Friday, June 27, 2014

Let's be more European! (not)

Pictured is a roundabout.
They are popping up around the Soviet Republic of Ann Arbor.
It is obviously a flawed plan.
Like socialism, another European import to Ann Arbor.
To the left (west) is Ann Arbor.
Leaving Ann Arbor on Geddes in the evening is a long string of cars.
Pity anybody trying to enter the eastmost roundabout from the south.
There won't be a break in traffic til about 7pm.
There is no traffic signal to give a break in traffic.

There was never a vote taken, asking whether we thought it would be a good idea.
Our "betters" know better.
They are popping up around the Soviet Republic of Ann Arbor.
Like socialism, another European import to Ann Arbor.



Another European import is soccer. We don't have enough sports here?
One of the reasons that I do not like soccer, is that I actually heard people say in the 70's that America was out of touch with the rest of the world because soccer wasn't as popular here as in major European cities where large crowds of "hooligans" would gather from England to riot during the World Cup.

I heard of a t-shirt on sale at the World Cup.
America: Two Time World War Champion!

I like that.

13 comments:

  1. Oh... THAT has to be a YGTBSM moment seeing a roundabout coming off the major artery...

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    1. You should see the set about ten miles north of that at Lee Rd.
      I wonder how much the shopping complex there suffers from people not wanting to brave it.

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  2. They're called "rotaries" in the Northeast. Not uncommon and if they had put a light where 99 meets the Parkway in my town the place would be a parking lot.
    Myself I'd prefer just learning to drive over the delay.
    Saves gas, cuts down pollution ... good idea.

    Well Ed, once again I'm glad for your sake that you don't live in Boston.
    Lots of soccer fans here and folks are enjoying the tournament.

    Soccer is one game that doesn't favor hand/eye coordination and I wonder if that's part of why a lot of Americans don't "get it".

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    1. They are not native here and I'm surprised there aren't more accidents given the behavior of many drivers in them. Especially the confused ones who stop suddenly.

      As for living in Boston, I remember the driving to be as dangerous as Naples, Italy.
      And given the leftward political bent there, is it no surprise the popularity of soccer? :)

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  4. I don't recall that intersection as I never went across what was a rickety old bridge over the river. Always stayed on the Ann Arbor side. LOL

    I went to Google maps satelite view and it is so old it's showing the circle still under construction. But street view has it. As I moved around the circle, clearly the Google camera crew came on different days. Either puffy clouds in sky or ominous depending when I advanced. And the traffic was as you say -- jammed, Well, almost. A slight move ahead and the traffic disappears due to the shot being taken on a different day.

    LOL. THere's your solution Ed. Time travel. :D

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    1. Time travel, or move forward in time the old fashioned way.
      Wait for traffic to clear. :)

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  5. The area I live is rife with roundabouts. I hated them when I moved here last fall, but now I am OK with them. In most cases the traffic flows pretty well. There is one place where there is a double roundabout, you exit one right into another. That is a joke. The real problem is the traffic authorities are starting to put in "Michigan left turns" an abomination in the Mitten State and even worse idea in Indiana where the citizens are just confused by the foreign and counter-intuitive concept of turning right and making a u-turn. It seems to only spread the congestion in a wider area.

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    1. Hmmmm. They seem like a better alternative to roundabout. Very clear about right of way.

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  6. love that t shirt ED!! Tragic news today from Israel..please keep the faith for me and the rest of us...:

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  7. I always get as dizzy as Clark Griswold on his European Vacation on those things.

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    Replies
    1. Where have you been? E-mailed you and it got rejected.

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    2. Oops! Had an old email on my profile but it's fixed now. I wouldn't reject ya on purpose! I have been on a temporary blog Sabbatical for no big reason. A "sabbloggical" if you will. I have a 4 day weekend so I will post something and get going again. NOT blogging becomes a bad habit of mine from time to time.

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