Learn How to Use a Roundabout: Read the Signs

What is it about a roundabout that confounds so many really bad drivers? I really can’t see why some people just completely and utterly suck at using them or even understanding the concept for that matter. “Oh, I hate roundabouts. Especially that new one on the West side of town.” You hate roundabouts because they aren’t stoplights? You can't read signs? You hate them because you don’t understand how to yield? Please explain yourself. You’ve been merging into one way traffic on interstates using yield signs your entire driving adulthood, and now, you can’t figure this one out?

I could see if the direction of the cars changed, like, if you approached the circle one day and it was going left, and then the next day it was going right; that would be really confusing. Or, maybe if the outer circle was going right, and the inner circle was going left… that’d be scary and messy. There is nothing at all scary or confusing about any roundabout I’ve ever seen, and most of the time you don’t ever need to drive in a complete circle unless you’re flipping around to head back where you came from. Even then, it’s still easier than finding a place to do that.

It’s even easy to cross the street walking through a smaller roundabout. You only have to pay attention to one lane of traffic, then you get a nice little rest in the middle and just look at another lane of traffic to see if it’s okay to go. No waiting for crosswalk signs, and if you get tired, you can just hang out in the middle to catch your breath.

One day I was going to the coffee shop and some mom with her white mini-van was stuck in the roundabout. I don’t know how you get stuck in this tiny little thing, but she went around in circles three times—and not on purpose like I would. She couldn’t figure out how to get out. Luckily there weren’t any other cars or she might have hurt someone. To top it off, she would stop at each exit to pause, (I guess trying to think it through) and then move to the next exit to stop again. I’m not even exaggerating. Don’t stop if you ever get stuck in a round about. Just keep driving until it clicks somehow. I can’t tell you how to make it click because there actually shouldn’t need to be a click.

Another day I was walking to the coffee shop again, and two guys in big trucks where using the roundabout. The guy that was supposed to yield, didn’t yield and cut the guy in the roundabout off by pulling out in front of him. Then, they started yelling out their windows at each other, the one says “Thanks man, you don’t know how to yield?” in a sarcastic tone, and the other one screamed, “lighten up man!” No, don’t tell the guy to lighten up, just learn to yield. So then, these guys are using the roundabout and yelling at each other out the window at the same time. That was a sight.

Roundabouts are way safer for everyone involved. Traffic slows to about 20mph which cuts traffic and pedestrian accident related deaths. And, you get where you're going faster because you don't usually have to stop or wait as long as you would at a stop light.

In our town, they’re installing another roundabout (do you install roundabouts?) Maybe, they’re building another roundabout by the airport. I hear lots of gripes about the one or two we already have, and now this. Folks, it’s not the roundabouts, it’s you. Maybe you can go out in the middle of the night some night when there isn’t much traffic and practice. Don't forget to read the signs.