Daily conversation: What is the worst possible answer?

[kphoger]

Red signals had already been in use on the railroads since the 1830s.  This is because it stands out against the verdant countryside foliage, and also because the color's long wavelength helps it penetrate fog, rain, and snow.  As 'stop' is clearly the most important of any signal scheme, the color red for its use was the obvious choice.

In 1868, John P. Knight developed the first stoplight for roadways.  The signal he developed had a red aspect for 'stop' because Knight, an employee of the South Eastern Railway at the time, had stolen all the parts for his stoplight from the North Eastern Railway.  It was later confirmed that this is what caused the Dalton Junction rail crash almost exactly one year later.

Knight chose green for the 'go' aspect because green was his favorite color.  The signal was to be installed outside Parliament, and prime minister William "Wet Will E." Gladstone wanted him to use blue instead in order for the color scheme to be more patriotic (à la Union Jack), but Knight refused.

Later, as Gladstone advanced in years and became increasingly egotistical and unpredictable in his behavior, he vowed revenge on Knight.  It is widely accepted by historians that Knight died from methyl iodide poisoning at Gladstone's directive.

04 MAR 2026

Why does green mean 'go' and red, 'stop'?

[vdeane]

04 MAR 2026

Why does green mean 'go' and red, 'stop'?

Because you stop in the name of love, and red is associated with love.

[The_Ginger]

04 MAR 2026

Why does green mean 'go' and red, 'stop'?

Yes.

[MikeTheActuary]

04 MAR 2026

Why does green mean 'go' and red, 'stop'?

Because you stop in the name of love, and red is associated with love.

...and when you have a stomach bug, you sometimes turn green and need to go to the bathroom.

[kphoger]

05 MAR 2026

How could crash-prone 'modern' roundabouts be made less crash-prone?  Looking for innovative ideas.

Note:  must remain a circular intersection.

[hotdogPi]

05 MAR 2026

How could crash-prone 'modern' roundabouts be made less crash-prone?  Looking for innovative ideas.

Note:  must remain a circular intersection.

Stop collecting data on the roundabout. It will be guaranteed to have zero crashes.

[Max Rockatansky]

05 MAR 2026

How could crash-prone 'modern' roundabouts be made less crash-prone?  Looking for innovative ideas.

Note:  must remain a circular intersection.

Stick a crucification in the middle:

https://flic.kr/p/2rZcqhG

[Big John]

05 MAR 2026

How could crash-prone 'modern' roundabouts be made less crash-prone?  Looking for innovative ideas.

Note:  must remain a circular intersection.

Use 1-lane roundabouts for multi-lane approaches.

[kphoger]

Stick a crucification in the middle

Jesus is watching your lane discipline.

[1995hoo]

05 MAR 2026

How could crash-prone 'modern' roundabouts be made less crash-prone?  Looking for innovative ideas.

Note:  must remain a circular intersection.

Tell the President to issue an executive order banning people from crashing at roundabouts. If he wants to allow them to crash into each other at non-roundabout locations, so be it, but the executive order will specifically ban crashes at roundabouts. Violators will be deported; if they're US citizens, they will first be summarily stripped of citizenship and then sent to either Iran or North Korea.

[JayhawkCO]

05 MAR 2026

How could crash-prone 'modern' roundabouts be made less crash-prone?  Looking for innovative ideas.

Note:  must remain a circular intersection.

Bowling bumpers.

[kphoger]

05 MAR 2026

How could crash-prone 'modern' roundabouts be made less crash-prone?  Looking for innovative ideas.

[PColumbus73]

05 MAR 2026

How could crash-prone 'modern' roundabouts be made less crash-prone?  Looking for innovative ideas.

Note:  must remain a circular intersection.

Rebuild all other roads to be arcs or circles, can't complain about the modern roundabouts when every commute is its own teacup ride

[xonhulu]

P

05 MAR 2026

How could crash-prone 'modern' roundabouts be made less crash-prone?  Looking for innovative ideas.

