latest obsession: roundabout
kelly | 30 July 2008 - 4:45pm
Our city has just gotten its very first traffic roundabout. They had a ribbon-cutting ceremony for it and everything. I don't know if communities normally have ribbon-cutting ceremonies for such things, but keep in mind this is Redneck Valley and there's not much happening. So, circles are pretty exciting here. I mean, an intersection that's a different shape?! Hoo-boy! What will they think of next?!
I will admit that I might perhaps go out of my way to drive the roundabout. You know, because it's awesome. Sometimes I choose the roundabout as an alternate route to get where I'm going, but other times it is a completely superfluous addition to my route and I go out of my way to get there. Those times I exit the circle at the same spot I entered because I actually need to go the direction from which I came. This is the most fun because in order to make the U-turn (or is it an O-turn?) I get to drive in a complete circle, saying "Wheeeeeee!" the whole way.
Also the roundabout is fun to talk about. When it first opened, someone asked me if I'd seen it yet, and I said, "No, I haven't gotten around to it yet." And then I said, "Ha! Around to it!" and started cackling with laughter. Which maybe doesn't sound that funny, but I'm easily amused. Also, you had to be there.
Now I'm waiting for someone to call my cell asking where I am while I'm driving the roundabout so that I can say I'm "roundabout the roundabout."
So yeah, I'm all about the roundabout. And bonus! It's (sorta) on the way to Target. In a roundabout way.


Oh we have roundabouts here (note the plural! Yeah I'm a city girl). They dot our suburbs here and there. Beyond the excitement of going around in circles, it's kinda chaotic. Especially when people fail to adhere to the rules and don't stop to give way to the right (left for you?).
And then your head will be twisting around in circles trying to mentally register misbehaving cars coming at you from all directions!!!
You know, it IS fun to drive all the way around. If you're feeling particularly excited, do you drive around twice? And how are the other drivers? Do people take there turns? Up here, roudabouts/rotaries are generally miserable to drive on because of all the various traffic rules that are or are not followed.
Just for the record, I want to state that I don't think Redneck Valley is in any way smart enough to handle this roundabout and it will cause massive backups, fender benders, and general stupidity.
Look kids....Big Ben!
kooky loop offers giggles
(or)
kelly's loop: outrageously gratifying
(the ones in england got me all turned around...literally!)
I don't know how I missed the exciting news of our roundabout, but I didn't even know about it until you told me! Roundabout is a fun word to say. I think I may have to go seek it out this weekend just so I can try it :)
Oddly enough, we were just talking about the various names for roundabouts when we were on vacation last week. Out east they tend to call them rotaries. Some places call them traffic circles. But these words don't lend themselves to puns as easily. Unless you could say something like, "Take the rotary on the way to the rotary club."
We need a dash-cam video of the wheeeee! part.
look kids, big ben, parliment.
Rob: "Kelly? When are you going to Target?"
Kelly: "Ohh.... when I get around to it."
My hometown has had one for a hundred years, with a pretty fountain in the middle of it. Strangely enough it is called 'the square'. What?
Have fun with visitors who just can't grasp the idea!
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who "Wheeeeeeeee"s while they're driving.
You are adorable.
That is all.