Trickiest roundabouts you know

joelsim
joelsim Posts: 7,552
edited June 2011 in Commuting chat
I have a couple of tricky ones to put forward.

Westminster by the houses of parliament is always good fun.

The Scilly Isles near Esher is too.

Any others stand out to you?
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Comments

  • waddlie
    waddlie Posts: 542
    Aztec West roundabout in Bristol, especially if heading north on the A38. Approach is Bus lane on left + 2 regular lanes. Then the bus lane stops and all of a sudden there's four lanes approaching the roundabout with a "cycle lane" on the far left which WILL get you left hooked if you're trying to go straight on. Horrible.
    Rules are for fools.
  • HamishD
    HamishD Posts: 538
    Parliament Square is tricky because it's so snarled up at the moment.

    My least favourite is Vauxhall Gyratory (coming from Nine Elms) - requires a proper sprint!
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    That'd be tricky for me as I don't yet possess a sprint.
  • estampida
    estampida Posts: 1,008
    aberdeen

    sadly the market st one was removed along time ago, but was real "start your engine " mexican stand off

    MountHooly not for cycling at all

    http://wikimapia.org/1741766/Mounthooly-Roundabout

    and the worst in europe?? I have had a car boil over here and seen many performance cars in pools of boiling water or fire, and whilst cycling I had an argument with a taxi, to avoid getting run over I had to punch at his windows in a bus lane.......

    http://wikimapia.org/730565/Haudagain-Roundabout
  • bearfraser
    bearfraser Posts: 435
    Mt Hooly is apparantly :- an omni directional rotationary traffic management system

    its a bitch , but at least its got an underpass
  • dhope
    dhope Posts: 6,699
    Its 4.30 on a Friday afternoon and we're talking about roundabouts.
    May I redirect you to the following thread
    http://static.bikeradar.com/forum/viewt ... p=17036876
    Rose Xeon CW Disc
    CAAD12 Disc
    Condor Tempo
  • jamesco
    jamesco Posts: 687
    Shepherds Bush (Holland Park) roundabout. Evil.
  • sketchley
    sketchley Posts: 4,238
    The Magic Roundabout - Swindon

    Although not done it on a bike.

    lifemagi1.jpg
    --
    Chris

    Genesis Equilibrium - FCN 3/4/5
  • richVSrich
    richVSrich Posts: 527
    i was thinking about that sketchly! it's legendary!

    roundabouts on bikes arent fun...

    anyone do the massive wandsworth one? http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=51.4626 ... 1&t=h&z=17
    Boardman Hybrid Commuter Workhorse
  • rudderboy
    rudderboy Posts: 29
    Aberdeen Mounthooly's not so bad - I'd rather do it than risk bumping into the neds in the underpass on their way to torch another primary school
    ..............................................................................................

    "There is no such thing as an underestimate of average intelligence"
  • kamiokande
    kamiokande Posts: 55
    Sketchley wrote:
    The Magic Roundabout - Swindon

    Although not done it on a bike.

    lifemagi1.jpg

    I didn't believe that was real at first!

    By far the worst roundabouts in my opinion are those without traffic lights that are busy but not busy enough that cars are ever really stationary. If you throw in a uphill approach and a need to change lanes they're a nightmare.
  • sketchley
    sketchley Posts: 4,238
    I know Wandsworth one well.

    This one pisses me off near my home note the cycle lanes and Zebra Crossings. Note too the Highway Code says cyclist must dismount for Zebra Crossings.

    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=a3&hl=e ... =0.06&z=19
    --
    Chris

    Genesis Equilibrium - FCN 3/4/5
  • bdave262000
    bdave262000 Posts: 270
    richVSrich wrote:
    i was thinking about that sketchly! it's legendary!

    roundabouts on bikes arent fun...

    anyone do the massive wandsworth one? http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=51.4626 ... 1&t=h&z=17

    Do the Wandsworth one on a regular basis, followed by the lovely Wandsworth one way system. Just sit in the middle of your lane, peddle as fast as you can and hope for the best.
    Fat lads take longer to stop.
  • sketchley
    sketchley Posts: 4,238
    kamiokande wrote:
    Sketchley wrote:
    The Magic Roundabout - Swindon

    Although not done it on a bike.

    lifemagi1.jpg

    I didn't believe that was real at first!

    By far the worst roundabouts in my opinion are those without traffic lights that are busy but not busy enough that cars are ever really stationary. If you throw in a uphill approach and a need to change lanes they're a nightmare.

    In case you are wondering how it works

    istockphoto_4898089-the-magic-roundabout-roadsign-swindon-england.jpg
    --
    Chris

    Genesis Equilibrium - FCN 3/4/5
  • richVSrich
    richVSrich Posts: 527
    bdave262000 wrote:
    richVSrich wrote:
    i was thinking about that sketchly! it's legendary!

    roundabouts on bikes arent fun...

    anyone do the massive wandsworth one? http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=51.4626 ... 1&t=h&z=17

    Do the Wandsworth one on a regular basis, followed by the lovely Wandsworth one way system. Just sit in the middle of your lane, peddle as fast as you can and hope for the best.

    yeah sometimes i go round the one way system - taking primary and pedaling like F*** is indeed the only way to go!

