Why are there so many roundabouts in the U.K.?

  • Published
  • By British Billy
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs.
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  So you noticed the roundabouts on your travels, did you? We Brits do like to dot them about frequently on our roads and find they are a civilizing influence. 

If cats could drive, we'd be great at roundabouts. With our keen senses and alert demeanor, they wouldn't pose much of a problem. Awareness of speed, position and signals of others around me - these are skills which have served me well as  master of the hunt in our back garden and these are the essentials of roundabout success. 

I have been around a few roundabouts in my time. When off to the vets, I have the fun of negotiating the Thetford by-pass roundabouts, and then there are all those little ones in Bury St Edmunds. Not to forget, of course, the delights of the Five-Ways roundabout at Barton Mills, which, I can appreciate, must alarm a few visitors to our shores on first encounter. But if you follow the rules, stay alert and try a little patience, you will be victorious, even on Fridays. There is no need for the fur to fly or to get your whiskers in a twist. 

Read that noble and wise publication, the Highway Code, and get some experience with someone who knows what they are doing. I have met differing opinions amongst my American chums - there are those who have discovered the wisdom of the roundabout as an aid to traffic flow and safety, and then those who find them annoying and confusing. But I believe all can grow to love them with time and practice. After all, good driving is a lot to do with good manners as well as knowledge and experience, and I have always found most Americans to be well mannered, so you're half way there. 

Signaling is vital to let all the other nice road users know what your plans are and giving a friendly nod or wave when someone has been courteous to you is much appreciated. Contrary to what I heard from someone recently, it is NOT good advice to believe you can just go round and round till you work out what you want to do. Follow the signs and know where you plan to exit. 

Still not sure you can learn to love roundabouts? There is something for everyone . We Brits have them in all shapes and sizes: big ones, small ones, tiny ones painted on the road, huge ones with traffic lights to help you get round them, ones that are glorious floral displays and others featuring works of art. There is also the world-famous Chicken Roundabout at Ditchingham, Norfolk on the main A143 to Great Yarmouth. It is believed that chickens have lived at the junction for at least 50 years after escaping from nearby allotments and living off grain from a nearby maltings. They have their own website! 

While here in the U.K., no tour would be complete without a visit to the equally famous Magic Roundabout (yes, it's really called that!) in Swindon. If you are on a trip to Bath or Oxford, it would only mean a short detour. It is the ultimate in roundabout experiences, Swindon's pride and joy, and there is, of course, a website and even T-shirts stating, 'I survived the Magic Roundabout'. 

Learn to love our roundabouts! After all, you won't travel far without finding one. While on longer journeys, you can take part in the hobby of 'roundabout spotting', which involves giving your passengers notebooks, even cameras, in which they can spot roundabouts of different sizes and look for different features. Such passions have prompted the production of books and calendars and even the foundation of UKRAS, the United Kingdom Roundabout Appreciation Society. 

It's no wonder I am so proud to be British.