diff --git a/include/boost/geometry/algorithms/disjoint.hpp b/include/boost/geometry/algorithms/disjoint.hpp
index 73d6a4a69..f986cc24a 100644
--- a/include/boost/geometry/algorithms/disjoint.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/geometry/algorithms/disjoint.hpp
@@ -45,6 +45,39 @@ namespace boost { namespace geometry
 namespace detail { namespace disjoint
 {
 
+template<typename Geometry>
+struct check_each_ring_for_within
+{
+    bool has_within;
+    Geometry const& m_geometry;
+
+    inline check_each_ring_for_within(Geometry const& g)
+        : has_within(false)
+        , m_geometry(g)
+    {}
+
+    template <typename Range>
+    inline void apply(Range const& range)
+    {
+        typename geometry::point_type<Range>::type p;
+        geometry::point_on_border(p, range);
+        if (geometry::within(p, m_geometry))
+        {
+            has_within = true;
+        }
+    }
+};
+
+template <typename FirstGeometry, typename SecondGeometry>
+inline bool rings_containing(FirstGeometry const& geometry1,
+                SecondGeometry const& geometry2)
+{
+    check_each_ring_for_within<FirstGeometry> checker(geometry1);
+    geometry::detail::for_each_range(geometry2, checker);
+    return checker.has_within;
+}
+
+
 struct assign_disjoint_policy
 {
     // We want to include all points:
@@ -117,45 +150,9 @@ struct disjoint_segment
     }
 };
 
-template<typename Geometry>
-struct check_each_ring_for_within
-{
-    bool has_within;
-    Geometry const& m_geometry;
-
-    inline check_each_ring_for_within(Geometry const& g)
-        : has_within(false)
-        , m_geometry(g)
-    {}
-
-    template <typename Range>
-    inline void apply(Range const& range)
-    {
-        typename geometry::point_type<Range>::type p;
-        geometry::point_on_border(p, range);
-        if (geometry::within(p, m_geometry))
-        {
-            has_within = true;
-        }
-    }
-};
-
-
-
 template <typename Geometry1, typename Geometry2>
 struct general_areal
 {
-
-    template <typename FirstGeometry, typename SecondGeometry>
-    static inline bool containing(FirstGeometry const& geometry1,
-                    SecondGeometry const& geometry2)
-    {
-        check_each_ring_for_within<FirstGeometry> checker(geometry1);
-        geometry::detail::for_each_range(geometry2, checker);
-        return checker.has_within;
-    }
-
-
     static inline bool apply(Geometry1 const& geometry1, Geometry2 const& geometry2)
     {
         if (! disjoint_linear<Geometry1, Geometry2>::apply(geometry1, geometry2))
@@ -165,8 +162,8 @@ struct general_areal
 
