DRIVING IN CIRCLES THE RIGHT WAY

“After almost getting broadsided at the roundabout in Covington near the post office, and hearing similar stories from friends,” Anne Fee is convinced that “apparently not many drivers are aware of the rules” for the circular intersections.

“The young man in the blue pickup that flew past the yield sign was definitely uninformed, and if I hadn’t been watching carefully, there would have been a bad collision,” said Fee, one of several who’ve shared their concerns with the Reporter. “I was wondering if you’d do an article about the etiquette involved in using these traffic devices.”

So here, straight from its Web site, is roundabout advice from the state Department of Transportation:

• Slow down and be prepared to stop. When entering, yield to circulating traffic on the left, but don’t stop if the way is clear.

• Upon passing the street prior to the desired exit, turn on the right-turn signal and watch for pedestrians and bicyclists while exiting.

• In multi-lane roundabouts, get in the correct lane early. Give large trucks (with long trailers) room to take up both lanes. Yield to all traffic already in the roundabout, even if you’re only entering the right (outside) lane of the roundabout. When exiting from the inside lane, make sure the outside lane is clear.

• Never pass or change lanes in the roundabout.

More about roundabouts is at www.wsdot.wa.gov, which is linked to the Reporter’s online edition.