but just think of it as what it is, multiple roundabouts stacked together and you are just hitting the inside of each one. The same rules still exist and apply.

"look kids........big ben......parliment" Clark Griswald

Parliament.

that thing actually makes sense now that I stared at it...

Yeah, they've been putting more and more of them in around the Seattle area, but they are the much more simple type. People here are so timid though that they get up to it and freeze. In order for a roundabout to work you need to be attentive, quick, and decisive...otherwise there's not much hope of getting anywhere.

This one pictured looks scary at first, but then it becomes pretty clear. Most of the confusion comes with trying to adjust to driving on the left side of the road though.

I think ALL of them in DC have traffic lights.