    (particularly here http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=51.4588 ... 1&t=h&z=19 )
    Boardman Hybrid Commuter Workhorse
  • richVSrich
    richVSrich Posts: 527
    Sketchley wrote:
    kamiokande wrote:
    Sketchley wrote:
    The Magic Roundabout - Swindon

    Although not done it on a bike.

    lifemagi1.jpg

    I didn't believe that was real at first!

    By far the worst roundabouts in my opinion are those without traffic lights that are busy but not busy enough that cars are ever really stationary. If you throw in a uphill approach and a need to change lanes they're a nightmare.

    In case you are wondering how it works

    istockphoto_4898089-the-magic-roundabout-roadsign-swindon-england.jpg

    i would so get lost halfway round the place!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sud6iEh28ZM
    Boardman Hybrid Commuter Workhorse
  • keyser__soze
    keyser__soze Posts: 2,067
    Not keen on Hammersmith roundabout myself, always seems to be lots of traffic changing lanes without warning. PS is a bit smaller and often you get hit by each light on the way round, so it's easy to be setting off from the front at each section.
    "Mummy Mummy, when will I grow up?"
    "Don't be silly son, you're a bloke, you'll never grow up"
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 27,628
    I have a bit of a penchant for multi-lane roundabouts ('tis a bit wrong, but hey). I like Vauxhall Cross, and Hyde Park Corner and Marble Arch are good fun too; HPC is particularly good if entered on a rolling green from Park Lane. Basic strategy: all senses turned up to 11, and PLF, you can always breathe later.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • Tonymufc
    Tonymufc Posts: 1,016
    Ardwick Green A6 Manchester, next to the Apollo theatre. Just shut your eyes and hope for the best, type of RB.
  • Levi_501
    Levi_501 Posts: 1,105
    Elephant and Castle 8)
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    It doesn't matter which bridge you go over, they all lead to Elephant.

    Hammersmith is a bad one in the car, not tried it on a bike, and probably never will.
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    I like roundabouts, even large fast ones, having a sprint and a quick take off helps.

    Hammersmith is less of a roundabout but a gyractory. Even so last time I was though, was fine, parliament is a pain as it's very nearly grid locked.

    I like apex courner nr me, get to suprise cars with how fast a bike can go!
  • shouldbeinbed
    shouldbeinbed Posts: 2,660
    Victoria Avenue, Blackley. Heading away from Oldham is the worst as there's 2 big left hook exits straight after getting onto it.
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    The one I'm having the most trouble with at the moment is M5 Jct 12. You come off the roundabout in the outside lane, with traffic coming off the motorway up the inside of you.

    Not found a good way of dealing with it yet. Makes the likes of Shepherds Bush, Hammersmith, even the Hanger Lane Gyratory seem like a pedestrian dawdle when you're being passed on the inside by 50mph traffic...
    - - - - - - - - - -
    On Strava.{/url}
  • tri-sexual
    tri-sexual Posts: 672
    arc de triomphe
  • kurako
    kurako Posts: 1,098
    richVSrich wrote:
    Sketchley wrote:
    kamiokande wrote:
    Sketchley wrote:
    The Magic Roundabout - Swindon

    Although not done it on a bike.

    lifemagi1.jpg

    I didn't believe that was real at first!

    By far the worst roundabouts in my opinion are those without traffic lights that are busy but not busy enough that cars are ever really stationary. If you throw in a uphill approach and a need to change lanes they're a nightmare.

    In case you are wondering how it works

    istockphoto_4898089-the-magic-roundabout-roadsign-swindon-england.jpg

    i would so get lost halfway round the place!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sud6iEh28ZM

    Oh well. At least there's an A&E near by :roll:
    Univega 700
    Univega Via Strato
  • scrumpydave
    scrumpydave Posts: 143
    http://bit.ly/jCs3Lj

    Nothing inherently tricky about this one but I've seen more near misses hear than anywhere wlse. The reason - the stupid cycle lanes that encourage unconfident cyclists to hug the outside all the way around/
    Riding the Etape du Tour for Beating Bowel Cancer - click to donate http://bit.ly/P9eBbM
  • waddlie
    waddlie Posts: 542
    Sketchley wrote:
    The Magic Roundabout - Swindon

    Although not done it on a bike.

    lifemagi1.jpg

    5-roundabouts-in-a-roundabout is for amateurs. 6-roundabouts-in-a-roundabout is where it's at.

    Ladies and gentlemen, I give you The Plough at Hemel Hempstead.

    magic_roundabout.jpg
    Rules are for fools.
  • Initialised
    Initialised Posts: 3,047
    A1/A69 where Raoul Moat shot that copper in the face. It's layout has been modified at least annually for the last ten years and there's almost always a police, ambulance or recovery service vehicle stationed there. The most recent change was adding traffic lights which may have solved it.. finally.
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    Waddlie wrote:
    Sketchley wrote:
    The Magic Roundabout - Swindon

    Although not done it on a bike.

    lifemagi1.jpg

    5-roundabouts-in-a-roundabout is for amateurs. 6-roundabouts-in-a-roundabout is where it's at.

    Ladies and gentlemen, I give you The Plough at Hemel Hempstead.

    magic_roundabout.jpg

    I do the Magic Roundabout every day on a bike - its on my commute - actually it 7 roundabouts - 5 minis, 1 big one in the normal direction, 1 big one in the reverse direction or any combination thereof - great fun

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