h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I can type in the exact rule if you like, only not now cos I'm comfy.

"on a mini roundabout there isn't time" Then the cyclist must be going waaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy too fast cos I've got time to do all the correct indicating in my van.

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I advise against using a pedestrian for anything to do with roundabouts

Got it!

Thanks for all your comments. I've re-read the direct.gov bit on cyclists, and I've realised where my error lay. Because it takes the rules for cyclists out of context, it says you can choose to walk or to cycle around the edge. The bit it misses is saying that you can do these things in addition to crossing it as normal. Phew! That makes a lot more sense. I've rewritten it to reflect this.

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Mina, on relection, I think you're right. The one that I go through on my way to work are tiny, and there isn't enough time as the exits are practically on top of each other. On larger mini-roundabouts, which are probably just common if not more so, you can signal easily (and I do, thinking about it). Text changed.

Sorry, gonna throw things again.

"If you are going straight ahead you don't need to signal, but if you feel it would help other road users you can indicate left after you've passed the first exit."

In my vast experience of road use, mini-roundabouts mostly only have 3 exits - as that's how they work best, so wonder if that affects your bit about signalling?

Throw things back if I get too picky....

No no, I think you're right. It's usually essentially a t-junction to allow someone to turn right onto a major road more easily.

I don't think it will affect the signalling, as what we really have is three prongs of a four prong roundabout. If you're turning onto or out of the minor, just signal right or left as appropriate. If you're on the major and staying there, you're going straight ahead, so you can either just go straight over or indicate left as you turn.

I don't think it needs revision, but if you think it does, could you suggest something for me, as I can't think of a better way to phrase it. Thanks.

Nice work Vip

In my experience if a cyclist acts like a good motorist then other road users are more likely to treat them like one. For me that means approaching a roundabout in exactly the same way as you would with a car. But being on the inside lane of a roundabout is one of the scarier things you can do and I think it's worth stressing that if you aren't 100% confident, get off and walk.

I've seen a lot of debate as to whether roundabouts are one of those times it's a good idea to stand on your pedals: the pros are better acceleration and visibility but at the cost of stability and braking.

I rarely signal right while on a roundabout: like most right-handed people I find it much harder to control the bike with my right hand off the handlebars than with my left off them. I do what motorists do and only signal right if I need to change lanes and left when I'm approaching my exit.

Finally, isn't undertaking illegal? A car should never undertake a cyclist on a roundabout or anywhere else.

A car *shouldn't* undertake. In practice, a lot are desperate to get past you so that they aren't stuck behind you once they get back onto the road. I can't say as I blame them, but I really would rather they didn't!

hmm, over-taking on the left is allowed in certain circumstances, and I would assume apply to cyclists as well as cars?I don't remember any of those circumstances being on a roundabout, but my brain can't hold everything.

It is a fact of life though, that people already moving will be going faster than those setting off from lights etc.

Have lights on roundabouts been mentioned now I mentione them?

I haven't mentioned lights. I'll pop a quick sentence in there. There's not much to tell, really, expect making sure you're in the correct lane.

Hi Vip. This Entry is looking good. If everyone's happy we can accept it for submission into the Guide.

Thanks for all your work
h2g2Eds

I've gone through it and I think it's okay now.

SAdly I can't find anythiing to nitpick.

Looks good to me

Whoa. Put the brakes on people

"approaching them initially can be daunting" do you mean 'approaching them for the first time'? If so, say so.

"Equally..." the two things aren't equal and using this word makes the next sentence unclear because the reader is unsure as to whether it is important for the cyclist or the driver to be visible &c.

"The Highway Code states that you may choose to either..." 'either' allows a choice between two options; you have given three. Try 'The Highway Code states that you may choose to walk your bicycle around using the pavement or verge, to follow the left hand edge of the roundabout, or navigate it as normal.' I'll never be comfortable with the usage of navigate when not in regard to ships but the usage has been so corrupted that I find it hard to object.

"If you cannot control your bicycle with one arm, this will be a serious problem..." why? Use the word because. 'because on the roads because signals are made by outstretching an arm...'

"vitally important for telling" don't be afraid to repeat the significant word; the arm movement is not telling anyone anything, it is *signalling*.

"Simply cycle around..." an adverb here is clumsy. 'Cycle around...' is sufficient but if you need the extra word then 'Just cycle around...' would be preferable.

"the same way as you would were you a car" I think this needs to be changed to 'were you *driving* a car' (unless KITT from Knightrider is reading this)

"don't be afraid to pull in and walk on the pavement." Good advice though this may be more dangerous than continuing to cycle!

"Mini Roundabouts" are not the same as 'Mini-roundabouts'!

"more and more prevalent" 'more prevalent' is sufficient but 'more numerous' would be preferable. After all, what are mini-roundabouts prevailing over? 'These little things are becoming many' would be best but I appreciate that my expression is stylistic.

"Thankfully they ... don't usually have more than one lane on approach to the roundabout." Insert a comma after "Thankfully". I think I can work out what you're trying to say but it isn't particularly clear. Are there more lanes on the mini-roundabout than on the approach and are we still talking about mini-roundabouts? Try to be specific rather than conflating roundabouts and mini-roundabouts. In this respect, much of the mini-roundabout section would be more appropriate in a 'roundabout' section. Having read on, I think that the mini-roundabout section would be better later on, to the effect that 'now that you know how to tackle roundabouts, mini-roundabouts should be easy'.

