Roundabouts, like mobile phones in Spain are everywhere. Before they were introduced how did we ever get along without them. The problem is that not everyone knows how to use both of these things to their best advantage. But should we fail to take advantage of the full technology available to us in our mobile phones, we will not suffer to any appreciable degree. When we get it wrong on the roundabout, the consequences can be at worst disastrous, and at best inconvenient.
The roundabout is a relatively newcomer to Spanish roads. Simply put, it's an intersection, but one that is intended to keep traffic moving. In many other parts of the world they have long been in use, especially in the U.K. and the U.S. But nobody does roundabouts like Spain. I never stop marvelling at the grandeur of some of these creations. They are either architecturally award winning, or blue ribbon gardens. Increasingly they are being used as showpieces for the town, indicating historical aspects and the pueblo takes great pride in their offering.
In the pueblo of L’Eliana which is twenty minutes from downtown Valencia to the West, when we moved in five years ago there were only two roundabouts. Now between the main road turnoff and the other side of the town by-pass there are nine. But, there is just one tiny problem: we are not universally certain of how to correctly use them.
I stood and watched the action at one of the very busy ones, and what I discovered was that approximately 75 to 80% of drivers got it wrong resulting in some very near collisions. To complicate matters, even the official rules-of- the-road book gets it wrong. To quote the English language version, called “Learning to Drive”, on the section on intersections, “In squares, traffic circles and road junctions, you should circulate on the right leaving the centre to the left, unless there is signalling indicating the opposite.” Now, apart from trying to decipher what that means, they actually present a graphic of a roundabout with cars entering in the right lane and passing the first exit on the right.
I do believe that the designers of this concept had it in their minds that where there are two lanes in the circle, all traffic entering the roundabout should enter in the left hand lane, except for traffic that intends to exit at the first turnoff.
Let’s consider how that works: two cars approach and enter the circle at the same time. The car on the outside (right) lane intends to take the first exit on the right. The car on the inside (left) lane intends to take the next exit and does so after the first car has left the circle. The way is clear for the second car to do so as there are no other cars to his right. Vehicles waiting to enter the circle only do so when they have the all clear.
But beware, the rule of priority at roundabouts is contrary to that of the norm, in that traffic at other type intersections approaching from your right would have the right-of-way, unless they are restrained by a stop sign. (However, in Spain lots of people regard stop signs as mere suggestions.) To older resident drivers this becomes confusing, especially after a hard day’s work, or late at night after the bar closes. They may forget. I have saved myself three broadside collisions by making sure the other driver was giving me my priority.
Death on the roads? It doesn’t have to end like that!
Stay safe! Drive safely!
Copyright (c) 2008 Eugene Carmichael
