Roundabouts
Nothing stymies an American quite as much as coming upon a
roundabout in England. Unless it’s coming upon a roundabout in
America. Ask any out-of-towner who’s visited Boston, with what is
already insane traffic, and who encounters one of their infamous
roundabouts. Or certain places in New Orleans. Or Grant Street in
Decatur, Alabama.
One woman actually sat and called her sister to find out what to do
next. Thank God for cell phones. I applaud the city fathers for
their insight. We need more roundabouts. They afford a wonderful
opportunity to play Chicken in a new setting.
In England, the flow is to the left rather than to the right. Which
is not as much of an issue for the American driver as one might
think, since we have already been completely bamboozled, distracted
and laid to mental waste by having to drive on the wrong side of the
road from the wrong side of the car.
© 2009 Chuck Puckett