Hi, listers;
I am no stranger to roundabouts having driven quite extensively in New Jersey
and the UK. For the competent driver these traffic expeditors are just the
thing. Unfortunately, most drivers these days are otherwise occupied with
something other than driving. In the US and Canada most drivers find merging
onto a freeway an intimidating challenge! They either merge disregarding
traffic in the right lane (expecting everyone to pull over into the passing
lane) or they timidly stay in the merging lane until it is all used up
(hoping
some good smaritan will pull left and let them in) and block the flow of
traffic onto the free way. In Minnesota they have traffic lights on the on
ramps to help these hapless souls!
Those that can't merge on a freeway ramp would have no clue as to the purpose
of a roundabout!
Consider the fact that most drivers haven't grasped the concept of the
passing
lane. No, that lane isn't for those that are doing the legal limit....it's
for
passing. Recently had a discussion about drivers habits in the Detroit Metro
area with three non enthusiasts. They all agreed that driving in the "fast"
lane at the legal limit and blocking faster drivers was a god given right and
a civic duty....keeps those crazies at bay, don't 'cha know! It was all I
could do to keep from pounding my head on the table. Then add a third lane
and
everyone goes nuts. There I am on I-94 heading for Detroit Metro at 4:30AM on
a monday morning. The freeway is fairly empty but there is a Blazer in the
passing lane.....driver on the cell phone. Arrrrghhh! Not that they are
blocking anyone but what's wrong with the other two lanes?
If you want to see mayhem....go to Bermuda! Take a bunch of tourist....mostly
US...throw them in a place where you have to rent a motorscooter, drive on
the
left and add some roundabouts! This was my first opportunity to drive on the
left and it was a hoot! The hotel lobby looked like a ski resort! People
sitting around with appendages bandaged and in casts. All from scooter
accidents. It's good that the island speed limit is 25mph or there would be a
lot of deaths. The day I left Bermuda I saw a woman tourist sprawled across
the hood of a taxi. She entered the hotel using the left hand lane and ran
into a taxi departing the hotel! Ouch!
I don't hold out much hope for US drivers getting better in the years to
come.
They are loading more electronics into the family barge. Now they can be
distracted by cell phones, global positioning maps and stereo systems that
have more complex fascias and smaller buttons. Maybe those computerized
highways of the future are a good thing! It'll leave surface streets
uncluttered for the rest of us.
JMHO
Greg Wolf
1970 GT6+ "Ian"
Ann Arbor Michigan
Winterpeg MB Canada
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