Leppings Lane roundabout alterations

[geared 303]

Thats roughly 1 and a half car lengths, a pretty big gap on such a small roundabout.

[Justin Smith 10]

Thats roughly 1 and a half car lengths, a pretty big gap on such a small roundabout.

 

I wouldn`t say one and a half car lengths was an excessive gap, no way. I thought the highway code recommended a 2 second gap, which, even at only 15mph, would be 45ft.......

The problem with all these drivers going for minute gaps is they`re not leaving any room for error. They`re not only assuming they won`t make a mistake but they`re also assuming the other driver won`t either. That, when you`re driving something which can kill someone, or at the very least cause an expensive accident, is very very stupid.

[geared 303]

You want 45ft now??

 

Thats probably half the distance round the entire roundabout.

[No User Name 10]

deleted - wrong thread

[Justin Smith 10]

It's a bit on the close side, but in the situation you describe both vehicles are moving relatively slowly, probably in the region of 15mph, and not travelling in opposition (at worst travelling at 90 degree's, probably less).

And of course we only have your eyeball judgement for how close they are. A judgement which I'm inclined to take with a pinch of salt since I disagree with most of your other opinions on driving.

 

If you're waiting for a 15 to 20 foot gap, then that is exactly why you are struggling to use a roundabout.

 

Just like you said I couldn`t estimate cars speeds.......

 

Personally I don't believe you're as good at judging speeds as you think you are.

 

Well I couldn`t resist it. Was I right ? I had to know. Blame my mother because she constantly told me when I was growing up "curiosity is the sign of intelligence". I don`t know how intelligent I am but I`m certainly very curious.....

Anyway. I painted two lines on the road, only dotted ones so they don`t actually stand out too much (amongst all the patched up tarmac....) but visible enough. They were 28m apart. It was then simply a matter of timing vehicles as they drove over them and a bit of simple maths.

Here was the clever bit, for added interest and to see if I actually could accurately estimate the cars speeds, I guessed the speeds of the vehicles and wrote this down before I looked at my watch, then compared the two.

Average speed of all the vehicle I timed was 17.8mph.

The average of all my estimates was 19.5mph.

That is to say only 1.7mph difference (half average walking speed.....) and I have to say that`s a pretty good result, better than I expected in fact.

 

If you think a gap of a few feet (i.e. significantly less than even 15ft) is excessive when using a roundabout please tell me your commute route and the times you`re on it and I`ll avoid it.

[geared 303]

That is both weird and scientifically flawed

 

:loopy::loopy:

[Justin Smith 10]

You want 45ft now??

 

Thats probably half the distance round the entire roundabout.

 

That`s not what I said that`s what the Highway code says, when did you last read it ?

And 45ft wouldn`t be anywhere near half way round the roundabout.

 

---------- Post added 30-05-2014 at 13:42 ----------

 

That is both weird and scientifically flawed

 

:loopy::loopy:

 

No it isn`t, it`s objective fact, something that`s difficult to argue with, at any rate for those who want to argue rationally.

Edited May 30, 2014 by Justin Smith

[SnailyBoy 10]

That`s not what I said that`s what the Highway code says, when did you last read it ?

And 45ft wouldn`t be anywhere near half way round the roundabout.

 

---------- Post added 30-05-2014 at 13:42 ----------

 

 

No it isn`t, it`s objective fact, something that`s difficult to argue with, at any rate for those who want to argue rationally.

 

You might want to read the 2 second rule again, I actually felt a twinge of embarrassment on your behalf.

[denlin 12]

Just checked highway code and stopping distances are,

 

20mph 40ft

30mph 75ft

40mph 120ft

 

so not sure where 45ft at 15mph came from

[geared 303]

No it isn`t, it`s objective fact, something that`s difficult to argue with, at any rate for those who want to argue rationally.

 

It's objective fact?

What that you've no idea how to do that experiment?

 

Really you can't claim anything is objective if you are both timing and estimating the cars speeds yourself.

Really you need a third party involved, and to be blinded to their results.

 

Also talking of objective, did you observe the cars from a variety of angles, or just the one angle.

 

because the way you view the cars will effect your estimation of their speed as well.

[barleycorn 10]

Just checked highway code and stopping distances are,

 

20mph 40ft

30mph 75ft

40mph 120ft

 

so not sure where 45ft at 15mph came from

 

It equates (approximately) to a 2 second gap between cars going at 15mph. JS seems blissfully unaware that the 2 second rule should only be applied to faster moving traffic conditions.

 

jb

[geared 303]

Surely it becomes even more difficult to apply when the cars are slowly moving on a round-about, the cars (should) not be travelling in a straight line which makes distance even harder to judge.