This is an island. It is a piece of land entirely surrounded by water:



Note the lack of roads and cars.



This is the OED definition of an island:

noun
1a piece of land surrounded by water:
the island of Crete
[as modifier]:
this island nation
2a thing regarded as resembling an island, especially in being isolated, detached, or surrounded in some way:
the university is the last island of democracy in this country
a traffic island.
a free-standing kitchen unit with a worktop, allowing access from all sides.
3 Anatomy a detached portion of tissue or group of cells. Compare with islet.



This is not an island. This is a roundabout.


Note the lack of water.

But wait, I hear you say. The OED says an island can be a traffic island, so surely it's ok to call a roundabout an island?

Nope.



This is a traffic island:



Let's see what the dictionary says about 'traffic islands' -

Definition of traffic island
noun
a small raised area in the middle of a road which provides a safe place for pedestrians to stand and marks a division between two opposing streams of traffic.



I rest my case 

Alan doesn't believe they are islands either, he just drives straight over the middle of them.

Quote from: Clock'd 0Ne on November 27, 2012, 23:39:23 PM
Alan doesn't believe they are islands either, he just drives straight over the middle of them.

Being in that van one time with him driving with a few of us in the back..... Yep, I can believe this statement! 

Quote from: Clock'd 0Ne on November 27, 2012, 23:39:23 PMAlan doesn't believe they are islands either, he just drives straight over the middle of them.

just the painted ones when there's no-one around

same for speed bumps... if it's a 30zone you should be able to do 30 over them, so I do

Quote from: knighty on November 28, 2012, 08:03:06 AM

Quote from: Clock'd 0Ne on November 27, 2012, 23:39:23 PMAlan doesn't believe they are islands either, he just drives straight over the middle of them.

just the painted ones when there's no-one around

same for speed bumps... if it's a 30zone you should be able to do 30 over them, so I do

LoL

just realised

Quoteshould be able to do 30 over them, so I do

should have said

Quoteshould be able to do 30 over them, so I will in 9 months when I get my licence back

Quote from: Pete on November 27, 2012, 22:59:35 PM
Note the lack of roads and cars.

If you look closely that island does have a road around it. The UK mainland is an island and has many millions of cars as well as many roads. Ireland is also an island and also has millions of cars and lots of roads too. Therefore this argument is false...

Quote
Let's see what the dictionary says about 'traffic islands' -

Definition of traffic island
noun
a small raised area in the middle of a road which provides a safe place for pedestrians to stand and marks a division between two opposing streams of traffic.

But a roundabout has traffic going in two opposing streams, one on each side. Some of them have underpasses that allow pedestrians access to the middle. Therefore these meet the criteria.

Quote
I rest my case 

Your case is found lacking evidence and is therefore dismissed

Quote from: Serious on November 28, 2012, 13:25:10 PM

Quote from: Pete on November 27, 2012, 22:59:35 PM
Definition of traffic island
noun
a small raised area in the middle of a road which provides a safe place for pedestrians to stand and marks a division between two opposing streams of traffic.

But a roundabout has traffic going in two opposing streams, one on each side. Some of them have underpasses that allow pedestrians access to the middle. Therefore these meet the criteria.

a roundabout is a big circle... it only has one side* - there aren't two opposing streams just a single stream of traffic you join when you exit a junction onto the roundabout.

(*if we're taking a side to be any line curved or straight....)

Given the general state of the roads around here this week, I'm pretty confident there are some roundabouts surrounded by water around somewhere...

Quote from: Dave on November 29, 2012, 21:03:18 PM

Quote from: Serious on November 28, 2012, 13:25:10 PM

Quote from: Pete on November 27, 2012, 22:59:35 PM
Definition of traffic island
noun
a small raised area in the middle of a road which provides a safe place for pedestrians to stand and marks a division between two opposing streams of traffic.

But a roundabout has traffic going in two opposing streams, one on each side. Some of them have underpasses that allow pedestrians access to the middle. Therefore these meet the criteria.

a roundabout is a big circle... it only has one side* - there aren't two opposing streams just a single stream of traffic you join when you exit a junction onto the roundabout.

(*if we're taking a side to be any line curved or straight....)

Not far from me there is a roundabout which is considerably elongated. There are many roundabouts which are not actually round. Being circular is not a requirement of a roundabout.

Quote from: Serious on December 03, 2012, 14:43:07 PM

Quote from: Dave on November 29, 2012, 21:03:18 PM

Quote from: Serious on November 28, 2012, 13:25:10 PM

Quote from: Pete on November 27, 2012, 22:59:35 PM
Definition of traffic island
noun
a small raised area in the middle of a road which provides a safe place for pedestrians to stand and marks a division between two opposing streams of traffic.

But a roundabout has traffic going in two opposing streams, one on each side. Some of them have underpasses that allow pedestrians access to the middle. Therefore these meet the criteria.

a roundabout is a big circle... it only has one side* - there aren't two opposing streams just a single stream of traffic you join when you exit a junction onto the roundabout.

(*if we're taking a side to be any line curved or straight....)

Not far from me there is a roundabout which is considerably elongated. There are many roundabouts which are not actually round. Being circular is not a requirement of a roundabout.

They generally are circular but its not really that relevant if some aren't, you can still consider the flow of traffic around the roundabout to be circular regardless of any elongation. You're generally going to have >2 exits to any roundabout (else the roundabout wouldn't be needed) & there aren't two opposing streams of traffic....

Here's one to argue.

Two lanes leading to a roundabout. 3 exits, one leads back the way you came, all roads exiting the round about are 1 lane.

What lane should I be in to go straight over (2nd exit)?

left

or I would anyway


one roundabout next to where my grandmother used to live...

1 road leads up to it... and then splits into 4 at the roundabout

2 exits and back the way you came (can go straight on, right, or back the way you came)

there's more lanes into it than there are out of it ?

You should be in the right hand lane. It's a myth about clock faces.

If the road your on has two lanes and they are unmarked with a roundabout with only 2 real exits (the other third one being back the way you came) the left lane is a left turn only lane or rather its for traffic leaving the first exit. It doesn't require markings as the roundabout sign and structure is sufficient notice.

The only time it would be different is if the left lane was marked otherwise, which would only typically happen if there were two lanes straight on.

The amount of folk who drive around reciting the 12 o'clock thing as if its right... It's scary. Guess its like the i before e myth.