5 Things That Suck
5. There Are Stop Signs Every Five Feet
Each time a car driver in the UK encounters a roundabout, some degree of irritation typically ensues, but try and imagine a world without roundabouts: well, dream no more, for that fantasy world exists and its name is "the United States of America". Now work through the implications of
not having roundabouts. Clearly, something is needed in place of each roundabout, some method of controlling traffic flow and preventing collisions. Ah, yes, the obvious solution is to use Stop signs. But there are piffling little intersections every few feet. Surely, a Stop sign isn't vitally important each time one tiny road meets another insignificant side street? Perhaps a sleeping policeman or a speed bump, or even just a yellow painted box on the tarmac along with a "Drive Carefully" sign, would be sufficient? Nope - the US relies exclusively on Stop signs. At every minor intersection. The result of this deep fixation on employing exactly one method of controlling traffic at squint-and-you'll-miss-'em junctions is to drive motorists bonkers and, inevitably, to encourage "rolling stops". Not that the policemen laying in wait right around the corners mind, since rolling stops are nice little earners for them. And good luck contesting the ticket in traffic court.