By Henry Bryant
In January, I was headed home from some post-holiday errands and turned onto Maynard Terrace from Memorial Drive. I was not expecting trouble as I approached the newly constructed roundabout on the south side of the I-20 bridge. The roundabout was designed and constructed by The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) with input from the community association and the Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU). The goal of this effort was to alleviate traffic backup onto the Interstate and avoid accidents. Previously, exiting traffic would back up down the ramp, and onto I-20. Other traffic tried to dodge this bottle neck by turning right and right again onto McPherson, then turning around in a residential driveway. The new roundabout and wider exit ramp seem to have solved these problems, but new ones have been created.
Since the roundabout was completed, GDOT has continued to add fixes in attempts to improve the situation. Yield signs have been installed at each entry point, and multiple lanes have been added in half of the circle, with signs instructing drivers to keep traffic moving. Drivers in our family have noticed that cars exiting the interstate, have been driving at high speeds and do not slow down as they launch into the circle, apparently unaware entering traffic yields to the traffic already in the circle and coming from the left. Many drivers act like those already in the circle and are supposed to stop for them.
Unlike the larger roundabouts in Europe or rural areas in the U.S., the ones in East Atlanta are smaller. This gives a smaller space for traffic to enter and move around. It also results in a shorter reaction time for people to enter or to allow others to merge.
Back to my errand: I entered the roundabout after crossing I-20 on Maynard Terrace. I know drivers from the exit ramp often do not slow down or yield, but there is not a safe way to drive defensively. Cars exiting I-20 cannot be seen until they are at the circle (or at all if they are moving fast.) There is only one lane on the circle at that point and two lanes after the exit. But it is hard for exiting traffic to cross the circle and move into the center lane.
I made my way into and around the circle to McPherson Avenue, I almost cleared the exit ramp from I-20 when BAM! The other driver got out of his car asking why I had not moved into the other lane. I pointed out that there was only one lane at that point and I was in it. I also pointed to the Yield sign that was facing his way. Besides the fact that I needed to be ready to leave the circle traffic right after the I-20 exit if I didn’t want to keep circling for a second try.
The traffic circle rules are as follows: slow and proceed toward the traffic circle with caution and then stop if there is traffic coming from the left (clockwise around the circle). Proceed into the circle when traffic clears on the left.
Thankfully, neither one of us was injured. It did tear up my tire and put a scratch and dent in my rear side fender. It did more damage to his fiberglass body Tesla. The insurance companies do insist on your taking a rental car, another expense they pay for. This was good since I was without my vehicle for two weeks. His vehicle was probably more expensive to repair. The insurance companies paid for everything minus deductible for the Tesla.
To my neighbors who are likely to have to use one of the neighborhood traffic circles at some time or another, whether you are entering the roundabout from one of the points on the circle, or just traveling through it on your way home, you should know the rules and proceed with caution lest your insurance take a hit!
