If you are a citizen of UK or Australia, you are permitted to snicker at this problem. Anchorage, Alaska, just opened its first two roundabouts at a major intersection. Not a big deal if you are experienced at negotiating roundabouts, but Anchorage residents certainly are not. The good thing about a roundabout is that it substitutes common sense and courtesy for traffic lights and signs. The bad thing is that Anchorage drivers have never been accused of common sense or courtesy. The roundabouts have been built on either side of our Seward Highway where about 20,000 vehicles per day will attempt to pass through unscathed. Accidents are expected, especially during the road-slick winter months. Luckily, there are three auto body shops and three auto repair facilities within two or three blocks of the roundabouts. They may be considering running a "Roundabout Special." Well, I decided to try out the roundabouts and, guess what, I had no problems. In fact I enjoyed driving through the roundabouts so much that I turned around and drove through them again. Then, just for grins, I went back for a third trip, whirling all the way around and back out the way I came. Amazingly, I was not able to cause any accidents. So I went home. A bit dizzy. |
