So I was in Oxfordshire on Friday and saw this thing and it freaked me out. I've been here working on an advanced degree in trasnportation and then they go and have one of these lying around in the middle of nowhere. It's a double mini-roundabout. I have a vague idea of what is supposed to go on, but I'm not sure if any of the people driving on it really did. It seemed to be some sort of moderately organized chaos. Quite frankly, there are a lot of bizarre things going on on English roads that completely baffle me. When people drive like crazy people along them it does not help my fear (I speak of no one I know, this is general terms).
In other Oxford news, I went over to the river there in Oxford and to try and figure out for the 27th time what punting was and why they did this in the river. Luckily there was a sign advertising punting. It's basically a gondola situation where the punter is the person with the big long stick pushing the boat along. If you're interested, its 12 pounds an hour if you do it yourself, 20 pounds if you get a guide to do the punting. There were not many people punting yesterday, but I did see a few people who had just finished their studies. They were easy to spot, as they were wearing their little 'I'm special I go to Oxford and wear a funny outfit to exams' outfits, plus they were covered by whipped cream/confetti/stupid grins. I guess you can't really blame them.
Please enjoy my double roundabout photo, alongside quaint English countryside photo. That's right, two photos. It's scary, I know, but I didn't really take enough for an album.
4 comments:
When you said about it I had an image in my head of the double-mini-roundabout situation. That did not prepare me for this photo. That roundabout looks like the single most fearful thing I may have actually seen on a British road. The situation itself is not the problem, more the fact that you can't get onto the second until you have right-of-way which may lead to you having to stop on the first. This might not be a problem if it weren't for the fact that that sign shows this on a main primary route so its going to be busy.... and scarey!
Yet another reason to avoid Oxford...
I hope you guys studied the Magic Roundabout in Swindon... http://www.swindonweb.com/life/lifemagi0.htm
I love the Magic Roundabout...thanks for sharing that link!
As for Margo's Roundabout of Mystery, what could the point of it be? The mini roundabouts don't even look far enough apart for two cars to circle around at once.
Must not be a lot of 18-wheelers over there going through these little roundabouts.
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