What is it about those traffic roundabouts that has so many drivers' heads spinning? Why is a concept as old as traffic itself so vexing?

Roundabout intersections are a fixture in Europe, in large part because that's probably where traffic first became an issue centuries ago, before there were electricity and stoplights.

The idea migrated to this country very slowly, but it has assumed new importance as local governments struggle with intersection traffic jams and the expense of operating a power-driven stop light system.

The roundabout process is painfully simple. Rather than bringing cars together at right angles to each other - requiring half the traffic to stop - roundabouts move vehicles in a circular, uninterrupted flow, requiring no mechanical contrivances.

At least that's the way it's supposed to work. Unfortunately, local drivers - either befuddled by the concept or preoccupied on their cell phones - can't seem to get the hang of circling through an intersection. This often causes the vehicular version of the bump-and-grind.

Santa Maria has four roundabouts, but the one most in the news is at College Drive and McCoy Lane, where there have been 21 collisions since January 2005.

That tally does not include the other instances of blaring horns, profane salutes and cuss words that drivers have bestowed on other drivers in the circle.

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City officials hope to bring all that - but not the flow of traffic - to a halt with redesigned roundabouts, in which new road stripes have been applied, the bike lanes removed, and signs installed to inform drivers how best to proceed.

It sounds like a net loss for bicyclists, who will now be required to get off their bikes and use the sidewalk at the perimeter of the roundabouts, but it may save some bumps and bruises, or worse. Bikes don't fare well in the roundabouts, due to vehicles making right-turn exits.

Drivers will be given until April 7 to familiarize themselves with the new rules and process. After that, driving errors observed by police will be punishable with traffic tickets.

The easy way to remember all this is that it's really no different than driving in a straight line - the outermost lane is for turning right.

That really shouldn't be so tough to remember.

March 28, 2008