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Anchorage
Daily News, Letters to Editor, January 21, 2002
Learn proper roundabout etiquette
before driving in the traffic circle
I live in Southport, and I read in “Driving in circles” (Oct.5) that
we might follow the “golden rule of yield to the right” when approaching
the roundabout. I have spoken to Shawn Dooley, the project administrator,
about that concept. I came to the Washington Avenue yield first and
saw a car come up to the left. I started to turn and was nearly hit
by the woman, who breezed through her yield. The “yield to the right”
concept is for a four-way stop such as the one at Southport and 100th.
I am informed that I am entering the main road and that I yield to
any car already in the roundabout and also to a car approaching from
the left on Southport. We need to be patient with other people getting
used to the roundabout and to slow down so we can see the new 20 mph
sign. Also, give pedestrians the right of way in the new crosswalks.
The roundabout has added to the beauty of our neighborhood, and it
would be a shame if it had to be removed because of accidents. –Anne
Freeman, Anchorage
Anchorage
Daily News, Letters to Editor, January 21, 2002
Roundabout? No, it’s a horizontal
speed bump—quirky and costly
I drive the south Anchorage roundabout daily, and to think that
the city would engineer such an expensive “fix” to a simple traffic
problem is mind-boggling. Rather than enlarge the old two-lane road
to four lanes from 100th Avenue south and place a four-way stop sign
at the intersection in question, the city chose to rebuild the two-lane
road and spend most of its money (and imagination) on the roundabout.
I’m no engineer but the design is faulty…its too small. It’s not a
roundabout but rather a horizontal “speed bump” for north-south traffic.
Traffic flow and safety should have been the goals for this project,
because this road will continue to see increased traffic volumes in
years to come. Instead, the city opted for quirky and expensive. The
city will be back in less than five years to widen the road to four
lanes, remove much of the expensive landscaping and either eliminate
or rebuild the roundabout in favor of a four-way stop. I just love
to see how my property taxes are being spent. –Paul
R. Day, Anchorage
Anchorage Daily News, Letters to Editor, January
21, 2002
Just adjust! Roundabouts are really
efficient and kind of fun to drive
A few years ago my wife and I visited new Zealand and Australia. Upon
arriving in Auckland we immediately took off south in a Down Under
version of a motor home. New Zealand’s main north-south highway is
comparable to our Parks Highway with the addition of roundabouts.
Imagine a tractor pulling two full-length trailers zipping through
a roundabout with dual lanes at the intersection of the Parks Highway
and Knik-Goose Bay Road an you’ll get the picture. Driving an unfamiliar
vehicle from the right side of the cab on the left side of the road
through roundabouts populated by 34-wheelers was a little stressful
at first, to say the least. But I adjusted quickly enough and was
soon going round and around with aplomb. Except for a couple of lapses
when entering a cross road on the wrong side of the road (not at roundabouts,
I should mention) I made it through five weeks of driving without
slip-up. I found the roundabouts efficient and kind of fun to drive.
If the people of Southport can’t or won’t adjust to their piddling
little roundabout that says a lot about Americans’ intelligence or
attitude (“Roundabouts drives motorists crazy,” Jan 17). –Art
Timm, Anchorage
Anchorage
Daily News, Letters to Editor, January 21, 2002
It seems to be the complainers who
lack roundabout skills
There are only two additional driving skills required to negotiate
roundabouts: common sense and courtesy. Those who complain about roundabouts
can be said to possess neither (“Roundabouts drives motorists crazy,”
Jan 17).
–Tony Bell, Eagle River
Anchorage
Daily News, Letters to Editor, January 21, 2002
Is driving in a circle really that
difficult for Anchorage motorists?
I read the article in the paper regarding the roundabout (“Roundabout
drives motorists crazy,” Jan. 17). I have driven through it many times
myself, and I honestly do not understand why people are having so
many problems, besides that they love to speed. Honestly, how difficult
is it to yield to traffic and drive in a circle? This has to be hard!
