180 degree bends

[M5Lenzar]

Birkfield Drive in Ipswich has a 180 degree hairpin, that even comes with its own special signage.

How common is this feature?

[Truvelo]

Fish Hill has something similar but the signs aren't as extreme.

The only other place I can think of is on the A38 at a slip road.

[MotorwayGuy]

This one springs to mind - Complete with green sign.

[PeterA5145]

A577 Up Holland, near Skelmersdale, complete with rather unusual sign that looks like a tuning fork

[Jeni]

A577 Up Holland, near Skelmersdale, complete with rather unusual sign that looks like a tuning fork

That junction is now a mini roundabout, I drove through about a week ago and I don't recall seeing that sign, so it *may* have now been removed.

[Ritchie333]

There's this one in the Rhondda Fach valley. Not a main road, but it is part of a through route over the mountains. The "double header" street lighting fixture is kind of archetypical of these sorts of bends.

About 15 years ago, a bunch of us were roadtripping South Wales, taking various back roads including this one, and a little further up, there's another near 180 degree TOTSO to get onto the mountain road towards Pontypridd, but with a handy turning circle ahead to help. Of our three cars, one used the circle, one thought "I can get round that without a bloody circle, thankyou" and ended up doing a three point turn in the road, while the third, in a (original pre BMW) Mini, went straight round the turn without going anywhere near the circle in one hit.

[KeithW]

Birkfield Drive in Ipswich has a 180 degree hairpin, that even comes with its own special signage.

How common is this feature?

More common than you think I suspect , I can think of two bad ones off the top of my head.

1) The hairpin at the bottom of Winchelsea Hill on the A259
2) Sutton Bank on the A170

In the Highlands there must be more than you can shake a big stick at.

[orudge]

About 15 years ago, a bunch of us were roadtripping South Wales, taking various back roads including this one, and a little further up, there's another near 180 degree TOTSO to get onto the mountain road towards Pontypridd, but with a handy turning circle ahead to help. Of our three cars, one used the circle, one thought "I can get round that without a bloody circle, thankyou" and ended up doing a three point turn in the road, while the third, in a (original pre BMW) Mini, went straight round the turn without going anywhere near the circle in one hit.

There's something a little similar on the A82 to get onto a minor road - a "turning place" to basically allow you to do a U-turn to get onto the minor road (and indeed, to get off it again).

[haymansafc]

I can think of at least two in North Devon.

This one on the A39 not far from Arlington, which almost caught my father out back in 1994 on our first visit to the area. Long before the days of yellow-backed signs…

Then there's this one in Lynton. It's a particularly interesting left-hander as it's also uphill!

[Steven]

There are a couple near Ironbridge, Shropshire.

[wrinkly]

Nearly 180 on the A5.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.98053 ... a=!3m1!1e3

Two consecutive bends the same way totalling more than 180 on the A39:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.20637 ... a=!3m1!1e3

[Beardy5632]

Scowles Road near Coleford has this one plus another one a bit further down.

[roadrunner]

There are a couple near Ironbridge, Shropshire.

yep these two are nice in the snow...

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.62578 ... 56!6m1!1e1

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.61520 ... 56!6m1!1e1

[JF2309]

Cheddar Gorge and the A537 along Cat and Fiddle road has a couple.

[Derek]

One from my childhood - Devil's Elbow. Dad used to go that way just so we could go round this bend, it became a highlight of the trip to see the rellies.

GSV

Derek

[vlad]

Birkfield Drive in Ipswich has a 180 degree hairpin, that even comes with its own special signage.

Why's that needed? Is it steeper than it looks or was something else planned?

To answer your question, does M58 J5 count?

[FosseWay]

This in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire.

Until I went to get that link I had no idea it was called "The Ladder". IME (I lived there for 8 years) the locals call it "the W".

[urbanfox]

Another tuning fork near Malvern.

[SteveA30]

Here are 2 from the past. A354, about 30 mins after the new road opened on March 17 2011. The sign has taken a battering or two but now, is left in peace, until the council cart it away. The bend no longer exists.

Old A30, Launceston summer 1975. The road still exists as the A388.

[Glen]

There's this junction on the A95, which has some non-standard warning signs.