Remember the scene where Chevy Chase gets stuck in a roundabout in the movie European Vacation? He’s in there for hours and can’t get out. I know how he feels. I had a Come to Jesus experience with roundabouts last week.
Someone Highway Engineer in the North Carolina Department of Transportation has come up with the idea that roundabouts are more efficient than stop signs and stop lights and these designs from hell are popping up everywhere.
We were on our way home from our family reunion, on Route 152 near China Grove, NC, when we approached not one, but two consecutive roundabouts. Entering the first circular abyss, the GPS lady was barking out instructions saying, “One the first roundabout, take the second exit toward Apex, then bear right on Rt. 152. How would I know where Apex might me and it’s hard to keep track of exits at 50 miles an hour with trucks and cars sliding in and out of the circles? Plus, there are two lanes within the roundabout and if you get in the wrong one, you’re doomed. I did and found myself on a narrow road leading through the heart of some fine tobacco country.
The GPS lady was freaking out.
“I said the second exit, Dummy, not the one towards Boonesville. Okay, turn around in Gomer’s driveway, watch out for his dog, then head back to China Grove.”
I did and this time missed the second exit on the second roundabout and took a nice tour through the city of Salisbury.
Roundabouts are supposed to save time, but I ended up spending an extra half hour touring Rowan County.
May the fleas of a thousand camels infest the crotch of that highway engineer and may his arms be too short to scratch!