Do we need to go to “Roundabout” school?
Over the last several years there's been this mass proliferation of roundabouts or traffic circles in Washington state. I don't know how you feel about this, but I think we need. Some sort of remedial education on how to use roundabouts.
I get the feeling that this is not a popular opinion, but I have to drive through 2 roundabouts every day too, and then again from work. So, I have some real-world experience with people who do and those who don't know how to use a roundabout.
According to amainsider.com,
“The main thing to remember is that drivers entering any kind of circular intersection—be it a traffic circle or roundabout—must yield to drivers who are already inside. “The number one mistake drivers make is that they fail to yield to the driver in the inside lane,”
I have witnessed any number of goofy ways that people have driven through traffic circles, and I may have been the source of a couple of them. My personal favorite is the guy in the jacked up pickup truck that just didn't use the circle at all. He just drove straight through. Full disclosure there was snow on the road and, believe it or not, those giant tires don't give you that much traction on snow.
I'm pretty sure that the number of us that know how to use a traffic circle properly is very small.
If you're not sure If you're not sure about yourself, please check out this YouTube video.
Yeah, I know, I'm still confused about the whole thing. Drive safe, don't forget to yield, Look out for the other guy.