         // If there is no intersection of segments, they might located
         // inside each other
-        if (containing(geometry1, geometry2)
-            || containing(geometry2, geometry1))
+        if (rings_containing(geometry1, geometry2)
+            || rings_containing(geometry2, geometry1))
         {
             return false;
         }
diff --git a/include/boost/geometry/algorithms/touches.hpp b/include/boost/geometry/algorithms/touches.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..164359fac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/boost/geometry/algorithms/touches.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,177 @@
+// Boost.Geometry (aka GGL, Generic Geometry Library)
+
+// Copyright (c) 2007-2012 Barend Gehrels, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
+// Copyright (c) 2008-2012 Bruno Lalande, Paris, France.
+// Copyright (c) 2009-2012 Mateusz Loskot, London, UK.
+
+// Parts of Boost.Geometry are redesigned from Geodan's Geographic Library
+// (geolib/GGL), copyright (c) 1995-2010 Geodan, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
+
+// Use, modification and distribution is subject to the Boost Software License,
+// Version 1.0. (See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at
+// http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
+
+#ifndef BOOST_GEOMETRY_ALGORITHMS_TOUCHES_HPP
+#define BOOST_GEOMETRY_ALGORITHMS_TOUCHES_HPP
+
+
+#include <deque>
+
+#include <boost/geometry/geometries/concepts/check.hpp>
+#include <boost/geometry/algorithms/detail/overlay/self_turn_points.hpp>
+#include <boost/geometry/algorithms/detail/overlay/get_turns.hpp>
+#include <boost/geometry/algorithms/disjoint.hpp>
+#include <boost/geometry/algorithms/intersects.hpp>
+#include <boost/geometry/algorithms/num_geometries.hpp>
+
+
+namespace boost { namespace geometry
+{
+
+namespace detail { namespace touches 
+{
+
+template <typename Turn>
+inline bool ok_for_touch(Turn const& turn)
+{
+    return turn.both(detail::overlay::operation_union)
+        || turn.both(detail::overlay::operation_blocked)
+        || turn.combination(detail::overlay::operation_union, detail::overlay::operation_blocked)
+        ;
+}
+
+template <typename Turns>
+inline bool has_only_turns(Turns const& turns)
+{
+    bool has_touch = false;
+    typedef typename boost::range_iterator<Turns const>::type iterator_type;
+    for (iterator_type it = boost::begin(turns); it != boost::end(turns); ++it)
+    {
+        if (it->has(detail::overlay::operation_intersection))
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        switch(it->method)
+        {
+            case detail::overlay::method_crosses: 
+                return false;
+            case detail::overlay::method_equal: 
+                // Segment spatially equal means: at the right side
+                // the polygon internally overlaps. So return false.
+                return false;
+            case detail::overlay::method_touch: 
+            case detail::overlay::method_touch_interior: 
+            case detail::overlay::method_collinear: 
+                if (ok_for_touch(*it))
+                {
+                    has_touch = true;
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    return false;
+                }
+                break;
+        }
+    }
+    return has_touch;
+}
+
+}}
+
+/*!
+\brief \brief_check{has at least one intersection (crossing or self-tangency)}
+\note This function can be called for one geometry (self-intersection) and
+    also for two geometries (intersection)
+\ingroup touches
+\tparam Geometry \tparam_geometry
+\param geometry \param_geometry
+\return \return_check{is self-intersecting}
+
+\qbk{distinguish,one geometry}
+\qbk{[def __one_parameter__]}
+\qbk{[include reference/algorithms/touches.qbk]}
+*/
+template <typename Geometry>
+inline bool touches(Geometry const& geometry)
+{
+    concept::check<Geometry const>();
+
+    typedef detail::overlay::turn_info
+        <
+            typename geometry::point_type<Geometry>::type
+        > turn_info;
+
+    typedef detail::overlay::get_turn_info
+        <
+            typename point_type<Geometry>::type,
+            typename point_type<Geometry>::type,
+            turn_info,
+            detail::overlay::assign_null_policy
+        > policy_type;
+
+    std::deque<turn_info> turns;
+    detail::self_get_turn_points::no_interrupt_policy policy;
+    detail::self_get_turn_points::get_turns
+            <
+                Geometry,
+                std::deque<turn_info>,
+                policy_type,
+                detail::self_get_turn_points::no_interrupt_policy
+            >::apply(geometry, turns, policy);
+
+    return detail::touches::has_only_turns(turns);
+}
+
+
+/*!
+\brief \brief_check2{have at least one intersection}
+\ingroup touches
+\tparam Geometry1 \tparam_geometry
+\tparam Geometry2 \tparam_geometry
+\param geometry1 \param_geometry
+\param geometry2 \param_geometry
+\return \return_check2{intersect each other}
+
+\qbk{distinguish,two geometries}
+\qbk{[include reference/algorithms/touches.qbk]}
+ */
+template <typename Geometry1, typename Geometry2>
+inline bool touches(Geometry1 const& geometry1, Geometry2 const& geometry2)
+{
+    concept::check<Geometry1 const>();
+    concept::check<Geometry2 const>();
+
+
+    typedef detail::overlay::turn_info
+        <
+            typename geometry::point_type<Geometry1>::type
+        > turn_info;
+
+    typedef detail::overlay::get_turn_info
+        <
+            typename point_type<Geometry1>::type,
+            typename point_type<Geometry2>::type,
+            turn_info,
+            detail::overlay::assign_null_policy
+        > policy_type;
+
+    std::deque<turn_info> turns;
+    detail::get_turns::no_interrupt_policy policy;
+    boost::geometry::get_turns
+            <
+                false, false,
+                detail::overlay::assign_null_policy
+            >(geometry1, geometry2, turns, policy);
+
+    return detail::touches::has_only_turns(turns)
+        && ! geometry::detail::disjoint::rings_containing(geometry1, geometry2)
+        && ! geometry::detail::disjoint::rings_containing(geometry2, geometry1)
+        ;
+}
+
+
+
+}} // namespace boost::geometry
+
+#endif // BOOST_GEOMETRY_ALGORITHMS_TOUCHES_HPP