The Courier Blog

Perhaps the fine folks at Service New Brunswick should contemplate a modest test for anybody in the St. Stephen area applying for - or renewing - a driver's licence.
The test would cover the appropriate behaviour for folks encountering a traffic circle.
Now, for those of you who may not have realized, St. Stephen has a traffic circle.
They're wonderful things and interestingly enough, are proven time and again to be safer than traditional light-controlled intersections. They also provide a greater flow-through (measured as the number of vehicles able to move through the intersection per unit time) than traffic-light-based intersections.
That is, if they're used properly.
Unfortunately, far too many in this area approach the traffic circle near the St. Stephen High School ... AND THEN COME TO A FULL STOP.
Now, this is perfectly understandable, logical and reasonable if there is, say a flood of cars or a logging truck in the intersection.
But this is often NOT the case. Folks seem to stop just for the heckuvit, thus negating the wonderful traffic-flow-through benefits of the circle.
Then there's those who fail to understand the merits of yielding to traffic that is already IN the intersection.
By law and general protocol, a driver should signal a) right to signal intent to turn at the first exit, b) left to signal intent to use the third exit (and yes, the St. Stephen roundabout has four entrance/exits) and not signal to go straight. (Either most users don't know this rule, or simply operate vehicles with non-functioning signal lights. Do get those checked out before the next inspection, what?)
Secondly, if a vehicle is in the intersection, yield. Do not (as the clown in the black sedan did a few days ago) charge towards the intersection without regard for life or limb of those around. If this is a shocking revelation, do consider handing in your drivers licence.
Please.
In the meantime, maybe a refresher course on what a roundabout is, and how to use it, may be in order.