The ignorance, impatience and complete lack of common sense behind
the wheel of a vehicle is the reasons these people cannot drive a
simple roundabout. I personally like it, it’s easy, the flow of traffic
is much more consistent. Maybe if people would simply try to understand
and adjust (basic human capability), and not fight it, their lives
would be happier. –James
Beebe, Anchorage
Anchorage
Daily News, Letters to Editor, January 24, 2002
Motorists fear
Southport's poorly designed 'circle of doom'
Southport's roundabout -- inspired by the movie "Gladiator":
As the unsuspecting soul enters "the circle of doom," the
hair on the back of the neck stiffens -- fear, expectations of the
unknown and the quest for survival kick in. With white knuckles wrapped
tightly around the handle of their shield, the innocents creep forward.
Wary of the danger that lies ahead but with no retreat,
they begin to move forward. One by one they escape the spears and
arrows that have been thrown their way. With a slight pause, a rapid
acceleration or just a mere false step forward, the fate of their
existence will be sealed. OK, enough of the drama. The roundabout
is poorly designed from an engineering standpoint. Common sense and
actually observing the traffic flow show
that the vehicles traveling north and south really don't have to slow
down to navigate the roundabout, while those traveling east and west,
by design, have to slow down to enter the roundabout. And by the way,
posting signs reducing the speed limit to 10 mph and relocating signs
is an administrative solution intended more as a "cover your
butt" effort than a conscientious effort to solve the problem.
And yes, I have to use the roundabout every day, and I fear
entering the "circle of doom." --Eliseo
Barrera
Anchorage
Daily News, Letters to Editor, February 2, 2002
Southport Drive Roundabout has made
for a much safer intersection
I am concerned that the squeaky wheel will get
the oil so I am writing to counter the opinions of the many who have
written to complain about the roundabout. I for one really like the
roundabout on Southport Drive. The only problem I have with it is
the people who lack the understanding of its purpose. Stationing a
patrol car at that location 24/7 is not feasible. Access to and from
the adjoining neighborhood has improved drastically because you don’t
have to worry as much about the idiots who drive way too fast through
those curves and come close to hitting people as on many occasions
in the past. The cure for those people who are driving over the center
meridian in the attempt to make a straight run through the roundabout
is to move the concrete flower pot out to the edge of the circle’s
curb or put boulders in strategic locations. The roundabout has slowed
down traffic going through this intersection and made it much safer
for all. Enlighten yourselves and try to see the benefits of this
new traffic pattern. If they take it out you may pay for it with your
life as someone comes speeding around the curve and nails your car
as you are pulling out of the neighborhood. --Michael Frost
Anchorage
Daily News, Letters to Editor, February 3, 2002
Roundabouts work elsewhere;
Anchorage drivers are the problem
I have a different take on the roundabout situation. I live in Soldotna
and have never seen the roundabout in question, but my wife and I
just returned from a five-week vacation in Australia and New Zealand
where roundabouts are used almost exclusively. We drove in both countries
and found they worked exceedingly well. Traffic moves at a constant
pace, with just a minor slowdown at the roundabout. In five weeks
there, we did not encounter one single unpleasant person. When we
made a traffic blunder, which are inevitable when driving, for us,
on the wrong side of the road, there wasn't even a single horn honk.
People would smile and wave when passing, I'm sure thinking "another
wacky American." Contrast this with our recent trip to Anchorage.
Rudeness seemed to be the norm rather than the exception. We rarely
come to Anchorage, so are not always sure exactly which lane to be
in. Minor mistakes resulted in horn blaring and extended middle fingers.
Red lights seemed to only be a suggestion. Do you suppose the reason
the roundabout isn't working might have something to do with attitudes
displayed? Our experience with the two different places and attitudes
would certainly lead me to believe it to be so.--
Lee Bowman
Anchorage
Daily News, Letters to Editor, August 27, 2002
Don’t curse the roundabout; learn
to use it, its advantages
I have been following with great interest the comical discussions
and responses regarding the Anchorage roundabout. Having lived in
England for 20 years, I have grown up with and understand the use
and operation of roundabouts. They have so much going for them. When
they are compared with stop signs and stop lights, it surprises me
that Americans have not opted for their use in order to maintain their
fast pace of life. With roundabouts, as with most anything, there
is a set of basic rules that when followed prevent a multitude of
disasters that can and do occur with stop signs and lights. For example,
you want to cut the number of people sliding through stop lights in
winter? Why stop? Use a roundabout, yield and keep moving. I am also
surprised that other than at the roundabout location, there appears
to be no information regarding the use and operation of these great
inventions. I certainly feel it’s time to try to correct this. Let’s
try to educate these people. I’m tired of hearing the residents of
Anchorage complaining over something so trivial. I have researched
some information and diagrams regarding roundabout use, which can
be found here.