"a long as" 'as long as'. Remove the comma between signal and but.
"Follow the lane around the roundabout - don't be tempted to cycle over it, and beware of drivers who do so." Don't mix dashes with commas (the comma after "it" should be a dash) and remember your antecedents; what you have said is that I shouldn't be tempted to cycle over the lane around the roundabout. I guess what you mean is that I shouldn't be tempted to cycle over the mini-roundabout so that part needs rephrasing.

"If you're not a driver yourself" remove "yourself" because the word is superfluous.

"There are several methods to crossing." should read *of* crossing.

"clearly maked" clearly *marked*

"splits into two" should be 'splits in two'.

"If you wish to turn left, keep in the left lane, and if you wish to turn right, stay in the right" try 'If you wish to turn left, keep in the left lane, but, if you wish to turn right, stay in the right lane.' In the next sentence, insert 'lanes' after "both" and consider a semi-colon, rather than a full stop, between the sentences.

I'm afraid that I don't have the energy to carry on right now but I'll look at the rest of the entry asap. Aside from these few typos and minor grammatical flaws, this is a good entry and it is both useful and in the spirit of the EG IMHO.

Van

You just managed to get here in time! I've done everything that you have suggested, with the exception of these below.

"vitally important for telling" don't be afraid to repeat the significant word; the arm movement is not telling anyone anything, it is *signalling*.
I would say that you are telling the people around you using the shorthand system of signals. I wish to keep it as telling.


"Mini Roundabouts" are not the same as 'Mini-roundabouts'!
I don't understand. What's the difference?
I have gone through and changed any instances of 'roundabout' to 'mini roundabout' where the advice refers specifically to minis.

Having read on, I think that the mini-roundabout section would be better later on, to the effect that 'now that you know how to tackle roundabouts, mini-roundabouts should be easy'.
I like them this way around as I think it would be safer to learn on a mini and then transfer your skills once you are happy. I've added a sentence to this effect in this section.

"splits into two" should be 'splits in two'.
I don't know why you are correct, and it feels wrong to me, but I have very little in the way of grammar education so I've amended it.


I'm afraid that I don't have the energy to carry on right now but I'll look at the rest of the entry asap. Aside from these few typos and minor grammatical flaws, this is a good entry and it is both useful and in the spirit of the EG IMHO.
I look forward to the rest of it.

Thanks, van-smeiter.

Hi Vip and van-smeiter. Let us know when this is in a finished state and we'll accept for the Guide. We agree that it's a great Entry and a very suitable subject.

Cheers
h2g2Eds

Hi Vip,

I see what you mean about tackling mini-roundabouts first and it makes more sense for the entry to be ordered that way.

"Mini Roundabouts" are not the same as 'Mini-roundabouts'!
I don't understand. What's the difference?

A mini roundabout would be found in a model village or a children's playset; a mini-roundabout is the round, bumpy thing in the road. Consider a 'black tailed deer' and a 'black-tailed deer'. The former is a black deer with a tail but the latter is a deer with a black tail. I hope that example makes some kind of sense. The Highway Code uses 'mini-roundabout' so I'd stick with that for the sake of consistency.

'Into' is used to indicate going within something, eg 'he dived into the water'. Compare 'I looked into the bus' to 'I looked in the bus', or 'I vomitted into the bath' to 'I vomitted in the bath.'

Van

Now I have to remember where I got up to. The with the traffic section...

Third paragraph, change "Whilst" to 'Although'. "aceptable" needs to be 'acceptable'

"you should be able to leave the roundabout at your exit easily"
try to keep the adverb as near to the verb as possible, 'leave the roundabout easily at your exit' is perhaps better.

"easier to both follow" 'easier both to follow'
"also they may block" 'also that they may block'

"are even harder" add 'to navigate' after harder.

"they should tell you clearly" 'clearly tell you' (I still don't like tell for non-speech (signs show, people tell) but that's MHO and this is your entry)

"If the traffic is heavy or..." put a comma after "heavy".

The Drivers section

Change "Whilst" to 'Although'.
Change "could brake" to 'can brake'.
"As they are slower than you you" put a comma between the two yous and "As" should be 'Because'. "which in the long run will" 'which, in the long run, will'
"as this will..." 'because this will...'

Have a look at these suggestions and change what you think you should. I've tried to highlight typos and grammar but sometimes grammar impinges on style and, like I said, it is your entry.

There are a few typos in the changes you made so have a read back through but I'll happily have another look. Or do the eds fix typos? I'm not very good with PR and I don't want to hold things up.

Great entry, Vip

Merry Xmas

---placeholder to make sure Vip doesn't forget about this whilst she's away from Christmas---

Cheers! I've altered what you have mentioned and run it through a spell-check too to catch those horrid little typos.

In theory the SubEds will correct spelling and grammar, but the more that the author can do the better, in my opinion, especially if it risks the tone of the article. It will have to be corrected by someone, so it doesn't really hold up the progression of the article in the grand scheme of things.

I hope you had a good Christmas too.