Good ideas from overseas (OT bit of fun)

[polygonum]

Ironically we have almost the exact opposite of that at one local junction!

Simple crossroads - one road much more important than the other. Used to allow you to turn right from the main road in either direction - simply being careful. Now you cannot - there is a blocking filter which is red when straight ahead is green (or when lesser road lights are green).

Trouble is, the lights were originally designed and set up for the old system. And they are now badly placed/designed for the new system. So many people turn right when filter is red. I have seen some very close calls recently.

[Tim Streater]

I agree that there are one or two features from the US that would be useful here. But most of their signage is poor and looks like its done so as to turn as many drivers as poss into administrative criminals. The

4-way stop is a good example.

[Jethro_uk]

The USians appear to have a mortal dread of roundabouts ...

[SteveW]

Probably no need. I presume that the control systems of modern escalators generate back into the mains when braking a descending load - I don't know if they do, but I'd be suprised if they don't.

SteveW

[Alan (BigAl)]

I thought that was a great idea in Japan. We have a house built in the late 50's. The bog is a small room at the top of the stairs, no washhand basin, and too narrow to fit one.

When I reorganised the bathroom recently, I put a WC in there too, and looked for a way to get a wash basin in the small loo. Remembering the system seen in japan when I was there years ago, I thought it mught be possible. No success, however!

Does anyone have a solution for this problem, other that washing in the bathroom or kitchen?

Al.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Aston Matthews (Plumbers merchant, Essex Road, London) used to have a a urinal in the window with a wash-hand basin on the top, the waste from which ran into the urinal to flush it.

I mentioned it here many years back when I saw it, and someone replied "why would you need the urinal if you have a wash basin?"...

[Alan (BigAl)]

I appreciate the sentiment, but the solids are tricky to fit down the plug'ole.

As you mention the concept is water conserving too, as the water is used to flush the pan after rinsing the hands.

Al

[polygonum]

But if not used very regularly, you end up with dirty soapy water stored in a cistern. Doesn't really sound very hygienic.

[tim.....]

It didn't seem to in Spain,

You can see if you have to hurry up (so you do), and you can see that you only have to wait 10 seconds, so you wait.

And the sort of person who jumps the lights when it says 59 seconds is going to jump the lights without the countdown, so it's no worse there either

YMMV

tim

[tim.....]

instead of what:

the "timed" system usually used in the UK

or the sensor system that flushes whenever someone uses it?

tim

[Alan (BigAl)]

I was not advocating the idea. I started by asking if anyone had an alternative (better) idea for a small lavatory. The Japanese idea has problems, of course! Having to lean over the pan to get to basin is not too bad for me, but for the little kids it would be difficult.

This is what it looks like.

Al.

[geoff]

In message , tim..... writes

Was that a SoH breakdown ?

[Frank Erskine]

If you suitably adjust your diet the "solids" needn't be entirely solid. :-)

[harry]

A logical arrangement without any extra expense for sensors or wiring plus a lot less piping. Only held about a half litre of water. Only disadvantage is that one is required for each urinal. But it would save a lot of water.

[fred]

I've been in French loos that had a fold down wash hand basin above the loo. Very handy in a confined space

[polygonum]

Had been thinking along those lines (as am sure I have seen them in railway carriages). Then realised the answer is to fit a compact urinal, rather than a full WC bowl, leaving enough space to easily fit a small basin.

And a supply of shee-pees, if appropriate.

[Jethro_uk]

Some touring caravans have a similar arrangement.

[tim.....]

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[SteveW]

We have a four-way give way. It causes no end of trouble as drivers from all directions stop, decide the other drivers aren't moving and all set off together, before slamming the brakes on again.

Google Streetview the junctions of Queen's Road and Westmorland Road, Urmston for a look.

Originally, there were give ways just on the two ends of Westmorland and a no-entry on one way of Queen's Road. The council thought too many drivers were not noticing the no entry signs, so they decided to change the Queen's Road ends to give ways, so as to slow approaching drivers. The residents of Westmorland objected to losing their give ways as they thought traffic would speed up on their road, so the council left all four! Why they couldn't have simply placed a bollard on the no entry bit, I don't know.

SteveW

[alan]

What really annoys me are lights on roundabouts that ratchet cars at 10m a time and are still operating when there is near zero traffic on the roads.

What also seems to be common place is pedestrian crossings where the red light time has been adjusted so that the most slowest of disabled people can cross. In reality 99.999% of the pedestrians crossing have already walked a further half a mile down the road before the lights turn green again.

I find that at night it is a lot faster to use the back street rat runs than the mains roads with their multitude of lights. I'm not alone, with many taxi drivers adopting the same policy. This cannot be good for road safety and/or the peaceful sleep of those living on the rat runs.