Could It Be?

...that things are changing round here?

Lexington is getting another roundabout. There are two I know of, a dinky, stupid one on Reynolds Road, and a new one out at the Horse Park. I've long said that this city needs more roundabouts. And if you live in Lexington, you know how STUPID the traffic is here. Putting a roundabout at certain intersections would help the flow of traffic.

It's true that a roundabout takes some getting used to, but really, the concept is quite simple: Yield to those in the roundabout. If you are turning right or going straight, stay in the outside lane. If you are turning left, get in the inside lane of the roundabout. USE YOUR TURN SIGNAL.

It's true that I became adept at navigating roundabouts in France. This past spring I heard that my département, la Charente-Maritime, was a pilot département for roundabouts, so we have more than the rest of the country. I haven't verified this. In any case, I love them. LOVE. 

So it's good news to me that we are getting another roundabout. I may have to head over to that part of town, just to drive on it.

How do you feel about roundabouts?

More info:

Roundabout Safety and the Modern Roundabout

Alaska's Roundabout Website (chock full of information!)

Photos of Roundabouts

Edit: Mama really needs to edit before she hits Publish.

Comments

[poppy fields]

In general, I like roundabouts...except when riding with my husband, who has some weird male aversion to using his blinker and likes to change lanes while whizzing around those things with utter disregard to those trying to figure out where he's going...

husband rant over

[Denise]

I HATE roundabouts. I think they're way dangerous and scary.

[bhd]

I grew up in New Joy Sea, the land of the traffic circle, so when I had just started driving, I had to learn how to negotiate them. Piece of cake - if it's local traffic. Gut wrenching nightmare when there are amateurs afoot. Okay, not really gut-wrenching, and probably only in the summertime. But I like them. We're getting 2 installed on Upper Sims Way here in Pete, to alleviate the difficulties making left-hand turns (which will soon be forbidden) onto the road from the side streets. I look forward to seeing how the locals get up to speed on using them.

[Tanzi]

I'm not sure about this. On the one hand, I get that they can be great, mostly because I've been told by people like you (experienced round-about drivers.) But I've seen nothing but scariness when I've navigated the ones that we already have. But it's all about practice, right? I have a vision of someone (myself) getting to the inside lane and going around in circles forever and ever.

[Margaret]

When you're not used to them, they are TERRIFYING. But they are better for traffic flow and are easy to adjust to once one knows the rules.

[Patrick]

I hate them, they suck.

[Alison]

Oh, yeah. Turn signals in the roundabout are a must! Dang husband.

[Alison]

If you had more exposure to them, I'm sure you'd change your tune. I was intimidated by them until I started actually driving on them in France.

[Alison]

I like them too. I can think of several places where they'd come in handy in Lexington, and I think an education campaign would really help "the locals" figure them out. There was one such campaign for some diagonal back-in parking spaces downtown. It would be useful for have one for any community getting a new roundabout.

[Alison]

Tanzi, the one on Reynolds Road behind Fayette Mall is really poorly designed, so please don't judge all roundabouts on that. They do take practice, it's true, and if you get on the inside lane, it can be hard to get out (if the drivers behind you are jerks). I've gone around a roundabout twice, more than once. But you don't get stuck on them forever, and it's better than waiting at a red light!

[Alison]

AMEN. You are right about the terrifying part, I will admit! But once you know how to maneuver in one, you're good to go!

[Alison]

Why don't you tell us how you really feel? ;-p

[Alison]

Stoopid Typepad. I thought these were going to be embedded comments?

Clearly, I haven't been paying attention to Typepad's improvements.

[Mari]

Have you seen Swindon's "Magic Roundabout"? I want to go there and see it in person - and maybe drive on it. It looks awesome. There's even a t-shirt. ;)

[Alison]

Is that the crazy one in England? I'll look it up! And for as much as I loooove roundabouts in countries that drive on the right side of the road (as opposed to the left, not incorrect, side), the idea of driving on one in England or Scotland gives me the willies. Or the heebeejeebees. Whatever. It skeers me!

[mick]

thanks for inspiring me to actually write a blogpost myself, even if it's a whiney navel-gazing blogpost..

[mick]

roundaboutsL thumbs up.

i've been on the KHP's one many times, though, and I guess it's helpful.. it's inside the park. I guess I've never been there when there was enough traffic to justify it. But I hear there's this big thing called the Weg or the Wag or something coming. (Joke, no explanations, please)

Anyway, drove across Great Britain years ago with some friends and became very fond of roundabouts. I often drove. And if we were unsure of our trajectory, I would just circle the roundabout until somebody made a decision. It was helpful and hilarious. ("OK — somebody decide where we're going, or I'm goin' around again!")

Many Americans seem to loathe them (in the classic sense), but that sentiment is one borne of ignorance. They are a compelling traffic management tool.

And while they cannot replace stoplights or stop signs wholesale, there are many many situations where roundabouts provide better traffic management.

[Alison]

But for those not in the know, WEG = World Equestrian Games, coming soon to a Lexington near you. Err, I mean, coming next year to Lexington, Kentucky. Lotsa hoopla about it here.