traffic circle
03/06/2007
Rachael and Deborah had orthodontist appointments this morning. I chose a sunny window to sit and think profound thoughts. The profound thoughts eluded me, but I enjoyed a reminder of the past.
From the forth floor window, I looked down at the traffic circle below. I'd never looked down on the dreaded traffic circle.
Before moving here, I'd never encountered a traffic circle. I have friends who will drive blocks out of their way to avoid a round-a-bout. I joke that when I'm driving through a traffic circle, I close my eyes, accelerate, and hope for the best.
This morning as I looked down on the traffic circle, I remembered one of my earliest traffic circle experiences. I was taking my foster daughter, Angel, to the dentist; a dentist in this same complex.
I approached the traffic circle with significant trepidation. Gordon had prepped me on traffic circle protocol; the inside lane always has the right of way. This detail still baffles me. Obeying directions, I chose the inside lane. I kept driving around the traffic circle like it was an automobile merry-go-round. The third time past her dentist's office, 8-year-old Angel astutely asked, "What are you doing?"
I answered, "I'm trying to figure out how to get out of this traffic circle alive."
From the forth floor window, I looked down at the traffic circle below. I'd never looked down on the dreaded traffic circle.
Before moving here, I'd never encountered a traffic circle. I have friends who will drive blocks out of their way to avoid a round-a-bout. I joke that when I'm driving through a traffic circle, I close my eyes, accelerate, and hope for the best.
This morning as I looked down on the traffic circle, I remembered one of my earliest traffic circle experiences. I was taking my foster daughter, Angel, to the dentist; a dentist in this same complex.
I approached the traffic circle with significant trepidation. Gordon had prepped me on traffic circle protocol; the inside lane always has the right of way. This detail still baffles me. Obeying directions, I chose the inside lane. I kept driving around the traffic circle like it was an automobile merry-go-round. The third time past her dentist's office, 8-year-old Angel astutely asked, "What are you doing?"
I answered, "I'm trying to figure out how to get out of this traffic circle alive."
Notice how the yellow lane can pull in front of the red lane. This is the part that gets me.
The idea behind a traffic circle, is to keep traffic flowing. There are no stop signs or traffic lights. Four or five roads intersect and everyone keeps going. The outside lane yields to the inside lane.
People say it makes perfect sense and stuff like that. I guess maybe there is some merit to that, but I've seen many "near misses."