Traffic ‘solution’ makes it worse

Regarding the article, “Arlington roundabout work to start this week”:

When did we turn into Europeans? With roundabouts, have the people in the DOT lost their minds? I have traveled in Europe where roundabouts are numerous and they do work there. Traditionally, however, European cars and trucks are a lot smaller and European roundabouts are a lot larger and multi-laned than what I have seen here in the USA.

Many a time attempting to transverse the roundabouts locally I have encountered the following: Most vehicles that come to a roundabout do not merge, they stop, causing the vehicle following to stop unexpectedly. Numerous times when I have already entered the roundabout, and have the right of way, it becomes a challenge for cars coming to the roundabout to see if they can get ahead of you, again causing me to have to slam on the brakes to avoid a collision. This condition not only applies to cars and SUVs, but large trucks, and most recently a Lake Stevens school bus.

I doubt that drivers of logging trucks and dump trucks with extended tonnage have any love for roundabouts. When towing any kind of trailer, I find the roundabout an obstacle course and an accident waiting to happen.

To place a roundabout on a major highway like Highway 9 or even Highway 92, (which I see they are going to install two roundabouts), is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen.

I don’t see why a good old-fashioned stop light is pushed aside in an attempt to disrupt traffic flows for a “new idea”.

I go out of my way to avoid a roundabout. They are a hazard and many times more dangerous than a stop light. You are not going to stop a driver from being aggressive in an intersection. In fact, you will give the aggressive driver an excuse to be stupid, “me first”.

Let’s get back to being Americans and stop trying to become European; after all, we left that part of the world over 200 years ago to gain independence, why go back there now?

William Bruns

Lake Stevens