Drivers Still Don’t Know How to Use Roundabouts

by Jack

It seems so simple to me. I don’t understand how drivers could be confused about a roundabout. There are yield signs at each entry, right? And a yield sign should be fairly clear. You must yield to the car on your right if you arrive at the same time, but otherwise whoever arrives first has the right-of-way, it’s just like a 4 way stop. And if you are in the circle portion, then you have the right-of-way over those entering. What could be easier? Yet, just today I watched a driver stop in the circle, blocking two cars behind him. This was at the West 2nd roundabout, he was waiting for an east bound car to enter the circle and it seemed as if he was attempting to turn right onto 2nd Ave. which is now a one way and it would have put him going the wrong way. Some honking got him moving.

Then there are the caravans on Manzanita at Valombrosa. These are south-bound cars on Manzanita that stack up one behind the other to form a long procession at rush hour headed for the Skyway. They follow the lead vehicle into the roundabout and they just keep coming, meanwhile the hapless driver on Valombrosa must sit and wait and wait…and wait while his/her right-of-way is being violated by rude drivers.

To my knowledge nobody has ever been cited for a right-of-way violation at this roundabout, but it could be easy pickins, if they wanted too.

Maybe CPD feels sorry for these right-of-way violators who can’t figure out how to use the roundabout correctly? This reminds me, did you know that right-of-way violations are the most common cause of vehicle accidents? Quite often this is due to driver distraction, but it could also be ignorance. I think it’s time for CPD to start issuing tickets for 21803a of Calif. Vehicle Code for the aforementioned violation. They’re not doing the public any favors letting the errant drivers slide because they are too dumb to use the roundabouts correctly.