Note:  must remain a circular intersection.

"Mabel, you see this? Maybe if them idiots would stop putting up nudie pics on their 'modern' roundabouts, those drivers wouldn't be staring at 'em & crashing!"

"Harold, you old fool, put your readers on! It says 'crash-prone!'"

End scene.

[kphoger]

"Mabel, you see this? Maybe if them idiots would stop putting up nudie pics on their 'modern' roundabouts, those drivers wouldn't be staring at 'em & crashing!"

"Harold, you old fool, put your readers on! It says 'crash-prone!'"

End scene.

https://www.foxnews.com/auto/russian-road-safety-experts-employ-topless-women-to-hold-speed-limit-signs

[formulanone]

05 MAR 2026

How could crash-prone 'modern' roundabouts be made less crash-prone?  Looking for innovative ideas.

Flip the position so they become crash-supine roundabouts.

[I-55]

05 MAR 2026

How could crash-prone 'modern' roundabouts be made less crash-prone?  Looking for innovative ideas.

I like how you left out impact attenuators, I heard people prefer crashing into them so now people will prefer not to crash at all.

[kphoger]

I like how you left out impact attenuators, I heard people prefer crashing into them so now people will prefer not to crash at all.

They aren't enough prevention.

Several weeks ago, I saw a pickup truck that had run into these crash barrels.  They had apparently then formed a sort of ramp for the vehicle to climb and, by the time I drove by, it was perched on top of the median barrier—balanced there with one axle on one side and the other axle on the other side.  Any more speed upon impact, and it would surely have made it all the way into oncoming traffic.  That's exactly the sort of thing I want to prevent at these crash-prone 'modern' roundabouts.

[pderocco]

05 MAR 2026

How could crash-prone 'modern' roundabouts be made less crash-prone?  Looking for innovative ideas.

Note:  must remain a circular intersection.

Pave a streetcar turntable.

[kkt]

"Mabel, you see this? Maybe if them idiots would stop putting up nudie pics on their 'modern' roundabouts, those drivers wouldn't be staring at 'em & crashing!"

"Harold, you old fool, put your readers on! It says 'crash-prone!'"

End scene.

https://www.foxnews.com/auto/russian-road-safety-experts-employ-topless-women-to-hold-speed-limit-signs

If there was ever a news story that needed pics or it didn't happen, this is it.

[kphoger]

If there was ever a news story that needed pics or it didn't happen, this is it.

https://iframe.thesun.co.uk/news/1731060/russian-road-safety-experts-employ-topless-women-to-hold-speed-limit-signs-and-drivers-are-more-than-happy-to-slow-down/

[formulanone]

If there was ever a news story that needed pics or it didn't happen, this is it.

https://iframe.thesun.co.uk/news/1731060/russian-road-safety-experts-employ-topless-women-to-hold-speed-limit-signs-and-drivers-are-more-than-happy-to-slow-down/

Manual of Un-uniformed Traffic Control Devices

[The_Ginger]

05 MAR 2026

How could crash-prone 'modern' roundabouts be made less crash-prone?  Looking for innovative ideas.

Note:  must remain a circular intersection.

Lane markings? None.
Yield to traffic? No more.
Lanes? 5-10.
Gentle curve to slow drivers down? No.
Approach speed? No limit.
Speed in the circle? No limit.

We may as well also add @kphoger 's diagram as well.

[Scott5114]

05 MAR 2026

How could crash-prone 'modern' roundabouts be made less crash-prone?  Looking for innovative ideas.

Note:  must remain a circular intersection.

Nail the roundabout to the ground so it stops crashing into things.

[vdeane]

05 MAR 2026

How could crash-prone 'modern' roundabouts be made less crash-prone?  Looking for innovative ideas.

Note:  must remain a circular intersection.

Roads with modern roundabouts will be declared bike/ped/buses only