Traffic Circles

klaus wrote:

Emericuns have trouble with them, but they seem to be getting more
popular in high traffic areas.

But just imagine if the U.S. put in a Magic Roundabout. Carnage.

http://www.swindonweb.com/life/lifemagi0.htm

The idea of driving on the left hand side of the road is bad enough.
Trying to negotiate *that* while driving on the left hand side is enough
to keep me from driving in the UK at all. Which maybe is the point?

The only way I can see an Emurican getting through it would be to barrel
through in an Excursion while talking on the cell phone. I'm sure the
Minis would scatter. (c:

--
//-Walt
//
// "Fair and Balanced"

Walt wrote:
klaus wrote:

Emericuns have trouble with them, but they seem to be getting more
popular in high traffic areas.

But just imagine if the U.S. put in a Magic Roundabout. Carnage.

http://www.swindonweb.com/life/lifemagi0.htm

The idea of driving on the left hand side of the road is bad enough.
Trying to negotiate *that* while driving on the left hand side is enough
to keep me from driving in the UK at all. Which maybe is the point?

I used to be apprehensive about it, but really, after a day or two,
it's no big deal driving on the other side. You just have to make a
point of concentrating. But get an automatic. Shifting with the other
hand, but same pattern, while the pedals are the same gets a bit too
much for a short trip. And get full insurance coverage. You'll be
hitting a lot of curbs since you aren't used to judging where the
front left of the car is when your sitting in the seat on the
right. Especially on the narrow roads.

I actually think it's more dangerous to walk. You tend to look the
wrong way before crossing a street.

-klaus

klaus writes:

I used to be apprehensive about it, but really, after a day or two,
it's no big deal driving on the other side. You just have to make a
point of concentrating. But get an automatic. Shifting with the other
hand, but same pattern, while the pedals are the same gets a bit too
much for a short trip. And get full insurance coverage. You'll be
hitting a lot of curbs since you aren't used to judging where the
front left of the car is when your sitting in the seat on the
right. Especially on the narrow roads.

I actually think it's more dangerous to walk. You tend to look the
wrong way before crossing a street.


Agreed with Klaus. I guess that's why most of the London zebra crossings
have "look right" (or is it "look left"?) sign.

As for the driving, the most dangerous for me was if you are turning into
(or from) a small street and suddenly see a car coming towards you: your's
years of experience turned into instinct tell you to go right to avoid the
oncoming car, but in UK you should be turning left to do so.

Or something along that line. I am bad with left and right side even with
walking.

Well, I did manage to survive for 3 years driving in UK without any
accident. I left for Canada afterwards (but not because of driving).

Bye, Dragan

--
Dragan Cvetkovic,

To be or not to be is true. G. Boole No it isn't. L. E. J. Brouwer

!!! Sender/From address is bogus. Use reply-to one !!!

"Richard Henry" wrote in
news:kzV0b.5272$QT5.899@fed1read02:

I was going to ask this question back during the TdF threads (which
seem to have all dried up now) but let it pass. I was impressed by
the number of traffic circles on the course, and wondered why we
didn't have more here.

I was reminded of the question the other day when I saw a small
traffic circle in a San Diego suburb. I remember there were plans for
one up in Ojai (don't know if it was ever built), and I remember
riding around another in upstate NY (Syracuse?). Are there any others
scattered around the US and Canada?



They're all over the place in New Jersey. They probably account for 10x the
number of accidents than any other type of intersection. Everyone around
here hates them.

klaus wrote:

I actually think it's more dangerous to walk. You tend to look the
wrong way before crossing a street.

Heh. Tomorrow is the day when 7 blocks of downtown streets open up to
two way traffic after being one-way since the 60's. I just *know* I'm
going to step out into the street without looking both ways.

Anyway, it's been nice knowing everybody here...

--
//-Walt
//
// "Fair and Balanced"

Chuck wrote:

They're all over the place in New Jersey. They probably account for 10x the
number of accidents than any other type of intersection. Everyone around
here hates them.

