There are tons of roundabouts in Europe and they are efficient and
cheap. Problem is your driving skills may be challenged. Furthermore
there is more reliance on the vehicles lights to show the way rather than
street lights! That may be why there is a huge choice of add-on spot
lights for MGs and similar.
At 02:23 PM 10/13/02 -0400, Speedo79@aol.com wrote:
>David Breneman wrote:
>
><< Roundabouts are becoming quite a fad in some parts of the US.
> A town near where I live is putting them in all over the place,
> apparently to save on the cost of traffic lights. An article
> in the Wall Street Journal a couple months back stated than on
> average, accident rates go up 600-700% at intersections where
> roundabouts are installed. The ones around here are usually.
> less than 100 feet in diameter - and some have two lanes! >>
>
><Begin Rant>
>I was visiting relatives in the town I grew up in (Glendale, CA) this summer.
> The local government has taken a liking to installing roundabouts in
>residental streets to slow traffic (as well as mid-block speed bumps whom the
>local youth enjoy jumping over in their rice burners...I've seen them in
>person, but that's another rant). The roundabouts consist of four plastic
>cones stuck in the center of the intersection, with a sign above showing the
>direction of travel.
>
>Late one night, as I was traveling through town, down one of the roads I used
>to live on, I came across (or, shall I say OVER) one of the roundabouts. The
>street light about the interesection was out, and it was just past a gentle
>curve. The rubber bumpers (or cattle guards if you prefer) took out the two
>center cones without much more than a thump-thump. I wasn't speeding, but
>with no warning before hand, the city had created a very dangerous
>intersection were none had extisted.
>
>Luckily no damage resulted to the MG.
><End rant>
>
>Steve Sanchez
>1977 MGB with "roundabout straighteners!"
>
Regards
Barrie
Barrie Robinson - barrier@bconnex.net
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