I've noticed there was a lot of Americans on Mumsnet lately, so I'm posting this to spook them!

mummaof0 · 2024-07-04T21:31:10+00:00

Pshhht! Psshht! I'm armed with an Ameriscram now!

CheeseSandwichRiskAssessment · 05/07/2024 12:33

Saschka · 05/07/2024 00:49

To be fair, we put a mini roundabout where you would put a four-way stop in the States or Canada.

No British person has any clue who is meant to move first at a four-way stop sign, so we just sit there politely waiting for the other three cars to go, so we can set off again without hitting anyone.

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There's a 7-way stop where my parents live in the US, somehow it works.

Saschka · 05/07/2024 10:10

MrsCarson · 05/07/2024 06:48

I'm a Brit (well dual US/UK) those UK massive roundabouts put me in a cold sweat. I have quite happily drive through LA and San Fransisco. They are much better at road signs and don't just have a worn out sign written on the road where they can't be seen and it's a bit too late to change lanes.

Ah, but the advantage of a roundabout is that if you miss your turning you can just go round and round until you work out which exit you need. So I’m told, anyway

DdraigGoch · 05/07/2024 09:21

WhichEllie · 05/07/2024 04:16

Don’t be ridiculous. California’s climates are vastly different from the UK’s and many of them are too dry and arid to grow many trees.

According to relatives that live there, due to the drought they have also been encouraging people to plant native plants that won’t take too much water rather than nonnative trees that will require tonnes of it.

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I don't think that the climate is the reason for that hideous mass of concrete.

LiterallyOnFire · 05/07/2024 09:03

logicisall · 05/07/2024 09:00

My claim to fame is that I once encountered a car coming towards me in a roundabout. I live in the UK!

user1471522343 · 05/07/2024 09:01

RoseDog · 04/07/2024 23:20

They are not roundabouts they are "circles"...where am I from?

Dundee 👋

logicisall · 05/07/2024 09:00

My claim to fame is that I once encountered a car coming towards me in a roundabout. I live in the UK!

RoseDog · 05/07/2024 08:56

@Sassy306 you are right!!

Although we now have less circles as many have been removed for traffic lights.

logicisall · 05/07/2024 08:55

Waitingfordoggo · 04/07/2024 23:46

I’ve seen pics of that roundabout before but never been on it. I don’t really understand it. What’s to stop you treating it like a giant roundabout and just going all the way round the outside?

You should be only be in the outside lane when you intend to exit the roundabout. Some roundabouts have multiple lanes and if you're unfamiliar with it, you just go around again to manoeuvre yourself into the correct lane, or if you've missed your exit. Some car sat navs now have arrows overlaid on the map to point out the lane you should be in to get to your destination.

CheeseSandwichRiskAssessment · 05/07/2024 07:44

@Cantbebotheredwithausername Continentals are ok, they are all slim, well dressed, have perfectly working political and healthcare systems, impeccably behaved children and better food (this last one is true).

Cantbebotheredwithausername · 05/07/2024 07:21

I'm from Denmark, and I'm scared. We have much smaller roads and roundabouts! (Before anyone comes along to say I shouldn't drive in Britain then - don't worry, I wouldn't dare!)

Can I still be here? 😳🥹

IMarchToADifferentDrummer · 05/07/2024 07:17

Haha, that's funny af.

knitnerd90 · 05/07/2024 07:16

CheeseSandwichRiskAssessment · 05/07/2024 07:10

@knitnerd90 I've never been to Amish country although I should go because I love whooppie pies.

Are there rotaries there 🤔

Rotaries are New England. Apparently PennDOT really likes putting in roundabouts on new projects, though, so you may find a few of those!

PortiasBiscuit · 05/07/2024 07:15

I would literally die of fright if caught on something like that.

isthismylifenow · 05/07/2024 07:12

Great thread to start the day.

OP this looks like the new system in the new shopping mall that just opened near me. (slight exaggeration) 😀 I should say that we have very few 'traffic circles' where I am, and this new system has totally confused most. If you are in the wrong lane, you are stuck there as there are raised lane markers. My ds was driving and we went around three times!! It was quite hilarious as we were not the only ones.

We also have a Spaghetti Junction, but at least when you are in your correct lane, you're okay.

From our experience, if I was faced with some of these, I may as well pack a bag as I am going to be there a while 😂

CheeseSandwichRiskAssessment · 05/07/2024 07:10

@knitnerd90 I've never been to Amish country although I should go because I love whooppie pies.

Are there rotaries there 🤔

Jujubeez · 05/07/2024 07:05

hennybeans · 04/07/2024 23:46

No roundabouts in California. I think they’re an eastern thing. But we make up for it with 12 lane freeways that are completely free for alls.

There are roundabouts in California. Most of the have a ton of signs on how to navigate them though. Unless they're the ones in shopping centers and those can be fun navigating with people who don't know what they are doing and going the wrong way.

knitnerd90 · 05/07/2024 06:59

CheeseSandwichRiskAssessment · 05/07/2024 05:53

Maybe the OP thinks Americans still ride around in stagecoaches. Yee haw!

Don't joke too much. Before moving here we lived near Philadelphia. Drive an hour west to Lancaster and you will find buggies. The tourists come to take pictures.

knitnerd90 · 05/07/2024 06:58

Rotaries and traffic circles aren't proper roundabouts! I have traffic engineer friends who will lecture you about the difference till your eyes glaze over!

(I am near DC which has traffic circles and they are murderous. They don't follow the same rules as a roundabout. Roundabouts are becoming more popular with traffic engineers but there aren't big ones here yet, or the kind they use off motorway junctions.)

Also I would take the magic roundabout in Hemel any day over Hanger Lane.

MrsCarson · 05/07/2024 06:48

I'm a Brit (well dual US/UK) those UK massive roundabouts put me in a cold sweat. I have quite happily drive through LA and San Fransisco. They are much better at road signs and don't just have a worn out sign written on the road where they can't be seen and it's a bit too late to change lanes.

CheeseSandwichRiskAssessment · 05/07/2024 05:53

Maybe the OP thinks Americans still ride around in stagecoaches. Yee haw!

I've noticed there was a lot of Americans on Mumsnet lately, so I'm posting this to spook them!

sashh · 05/07/2024 05:51

DreamTheMoors · 05/07/2024 04:24

You’ve obviously never been to Yosemite.
Or seen the Giant Sequoias.
Or Napa Valley.
Or Big Sur.
Or seen the rest of our beautiful state.
Only the freeways are unattractive.

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We are talking about roads, I doubt the person posting thinks a UK motorway is prettier than the whole of California.

YesIReallyDoLikeRootBeer · 05/07/2024 05:39

Toddlerteaplease · 05/07/2024 05:03

I'm presuming the OP is posting this, because there are not many roundabouts in America.

Well, the OP is wrong because there are.

Toddlerteaplease · 05/07/2024 05:03

I'm presuming the OP is posting this, because there are not many roundabouts in America.

Toddlerteaplease · 05/07/2024 05:01

I was really excited to drive round that, when I unexpectedly ended up in Swindon a few years ago!

DreamTheMoors · 05/07/2024 04:31

Hey @mummaof0 I wasn’t booing you - I meant “boo!” like in ghost — hope you know that.