Roundabouts!!!!

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stellastaff
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Roundabouts!!!!

Postby stellastaff » Thu Jan 18, 2007 1:29 pm

Is it me or do the Spanish not know how to use a roundabout?:?

Ok, I'm not the best driver in the world but not far off it 8)-back off lads, I know what you are thinking!!!! :lol:

Are they actually taught the same as the British when it comes to learning to drive or a totally different way. Would be very interesting to have sat both driving tests! :?:
Donna

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hillybilly
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Postby hillybilly » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:38 pm

3 roundabouts have recently been constructed in our town - complete chaos! A Spanish friend of mine is learning to drive and I sometimes take her out for sneaky practices in my van on the local poligono - ordinarily they don't often encounter roundabouts so they freak her out. Many a time has a driver merrily sailed on through whilst we were already on the roundabout with right of way. And inner/outer lane use for turning left/right/going straight on is non existent. But you get used to it!

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Postby swerve » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:50 pm

I find after I've been driving in Spain and return home I'm still driving as if in Spain and if i cut some one up or pull in at the last minute to get onto a slip road there's hell to pay but in Spain this would just be accepted as normal driving behavior. Takes me at least a day to get back into the civilized driving of the UK.We've got bad drivers but just look at the statistics for people killed on Spanish roads there's far too many for my liking and standards have got to change for the better.
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toddcl
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Postby toddcl » Thu Jan 18, 2007 5:01 pm

He who dares Win's and especially if his car is already dented and only worth 50€.

There is the inside lane rule! That the person on the inside can turn off where he likes even if he cuts across the person in the outside lane. While some argue that this is an urban mith, that's how most Spanish drive.
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keddyboy
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!

Postby keddyboy » Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:18 pm

I think its a fantastic feeling to get on to a completely empty roundabout at about 50kmp only to find a set of traffic lights halfway around on RED!!!!! God I love driving in Spain!
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Postby Beachcomber » Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:41 pm

Many older Spaniards have difficulty in coming to terms with the fact that the right of way on a roundabout means that you have to give way to the left rather than following the age-old custom of giving way to the right.

That's probably why there are Give Way signs on the approach to roundabouts. I don't remember such signs on roundabouts in the UK but, then, it is many years since I have driven there.

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Pigeon Tim
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Postby Pigeon Tim » Thu Jan 18, 2007 9:04 pm

I find you have to drive quite aggressively or you get eaten up by Spanish drivers so I spend life in the fast lane :twisted: If you can't beat em then join em!

Going back to the UK and driving at 40mph feels so weird. Can you imagine the road rage in England if even half the stuff that goes on here happend there.

Just what does a Spanish driving test consist as it appears most of them either haven't passed a test or have bribed their examiner!

mickhick

Postby mickhick » Thu Jan 18, 2007 9:48 pm

We have a dented BMW from someone turning into us from the nearside lane when she saw her boyfriend standing at the far side of the roundabout and now we have to contend with trams that go across the centre of them!! At least it means that trips are seldom dull!! :lol:

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spanish_lad
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Postby spanish_lad » Thu Jan 18, 2007 10:45 pm

and the people that go on the outside lane to turn left on a roundabout :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

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Shukran
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Postby Shukran » Fri Jan 19, 2007 7:05 am

All Spanish drivers should be shipped over to either Basingstoke (roundabout capital) or Swindon (roundabout combination capital) to get some practice in - goodness only knows where they'd end up! :lol:
Since I gave up hope I feel much better!

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stellastaff
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Postby stellastaff » Fri Jan 19, 2007 10:01 am

Where we used to live in Southend, Essex, There is one huge roundabout with half a dozen smaller ones actually on it (surrounding it). God only knows how they would cope with that!!! It confused enough of the locals when it was built!! :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :D
Donna

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Postby spanish_lad » Fri Jan 19, 2007 11:52 am

i know it well donna, i used to live in heybridge, on the way to southend on a friday night going round rettenden turnpike:D theres another one like that, tesco's roundabout on the way to wivenhoe by colchester :D:D:D that'd drive all the spaniards potty !!

imagine a roundabout like that going into malaga... :shock: the tailbacks would cause riots !

spanish hopes

Postby spanish hopes » Fri Jan 19, 2007 12:16 pm

Donna and Paul wrote:Where we used to live in Southend, Essex, There is one huge roundabout with half a dozen smaller ones actually on it (surrounding it). God only knows how they would cope with that!!! It confused enough of the locals when it was built!! :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :D
All those roundabouts were to remind the kids in Essex that their biological fathers worked the Waltzer etc. on the Fairgrounds Circuit. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

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stellastaff
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Postby stellastaff » Fri Jan 19, 2007 12:35 pm

Hmmm...whatcha tryin ta say??

Some of us Essex birds were lucky and had intelligent mums that married into 'quality' families!!! :wink: :lol:
Donna

mickhick

Postby mickhick » Fri Jan 19, 2007 10:56 pm

Came across one near to the Kodak HQ in the UK, it was made up of about 6 mini-roundabouts and you could go either clockwise or anti-clockwise at each one!! Great fun, sort of reminds me of Spain......

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Postby anyroads » Sat Jan 20, 2007 3:25 am

"All Spanish drivers should be shipped over to either Basingstoke (roundabout capital)"

Shukran........my 17 year old son who is learning to drive has the "Brighton Hill" roundabout to look forward to tomorrow, after driving here for 30 years odd, I still approach it with caution ! ( and after he has mastered that, he has Blackdam to look forward to )

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Postby Marina » Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:10 am

Roundabouts in Spain are not for traffic control they are meeting points. :)

The pick up and drop off points for my kids' school bus are on roundabouts! The bus comes off the motorway, and stops blocking both the motorway exit and the entrance to a petrol station, then carries on straight back onto the motorway. Similar in the afternoon, just a different roundabout.

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stellastaff
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Postby stellastaff » Sat Jan 20, 2007 11:50 am

The roundabout at Campanillas is used as a stopping area for when your breaks fail I am sure! We have lost count of how many cars have mounted the roundabout, wiping out the huge-can't miss it-sign and ended up smack bang in the middle after having removed one of the re-planted trees!!

Does the sign not get seen that says a roundabout is ahead or even the speed signs that change from 100-60 etc? I have never seen anything like it, and it is an on going topic of conversation that is mentioned every time I visit my parents who live there!
Donna

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Postby alaninspain » Sat Jan 20, 2007 12:21 pm

Basingstoke roundabouts are just poor imitations - Milton Keynes has about 400 dotted around the place, and they put up big signs showing the name of the roundabout, thus obscuring the direction signs. However, the best is at Heathrow, near Hatton Cross, with a large roundabout surrounded by mini roundabouts, you can go in any direction you feel like, and the traffic is jammed up for hours.

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toddcl
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Postby toddcl » Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:26 pm

alaninspain

You mean the one near the Jury's Inn!

It's great. I'm never sure what to do and as every one else is in the same situation I just close my eyes and turn right onto the roundabout hoping I make it to the Hotel turn off.
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