Roundabout vs 4-Way Stop

I believe that ran Aug 12, 2013 in the U.S.

We actually brought this up elsewhere, but perhaps the thread was missed.

This is one of two episodes whose US airings have been blocked due to litigation; the episodes have aired in at least one foreign market apiece, and the footage from the roundabout myth itself has made it to the internet, but the episodes have been delayed until such time as the litigation is resolved.

From what I understand, the litigation is due to a lawsuit from a third party. This third party alleges that, in retaliation for behind-the-scenes disputes between himself and Discovery Networks during the creation of the show "Penn and Teller Tell A Lie", Discovery Networks stole ideas for a series that he was working on and funneled them to Beyond for use with Mythbusters.

According to the lawsuit, the individual presented Discovery Networks with a full series pitch for a show entitled "This Vs. That", and included a season's worth of episode ideas; it was from the copy of the episode ideas they received that Discovery Networks supposedly drew the material from to funnel to Beyond.

The two episodes were pulled from American broadcast so late in the game that a season preview that Discovery Networks produced actually included footage from one of the two myths, which inadvertently helped to generate buzz over the matter.

I did see the turnabout test last fall while I was visiting at my son's house. I thought he was playing a rerun of an aired show but it was probably a Youtube or WIMP video he was showing me.

but this is roundabout vs stop signs. in yankland it is a different story as a significant number of yanks don't get roundabouts, and a significant number of roundabouts are just a normal intersection with an obstruction in the middle. the one roundabout we have in town that is a three way roundabout, you are just as likely to cross paths with a car navigating it to the right as to the left, despite the copious number of arrows painted on the ground. fortunately, this is in a parking lot, so the overall odds of two cars being in it at once is about 10%.

I think their brains get vapor lock. surprisingly, what works best for low traffic areas is crossings without any signs. when confronted with a situation where they have to take responsibility for their action, people seem to miraculously do it right.

the other situation that vapor locks Americans is, if a traffic light is dead, it is the same as a four way stop, regardless of the number of lanes involved. done right, it goes nearly as fast as if the light is working, but there is always some plank who just barrels right through like he has the green.

(on our four way stops, if in doubt, the vehicle on the right has the right of way.)

I think we Yanks just aren't used to roundabouts, so we complain about them.

OTOH, I used to drive through this intersection before it was converted to a roundabout. Having driven through it since conversion, it's so much easier now.



I promise, this is really how the streets are laid out. The only editing was trimming the screencap.

What did it look like before it was converted to the roundabout or whatever it is now? How could you possibly have that many roads come together into one intersection?

You know the comment about business lunches being three-martini? I've always wondered how many martinis the planning board went through .... Though, considering that one of those roads changed names at that intersection, it's possible that we had two different developments that didn't quite line up, and too many buildings along them to scrap it and start over.

Driving through that pre-roundabout was like driving through two almost-overlapping four-way stops. Seward St ran straight east-west, the sidewalk is along the original route. So you'd get through Seward - N. 50th - Saddle Creek/Country Club Ave and immediately be caught in Happy Hollow Blvd - N. 50th - Country Club Ave.

Just pretend the central roundabout isn't a roundabout, and you'll be fine.