Digital Norseman: Musings - Round an' Round

"He hath need of his wits who wanders wide,
aught simple will serve at home;
but a gazing-stock is the fool who sits
mid the wise, and nothing knows.."

Håvamål

The landlocked navigator's roundabout adventure

Let me introduce you to a piece of flotsam from the shores of cyber space. You'll like this. Fasten your seatbelt, because this is about cars, drivers and the roads on which they travel.

Imagine that you're driving through Great Britain and you're getting a bit annoyed about the fact that you have to drive on the left side of the road. This isn't easy for someone who's learnt to drive on the right (sic) side of the road. Still, you're getting the hang of it and things ease off. You turn the radio on and start grooving to the local music. You turn a corner, hit a nice clear stretch and...

Suddenly this big traffic sign appears:

You start wondering what is going to happen now? They didn't show you this sign during your driving lessons back in the old country. Nor did you get any warnings from the rental agency. Come to think of it, maybe they should have. After all you're driving their car and this thing up ahead is not like anything you've ever seen. Still, you tell yourself: "How hard can it be?" And on you drive.

A few hundred meters further you're suddenly in a radically new situation!

OK, OK, I know what you're thinking: "This can't be real, it's a put on!" But alas, no: Congratulations, Hamurabi. You've just rolled into The Magic Roundabout! May the force be with you, because the rest of us have bailed out. This is too much for us ordinary mortals. We'll get it on video, though, so you can tell your grandkids. (Well, at least we're optimistic on your behalf.)

For a different view of this monster, check out this picture....

Apperently there are 3 or 4 of these monsters in England.