This is a BAD traffic idea!

[shropshire 0]

It's pretty much the same over here Dave ... it's my *** (insert deity of choice) given right to drive ... and how ever I please.

So many folks cant afford insurance (mandatory here) but drive anyway

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[MikeJD 0]

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I have noticed quite a few people going the wrong way (clockwise)

Probably Brits.

[billvon 2,400]

>and a roundabout (not that silly thing in Swindon) woks better at controling
>the flow of traffic than does lights or 4+ give way (yield to you lot) or stop
>signs.

I'd say traffic lights give you better control, but roundabouts give you more throughput in low to moderate traffic conditions. In very heavy traffic, lights have a bit of an edge because they are deterministic and do not depend on driver's moods. The traffic circles near Cambridge, MA were nightmares during rush hour, but much more convenient than traffic lights most other times.

>NOT understanding how to use them is what creates the problem NOT the
>roundabout itself.

Same is true of any traffic control device. Familiarity is important, as is the design of the device itself.

[jtval 0]

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I'd say traffic lights give you better control,

Of what? Traffic lights are on timers or sensors. there's no more control than a round-a-bout. The only thing they do differently is stop the flow of traffic. So, instead of going when able, you sit through a few minutes of wasted time.

Obviously, round-a-bouts aren't going to work when you have to intersecting highways.
We USED TO merge onto a highway until some states put in traffic lights on the on-ramps,as well.
Now the traffic sits in the streets...

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[kallend 1,623]

Quote

>and a roundabout (not that silly thing in Swindon) woks better at controling
>the flow of traffic than does lights or 4+ give way (yield to you lot) or stop
>signs.

I'd say traffic lights give you better control, but roundabouts give you more throughput in low to moderate traffic conditions. In very heavy traffic, lights have a bit of an edge because they are deterministic and do not depend on driver's moods. The traffic circles near Cambridge, MA were nightmares during rush hour, but much more convenient than traffic lights most other times.

>NOT understanding how to use them is what creates the problem NOT the
>roundabout itself.

Same is true of any traffic control device. Familiarity is important, as is the design of the device itself.

In this metro area we have some cities with traffic lights programmed efficiently, and some cities with traffic lights programmed with no thought whatsoever given to the flow of traffic, time of day, etc. We have many stretches of road with 4 lights in just 200 yards, unsynchronized. Recipe for gridlock.

Traffic lights are highly susceptible to being programmed by idiots and being the proximate cause of both congestion and accidents. Roundabouts are passive and generally work well.

Most intersections with traffic lights would be greatly improved if they switched to simply flashing (red on the less busy street, yellow on the busier one) from, say, midnight to 6:00a.m.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[billvon 2,400]

>Traffic lights are highly susceptible to being programmed by idiots

Agreed there. And traffic lights could also use more native intelligence i.e. ability to sense traffic not just ability to sense cars waiting for the light to change.

>Most intersections with traffic lights would be greatly improved if they switched
>to simply flashing (red on the less busy street, yellow on the busier one) from,
>say, midnight to 6:00a.m.

Also agreed. In general, uncontrolled intersections (i.e. stoplights flashing yellow, or stop signs, or roundabouts) work very well in lower/medium traffic.

[pincheck 0]

Quote

>Traffic lights are highly susceptible to being programmed by idiots

Agreed there. And traffic lights could also use more native intelligence i.e. ability to sense traffic not just ability to sense cars waiting for the light to change.

>Most intersections with traffic lights would be greatly improved if they switched
>to simply flashing (red on the less busy street, yellow on the busier one) from,
>say, midnight to 6:00a.m.

Also agreed. In general, uncontrolled intersections (i.e. stoplights flashing yellow, or stop signs, or roundabouts) work very well in lower/medium traffic.

Yes they are and a few councils have been caught out in Scotland. Where it was noticed by people and bodies that Edinburgh city council where intentionally setting the sequences out to delay traffic, so causing traffic jams and back ups ? on their roads. Think this was to try and justify them introducing traffic charging into the city . They hate car users and always have (stuck up dicks), they have wanted people to only use public transport in their city. Its political move by silly people who are not interesting in the people they represent. You just have to look at the latest fiasco, with them trying to introduce a tram system into the centre. quite frankly they should all be sacked for their failure, they have lumbered the local tax payers with a heavy burden when it comes to their council taxes.

Not me i stopped shopping in Edinburgh when it became obvious they didn't want my car so they where not getting my business (that was about 15 years ago).

On another Note regarding roundabouts. I have lived where i am from 1976 in what was then, a New town and basically we had no sets of traffic lights it was all roundabouts . I learned to drive on these road and am very comfortable in their use traffic flowed pretty well. The new town was disbanded and control was passed to West Lothian district council, who's planning department introduced traffic signals which to be honest where not needed. since their control more traffic signal controls have been introduced and this has lead to ques are peak periods where there was non before perhaps its with a rise in town population. me i think its partly down to poor planning and layout of the roads and places that have been built since the original idea but that's just my View.

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