Herd Mentality? Sheep?

[gness]

Driving into town tonight I left my country lane at a large roundabout into Kettering.....Hamburger roundabout it's called, I think...lots of roads on, off and across the middle......and many traffic lights....
Two lanes so I headed for the left behind a bus, a van and some cars....ahead in the right lane a lorry and four or five cars.....the lights were red.......and suddenly the bus went?????
Then so did everything behind it......along with the lorry and cars in the other lane????

I sat there thinking.....about ten drivers have just gone through the red light......so the rules must have changed and I haven't been told.....or I've become colour blind..... :-(

Because there is another set of lights some yards ahead on the roundabout...on red.... they did all stop there......
Which meant one road through the roundabout ....which would have had a green light....was blocked....but thankfully the drivers there stopped even though they had green...didn't have a choice really, did they....but could have been a spectacular pile up....

Isn't it a weird feeling when so many folk do something wrong....you're the only one who doesn't but you still somehow feel you're in the wrong...... :-(

[Barmaid]

I had a similar experience today, Gness. I was turning right at a traffic controlled junction. The traffic on the main road is subject to a box junction. So when my lights went green there SHOULD have been no one there. But no. There were two bloody stupid women in their bloody stupid 4x4 just sitting there. So I have to decide do I go round them or do I wait until the stupid bloody mares who shouldnt be there have moved? I felt I was in the wrong when clearly they were.

So I consoled myself by going to the farm shop and buying wine, sirloin, bags of sweeties and a cream egg.

[sunny-dave]

I know the island - and the entrance to it you are talking about - it's quite possible to be looking at the wrong lights (especially if you are at the front of the queue and have crept over the stop line) - but I'd have expected a bus driver to know better.

Your dashcam might have been needed :)

[Buenchico]

Since when has Barmaid needed an excuse for buying wine?

[Barmaid]

Lol, Chris. Busted.......

[gness]

Oh that's annoying, Barmaid.....we have a number of those in town now but folk can't not enter them when there is no way out.....then they sit there....blocking the next to go.....

I was on my way to a little memorial get together for the son of a colleague who was killed in a road accident...not his fault....could have been quite a few more tonight if not for the sense of the folk who didn't go on their green light...x

[gness]

No, Dave.....you can't get it wrong there from that position....if you're sitting at your red light as the bus driver was you don't suddenly take off when it's still red.....the one opposite that your thinking of is always the same as the one we were at.....
I brought my dash cam in to check I hadn't gone potty....I'll show you......x

I could have done with a drink, Chris.....but I was driving.... :-( so I'm having one now.....x

[Tilly2]

Those traffic lighted roundabouts are a nightmare. Milton Keynes...!

[gness]

Tilly....you wanted a spin.....I can take you to show you...... ;-)

[Hopkirk]

Traffic lights on roundabouts. What's that all about?

A major roundabout I used to use regularly had its traffic lights out of action for a few days. Traffic flowed better on those days.

[Zacs-Master]

It would explain the referendum result.

[tonyav]

Was there any camera's on those lights, gness.
Could be a few points ( on licence ) and a few quid in fines dished out if there are.
http://www.motorlawyers.co.uk/offences/traffic_lights.php

[tonyav]

Ah yes, quite a large shield.

[marval]

Some people really are stupid, making it dangerous for other vehicles.

As you say Tilly. Milton Keynes, it really is a nightmare.

[gness]

Spath....that just isn't possible....long time roundabout.....no way to see the main road on the right from where we were....and no way to "forget" about the traffic lights....

That's often the case with lights isn't it, Hoppy.....but I'd not risk this one without them.....no clear vision of all the other roads....

I imagine there must be cameras, Tony......I'll look on Friday...x

[Barmaid]

I'm more concerned about the fact that I have drank the wine, eaten my steak, my sweeties and the cream egg AND I AM STILL HUNGRY!

[andy-hughes]

I think people who are driving on auto-pilot tend to do this kind of thing.

I remember my dad sitting in a roundabout queue, and the car on the right pulled away as his line moved, so my dad pulled away too - right into the car in front which had not moved at all.

Easily done, not acceptable, but easily done.

[gness]

I go to MK often for the fantastic theatre....not sure I'd ever get out without my sat nav..... :-)

[gness]

Grrrr.....I have no sweeties.....I have no creme egg......shushhhhhh now!

I could see that, Andy....and have done.....I was just so amazed that every driver did it.....some edged forwards.....I saw their brake lights while they had a think.......then they just carried on...

When I played my dash cam footage I am singing along to Joan Baez then suddenly squealing.....Oooo.Oooooo No! Stop!......and then there was only me sitting at the red light......and the Catholic girl who must still be in me saying.....I'm wrong....I must be the one in the wrong....... :-(