New round-a-bouts

New round-a-bouts

What's all this about then?

This phenomenon struck me while I was on holiday (honeymoon) in northern Spain a couple of years ago.

We were staying a bit out in the wilds and our evenings were spent in a local tavern where up until recently was at a crossroads.

This had been turned into a nice large new round a bout (just how do you spell that?). If I can add a photo when I get home you'll see there's absolutely no doubt its new and it’s a round-about.

Well there were people approaching at the speed of light, clouds of rubber etc. as they hit the brakes; going round it UK style i.e. the wrong way in Spain!; there were folk who just sat there for minutes wondering what to do – there was even someone who tried to mount the roundabout and parked on it!

I kinda dismissed it as a Spanish thing!

Anyway. Anyone who has been in Edinburgh recently cant have failed to notice the place is a midden as they dig up every last square inch of tarmac in preparation for the tram (they call it ‘the trams’ but as there is only going to be one tram I feel that’s a bit of a misnomer – but that’s another story).

At the end of one of our bust (sorry I meant to say busy but I kinda like that Freudian slip!) streets, quite near me, they’ve changed a big roundabout to a wee one, with traffic lights. There used to be two lanes at each approach now there's only one. I have witnessed;

What lights? As they drive through!

Oh the roundabouts gone - As they drive through!

Where’s the roundabout gone – As they pull up 20 yards short!

Why are these cars on the wrong side of the road – oops I’ve gone down one of the coned off roads the wrong way – well all these cars, buses, lorries, vans, fire engines and ambulances will just have to reverse as I’ve gone the best part of 10 yards on the wrong side of the road and I can see where I can sneak back onto my side of the road if only they will all reverse 250 yards.

There used to be an exit here, where is it now? I’ll just wait a few weeks, holding up all the traffic, until they open it up again.

I used to be able to do an about turn round this roundabout, why cant I do it now? The car hasn’t changed.

Still at £600,000,000 (or over £1,300 for every man, woman and child in the city) it’s a bargain for so much comedy!