I haven't had the "pleasure" of driving in Jersey for quite some time.
Do they still prohibit you from pumping your own gas? The last gas
lines I saw (prior to last week's power failure) were on the New Jersey
Turnpike - there wasn't a shortage, it's just that they had only one
attendent trying to deal with sixteen pumps.

--
//-Walt
//
// "Fair and Balanced"

On Thu, 21 Aug 2003 14:42:00 -0400, Walt wrote:

Chuck wrote:

They're all over the place in New Jersey. They probably account for 10x the
number of accidents than any other type of intersection. Everyone around
here hates them.

I haven't had the "pleasure" of driving in Jersey for quite some time.
Do they still prohibit you from pumping your own gas? The last gas
lines I saw (prior to last week's power failure) were on the New Jersey
Turnpike - there wasn't a shortage, it's just that they had only one
attendent trying to deal with sixteen pumps.


NJ is the land o No Left Turns... home of the traffic circle, the jughandle &
birthplace of the Jersey Barrier

NY has some silly law about attendants pumping gas... has to do with insurance I
think which is also a strange thing in NJ (insurance, that is). I usually get
out & start it myself if they don't come over quick enough & they never shoo me
away. One good thing though... NJ gas is cheap. Much cheaper than NY & any
other surrounding area. I'll tell ya, when you just spend a day skiing & your
on your way home & are out of gas, its nice to have someone pump it for ya.



Heather
~~~~~~~~~~
http://absinthe-green.com
~~~~~~~~~~
I'm a closet heterosexual.
- David Bowie

bdubya wrote:

This thread has reminded me how much I miss the "Michigan left"

Yeah, those were the days. John Sinclair, The MC5, Tom Hayden, Ted
Kazinski...

Some
things you don't appreciate until you lose them (or move away).
http://www.michiganhighways.org/inde...igan_left.html

oh. *That* kind of left. nevermind...

--
//-Walt
//
// "Fair and Balanced"

On Thu, 21 Aug 2003 15:30:22 -0400, Walt wrote:

Absinthe wrote:
On Thu, 21 Aug 2003 14:42:00 -0400, Walt wrote:

I haven't had the "pleasure" of driving in Jersey for quite some time.
Do they still prohibit you from pumping your own gas? The last gas
lines I saw (prior to last week's power failure) were on the New Jersey
Turnpike - there wasn't a shortage, it's just that they had only one
attendent trying to deal with sixteen pumps.

NY has some silly law about attendants pumping gas... has to do with insurance I
think which is also a strange thing in NJ (insurance, that is). I usually get
out & start it myself if they don't come over quick enough & they never shoo me
away.

I've got a simple solution: Never ever buy gas in New Jersey. It's not
like it's so big you can't drive across it without stopping for gas.


yeah, but that gas is cheap cheap cheap! I always tank up in NJ when I can

Plus there's not really any where to (ob)ski.

well, I am not up to the (ob) part yet... but I ski a lot in Pennsylvania (Elk
Mountain) so drive in NJ for a while & its usually the crack of dawn so I am
lazy :-)



Heather
~~~~~~~~~~
http://absinthe-green.com
~~~~~~~~~~
I'm a closet heterosexual.
- David Bowie

"Absinthe" wrote in message
...

NJ is the land o No Left Turns... home of the traffic circle, the
jughandle &
birthplace of the Jersey Barrier

NY has some silly law about attendants pumping gas... has to do with
insurance I
think which is also a strange thing in NJ (insurance, that is). I usually
get
out & start it myself if they don't come over quick enough & they never
shoo me
away. One good thing though... NJ gas is cheap. Much cheaper than NY &
any
other surrounding area. I'll tell ya, when you just spend a day skiing &
your
on your way home & are out of gas, its nice to have someone pump it for
ya.

Then again, if you're on your way home, its nice not to be in NJ.