I'm not a big fan of "mandatory" anything when it come to government--but I am asking the State Legislature to call a special session this week to pass a law requiring everyone who lives in Oshkosh--or who drives through Oshkosh--or is thinking about ever coming to Oshkosh to attend the Department of Transportation's informational meeting about navigating roundabouts coming up on June 29th.
I can already hear some of you saying "Not another Two Cents about roundabouts!! Jonathan, just let it go!!" Well, having to drive through the two along Witzel several times a day, I can tell you that the problems created by the roundabouts--and the absolute idiocy and ignorance of those driving through them--are not going away. There is some kind of accident in one of the two roundabouts EVERY DAY!! I even saw a car hit a boat in the one along Koeller Street. Yes, a boat was hit by a car in the roundabout. A guy in a station wagon was towing a fishing boat through the roundabout when he cut off another driver legally going straight through the roundabout on Witzel. I wonder if the Oshkosh Police had to call in the DNR to assist in the investigation?
Today's Two Cents was nearly turned over Bill Schultz--host of Answers to Energy Questions every Saturday morning on WOSH--as he was struck by a woman in the roundabout down the road while driving a loaner car from his mechanic. The woman--who again cut him off while trying to make a left hand turn from the right hand lane--berated him for hitting her--before he pointed out to her that making a left-hand turn from the right-hand lane is ILLEGAL in a roundabout.
So clear your calendar for the night of June 29th Mrs. I'm Turning Left From The Right Lane Even Though I Would Never Think Of Doing That At A Stop Light, and you too Mr I Didn't Know It's Legal To Drive Straight Through A Roundabout In The Left Lane So I'm Going To Cut In Front Of You And Then Flip You Off When You Correctly Blow Your Horn At Me For Being Such A Moron. We should probably post a notice of the meeting at the Senior Center so Mr and Mrs I'm Going To Stop At All The Entry Points Because I Don't Realize They Are Supposed To Yield To Me are able to attend. And someone might want to post it on Twitter and Facebook so young Mr I'm Tired Of Waiting For Everyone Else So I'm Just Gonna Gun It In There can get the night off from McDonalds.
Uh-oh. I just noticed that meeting is going to be held at Oshkosh North High School--meaning most of the attendees will have to drive through the Murdock-Jackson roundabout to get there. OPD might want to call in all the back up they can.
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Johnathan,
ReplyDeleteI think you are right that people need to be educated on round-a-bouts. But I think you do too. Case in point.....Go over to the Witzel roundabout by Fleet Farm and going north BOTH inner and outer lanes go STRAIGHT. The street signs clearly show inner lane straight and left turn and outer lane straight and right turn. The problem is that people try to get ahead of the cars in the roundabout instead of waiting for them to pass,or use speed to get thru. Anyway you look at it though.....we would of saved alot of money and time had we just used stop lights.
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why you state that Johnathon needs to be educated. You are correctly stating that both inner and outer lanes may go straight. On all of our 2-lane roundabouts inner and outer can go straight. Johnathon is saying that you legally must go straight, or turn RIGHT from the outer lane. From the inner lane you must go Straight or turn Left. Why do you just mmention going North by Fleet Farm? Same Rules all the way around!!
You enter the 2-lane Roundabout in the Inner (left) lane, you must go straight or Left. You enter into the outer (or Right) lane, you must go straight or turn right.
Same as at a Stop Sign or 2-lane road with lights. Do you ever have the option of turning LEFT from the far RIGHT Lane? -NO!!
These roundabouts were a stupid idea. They've caused nothing but problems. If Oshkosh wants to burn through some money, it should start by fixing its roads, which are in horrible shape and an embarrassment. I'd like to see the city admit that these roundabouts were a bad idea and move on. But I'm sure whatever overpaid bureaucrat came up with the idea is going to hold onto it until the bitter end and insist it's the way to go -- no matter how many crashes there are.
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