[Magdalen] Roundabouts and traffic lights (was Re: Cruz on Trump)

[Roger Stokes]

On 25/09/2016 21:07, Scott Knitter wrote:
>
> Watching the UK government and elections makes me think the
> parliamentary system is set up to create a government that can
> accomplish things, whether by a party ruling in its own right or a
> coalition. Our two-party system has become a stalemate machine.
> Somewhat analogous to your roundabouts and our traffic signals: your
> traffic system is set up for flow; ours is set up for slowing and
> stopping. :)

http://www.wimp.com/mythbusters-test-a-four-way-stop-vs-a-roundabout/ is 
instructive in this regard.  On my last two trips to the USA I have come 
across roundabouts - the first on a country road and the others in a 
busier situation.  They worked well.  Problems can occur when you have 
traffic lights on a roundabout if they are not timed well. I know one 
particular intersection where there are lights on a roundabout at a very 
busy intersection and they do help but in other situations they can 
cause frustration.  One thing you have that I think we could usefully 
import (with appropriate reversal to allow for driving on the left) is 
allowing right turns on red.

Roger