Just remember that you guys drive on the opposite side of the road,
and follow the rules. –Charles
Wain
Anchorage
Daily News, Letters to Editor, August 27, 2002
It won’t take less than a miracle
to make Dowling roundabout work
According to the experts quoted in your article, in order for the
Dowling roundabout to work, all the bumper-to-bumper traffic on Dowling
(including businesses and the two schools), plus all the traffic crossing
Dowling at the Old and New Seward highways and Lake Otis, must go
10 miles per hour and courteously allow others “in the flow” (“And
round it goes,” Aug. 19) I believe in miracles, but in case God chooses
not to provide one, please let us know how much that face-lift will
cost. –Kathy
Lyday
Anchorage
Daily News, Letters to Editor, August 27, 2002
Learn proper roundabout etiquette
before driving in the traffic circle
I live in Southport, and I read in “Driving in circles” (Oct 5) that
we might follow the “golden rule of yield to the right” when approaching
the roundabout. I have spoken to Shawn Dooley, the project administrator,
about that concept. I came to the Washington Avenue yield first and
saw a car come up to the left. I started to turn and was nearly hit
by the woman, who breezed through her yield.
The “yield to the right” concept is for a four way stop such as the
one at Southport and 100th. I am informed that I am entering the main
road and that I yield to any car already in the roundabout and also
to a car approaching from the left on Southport. We need to be patient
with other people getting used to the roundabout and to slow down
so we can see the new 20 mph sign. Also, give pedestrians the right
of way in the new crosswalks. The roundabout has added to the beauty
of our neighborhood, and it would be a shame if it had to be removed
because of accidents. –Anne
Freeman
Anchorage
Daily News, Letters to Editor, August 28, 2002
Traffic roundabouts are tried and
true; let’s give them a chance
All this discussion about the complexities and difficulties with the
Dimond area (and proposed Tudor) rotary(s) must be coming from folks
who got their licenses out of Crackerjack boxes. They work! They work
great! They work for major intersections and town squares. I came
here from New England many years ago and visit regularly now. Rotaries
are common there in many cities. Traveling from Westfield to Springfield,
Mass., there are at least three of them and travel through them is
much faster and easier than the numerous stoplights or stopsigned
intersections. Traffic flows through them unabated by stops. At least
two of them feature traffic coming and going from five directions
and traffic “counts” way higher than on Tudor Road. At least one is
comparable to or exceeds the proposed Tudor-Seward intersection. The
beauty of them is that you can continue moving—trucks don’t have to
gear down and lose all speed, then gear back up, holding traffic behind
them. There’s no stop-and-go or long lines of traffic without breaks.
There’s no waiting through multiple lights to get to work or home.
You’re steadily progressing forward all the time. Try them, learn
how to drive through them and benefit from them. It’s about time we
tried some new (actually quite old), progressive methods of breaking
the traffic jams. –Dan
Tucker
Anchorage
Daily News, Letters to Editor, September 1, 2002
Anchorage drivers are the
city’s weakest transportation link
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Our
transportation system has three links: roads, vehicles and drivers.
Adding roundabouts to our roads should improve our transportation
system. But that will only work if our weak link (drivers) is up to
the task. A substantial portion of drivers are unwilling to learn
how to make a legal turn onto a multilane street (you’re supposed
to turn into the nearest lane, not sling yourself across lanes to
the far side of the street you are turning onto). How will such drivers
learn to use a roundabout efficiently and safely? The success and
future of all Anchorage traffic depends directly on our willingness
to learn good (and perhaps, new) ways of driving, and to learn cooperation
on the road. If we are willing to cooperate with each other we could
maximize the efficiency of our roadways.
Alaska, Anchorage. –Larry
Schuller
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