What Thief13x seems to be describing does seem to be more like some constant aspect approach, rather than an overhead join.
I find I use overhead joins at most places I fly to, it gives you a good view of the airfield layout and allows you to see the windsock and see other traffic. At airfields/strips with no radio it is the standard procedure and even for those with radio it is used by many.
It is not a British anarchism, Ive flown extensivly in France and there overhead joins are standard practice, except at those airfields with parachuting and winch launch gliding (not many most have towplanes) The French overhead join procedure is different to the UK one though.
Ive also used overhead joins most of the time in the USA, but Ive never flown at any large airfields, except Oshkosh and thus its nearly always been in non radio aircraft to non control tower airfields.
Always a good idea to practice engine failures, I should do it more often.