This, my friend, is the roundabout: http://www.fceo.co.franklin.oh.us/2006 Media Advisories/RoundaboutLink/Modroundabout.htm A $13,000,000 (4 mil over budget) waste of time, effort, and tax dollars that will be shredded in 5 years when they have to make Morse (E-W) into a 5-lane road, and Johnstown (N-S) will have to become, at the very least, 3-lanes. It is the most terrifying type of intersection you will ever encounter in the U.S.A. Why? Because only about 0.004% of the US population has the remotest clue on how they work. At that intersection: - Since it's opening 10 months ago, accidents are up over 1000% (yes- one thousand) from 10 YEARS of the previous intersection design (Red/Yellow/Green light-controlled 4-way). - Though they said in the flyers, "There will be no obstructions in the center of the round about; you will be able to see all the way across it", they filled in the center with 9' of dirt and planted 2 dozen trees (maybe my flier was supposed to go to Bob Chandler...). - People change lanes whenever they feel like it....WITHOUT looking. You must avoid them. - 53' trucks can not navigate it because the diameter of the roundabout is too small. - No signals from anyone (come on....you weren't expecting help, were you?) Thankfully, I have my truck so I can get in and out of that nightmare as quickly as possible. This roundabout has only been open for less than a year and to date, I have been "almost hit" more than 25 times. I have the driving skills- and shifter/clutch- to avoid Cathy Cellphone and Donny Dumbass. You want fear? I give you the roundabout. "Look kids! Parliment....Big Ben!"
I say lets get liquored up and do it!!! Sounds like a good time! LOL Truly amazing. To be honest though, I just spent a month in Thailand driving around in cars, vans, and taxi's with guys I have no idea how we didn't kill anyone or get killed.
Go to New England, they have roundabouts EVERYWHERE, including a big one on Rte 3 on the way down to Cape Cod. That's a bid one like the one above.
Cam - guys like you, Matt, and Chris have enough seat time, and I'm sure someone who gave some pointers or two in the beginning, so that you eventually figured it out. This is providing of course that none of you have any formal training...cause I don't know if you do or don't. :whistle:
Back when I did my driving test to get my license at 16 a round about (circle as we called them) was part of the test....we had several circles around here back in the 60s & 70s then they started removing them in the late 70s....now they have just started going back to them and nobody seems to know how to drive thru them..:erm:
But the point is... You are correct that 99% of the people who think they can drive can only drive better than the 99% of people who can't drive at all. It is also true that some people CAN drive who have had no formal training. Vehicle dynamics and the physics can be learned and understood by reading and some background education. Application of those concepts can be acquired with seat time and some natural ability/feel. Yes, I used to be an OK driver many years ago. I can't drive worth shit anymore (but I can still drive better than the 99% who can't drive at all). Some of it is like riding a bike and the rest you have to stay in practice. As for double clutching... basically you have a driving gear and a driven gear. When you change gears you're disengaging the driving gear with the current driven gear and engaging it with the next driven gear. The next gear is going to be a different size so it's spinning at a different speed. Normally your synchronizer takes care of that for you. If you don't have one or it's out then you have to match gear speeds perfectly using the engine or they don't mesh. Clutch in to drop it in neutral, clutch out so all the gears are spinning and match the rpms to what it's going to be in the next gear for the speed you're going, clutch in to shift into next gear. If you miss there's a lot of noise and it usually doesn't go in. Now you're screaming around a corner in neutral which is a whole lot worse than if you hadn't shifted at all...
The Romans figured out 2000 years ago that roundabouts don't work and abandoned them. Why this country is trying to resurrect them is absolutely beyond me. Bud- you *could* do it drunk, but you'd cause less damage than the sober ones have. Out of the 6 street lights that they installed, only 3 are left (2 have been down for more than 6 months). There is the possibility of some sweet air using that center mound....E-W....90-100 mph... :grin: I'm with Quick on this one: lack of formal training doesn't mean someone isn't a good driver. I mean, hell, look at Ricky Bobby! :grin: But that's a 2-way street: serious formal training doesn't mean someone is a good driver. I'd love to run around the track with you guys. Wow. That sounded REALLY bad. :laugh: 3 pedals FTW!!!
how should i put this.... theres pro drivers I.E. the stigs of the world (.001% of drivers) highly trained drivers (3% of drivers) really good drivers (5% of drivers) good drivers who occatinoally hit a track (me) lol (7% of drivers) drivers (15% of drivers) crap drivers (65% of drivers) people who should be killed in the face (4.999% of drivers) thats just an observation from what i have seen while driving/at the track lol i have at least 2 within a few miles of my house....i dont know what the big deal is about them....except for the fact that people dont understand the concept of a YIELD sign lol
Well of course we got pointers. Anybody who thinks they have nothing else left to learn has their head shoved squarely up their ass. But I also grew up racing motorcross. And I will say whole heartily that gaining the feel of a 4 legged animal is sooooooo much easier then a 2 legged one. :bigwink: Hell man, I'd give anything to have the training you've had. There is just no substitution for education. :worthy: And I will add that having a fairly thorough understanding of vechicle dynamics and the ability to adjust accordingly makes a huge difference at the end of the day. So it comes down to one thing, in order to settle discussions such as this. Lets hit the track :friends:
I'm with you on that! The second I can afford/justify heading to a track day I'll be all over it. Hopefully, it will be sooner than later.
i like to hit the track but havent had the time lately!! yup i have to agree not all school trained drivers are good drivers and not all self tought driver are bad drivers. i wish i had the funds to hit up a formal school but all i got is what ever i can get my hands on and read and apply. ive learned alot that way. theres some stuff i know and theres alot of crap that i still dont, thats where time comes into play. one thing i do know is all the crap i know has saved me from accidents alot of times. you never know when you have to think quick to avoid a dangerious situation. 2 weeks ago some lady talking on her phone and chomping down on a candybar didnt even look my direction and pulled out into traffic i was going to pick up my wife from work and making a left turn, that lady punches it and its already too late to do a full stop so i nail it cut the wheel hard left and pull the e-brake and slide, i watched her front bumper miss my door and the rear of the car.
In France they have a slew of the "roundabouts". In Paris there is one that has (6) 2 lane roads feeding into a 4 lane wide turnabout that has no painted lines. It is a thrill a minute to get thru them.
Some heel-toe shifting vids: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klMur6TPkrM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUXLTjDVgWc Wow! Nice!
