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MesaVerde87 t1_j2amb4a wrote

My gripe is the people who drive in the innner lane of the rotary and then try to exit while there's people driving in the outer lane.

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Funkybeatzzz t1_j2ao67l wrote

My gripe is when people in the outer lane don’t exit when they’re supposed to and keep going around preventing those in the inner lane from exiting. Outer lane are supposed to exit at the first or second exit and the inner lane at the second and beyond. The inner lane should never have to cross any cars in the outer lane if you drive correctly.

https://www.epermittest.com/drivers-education/roundabouts

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Puzzleheaded_Age_850 t1_j2apa34 wrote

There should be billboards about this. As many of them as there are in this area, you would think people knew how they worked.

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OwnResource t1_j2arlwy wrote

People who stop to try and wave you in to the rotary make me go crazy! Rotary has the right of way!

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MyStackRunnethOver t1_j2as8g2 wrote

And furthermore: you’re allowed to enter a multi lane roundabout with traffic coming in next to you because of the above. But when entering, you have to yield to ALL traffic already in ANY lane of the roundabout. You may not enter next to someone who’s coming around in the inner lane even if you’re entering in the outer. That’s because your entering may interfere with that person’s exiting if they want to exit before you do

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Archivist1380 t1_j2atc7r wrote

To be fair, a lot of rotaries are made very small these days. To the point where by the time you get into the inner lane you’re probably passed your turn so there’s no point ever getting into the inner lane which defeats the whole point.

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Badalvis t1_j2awkb0 wrote

While I personally believe you are correct in your thoughts, the answer is they don’t feel they need to realize anything.

−2

Incredibob_ t1_j2ayx2x wrote

Same with multi lane highways. Only travel in the middle lane(s). Left is for overtaking, then you move over in case someone wants to pass you, otherwise you force them to pass on the right, which itself is illegal as it disrupts the intended flow. And right is for entering/exiting, not blocking people from entering/exiting or overtaking the bags blocking the passing lane... but all this assumes people have read and will obey traffic protocol design. But given then amount of people I've seen pass their test through crying and pity the only bet is to assume everyone on Storrow screams "WHITNESS ME!!!!" as they dodge lanes...

Edit: I've been corrected and will now use the right lanes to pass! Now I can do stupid things LEGALLY!

−5

fabulonnnn t1_j2b1024 wrote

as someone who has driving anxiety...no lol. i panic and get outta there as fast as possible

−2

cloud-cover t1_j2b1ixx wrote

Well, the inner lane will still have to cross the outer lane cars that joined <= 2 exits ago, as cars join the rotary at every exit. Maybe I'm very stupid, but I've never seen a rotary that could work like this idealized explanation (which I've heard before) proposes.

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ampliora t1_j2b2hmd wrote

I once had an uber driver stop on a highway because he missed the exit.

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crm115 t1_j2b595x wrote

"You know what might help? Maybe we should add traffic lights to the rotary..."

-The people that originally designed Powder House Sq

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cloud-cover t1_j2b65sr wrote

I'm talking about the case of me being in the outer lane, having just joined, passing exit #1 (according to your theory, it's okay if I'm here and want to leave in the second exit). But an inner car wants to leave at the exit I'm passing but I'm in the way! Doesn't quite work.

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Funkybeatzzz t1_j2b6fkk wrote

Hence the other post about yielding. You shouldn’t have entered in the first place. If the inner lane car can’t exit that means you didn’t yield and entered right beside them on the outer lane.

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psc0425 t1_j2b7iiz wrote

I tried that move at Cleveland circle, but there's no circle at Cleveland.

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iris-my-case t1_j2b7x72 wrote

Since we’re talking rotaries… why don’t they include exit signs??? It’d be extremely helpful to know which street each exit goes to, instead of counting for the fourth exit based on my GPS.

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Rockhbuck t1_j2ba0fs wrote

Your comment on multi-lane highway driving is 100% wrong.

From the Mass Driver’s Manual:

Stay to the right and only use the left lane for passing. On an expressway with three or more lanes in your direction, use the far right lane for slower driving, the middle lane for faster driving, and the far left lane for passing.

Also, match speed of traffic when entering the expressway, don’t stop. You’ll get people hurt or killed.

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hoopbag33 t1_j2bi4al wrote

I say this all the time (not always about rotaries). Stop being nice. Be predictable. If you are ignoring the right of way and "being nice" you are just endangering those around you.

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Old_Travel8423 t1_j2biqsz wrote

The most important rule in life is “don’t be an idiot”. This applies to all.

Drivers: pay attention. Follow the rules of the road, unless doing so in a specific situation is less safe than not following them, in which case do the safest thing. Drive safely and avoid accidents. Try not to succumb to road rage. If you’re going to speed, do it in a safe way - not in residential areas near playgrounds or schools. Speed limits aren’t there to slow you down for no reason, they’re there because most drivers don’t pay attention and pedestrians die at high speeds.

Pedestrians: be visible. Be predictable. Cross when you have the explicit right of way or when you’re sure you’re not impeding the flow of traffic. Look both ways before crossing, yes, even in crosswalks and even on one way streets. Make sure that cars have ample time (5+ seconds) to see you and stop before crossing. Reaction time is like 1-2 seconds, plus stopping time 2 seconds or so. It won’t kill you to wait 5 seconds, it might kill you if you don’t.

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LennyKravitzScarf t1_j2bjgtd wrote

By people, I think you mean the one person you saw do this today.

−6

abhikavi t1_j2bkor5 wrote

I mean, if someone's in the street I DO go out of my way to not hit them with my car.

Does it matter? Hot take I know but I don't wanna kill someone just because they were jaywalking.

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GM_Pax t1_j2bolxb wrote

If they're not from Massachusetts ... they may not.

Most of the U.S. does not use or have rotaries. :)

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SilverRoseBlade t1_j2brkj7 wrote

Idk what’s worse. People who don’t know how to drive around in a rotary or those who just merge and go in whenever they feel like it and not look and almost getting into an accident.

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BuckeyeBentley t1_j2brok7 wrote

In other words: If you're getting passed on your right, you are going too slow for your lane and need to move over to the right. And if you want to pass someone, you should not undertake them (on the right) and should pass them on the left.

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BuckeyeBentley t1_j2brswz wrote

Love when the only indication what each lane does at an intersection is painted on the road which is covered by the cars sitting in the lane and also probably snow and slush some of the year

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jenkneefur28 t1_j2bt5pq wrote

I saw someone stop and backup in a 3 exit rotary. Lol

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felineprincess93 t1_j2bvm6k wrote

My second favorite is when a rotary feeds into a very busy intersection with traffic lights, causing the rotary to back up and be unuseable for those going in other directions (looking at you, Medford High St/Winthrop St rotary).

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shr2016 t1_j2c1a6q wrote

Had this happen the other night - oncoming car was hanging out in a *left turn lane* and the car in front of me just stopped out of nowhere to let them turn. This was from like 30 MPH. Unbelievable.

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eeyore102 t1_j2c1w4o wrote

I live just off a rotary with five spokes and the shit I see every week. People stopping in the rotary, people failing to yield to people already in the rotary, people going the wrong way around...I am convinced humans are too stupid to be trusted driving cars.

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shr2016 t1_j2c1wna wrote

Saw this once at the Centre St/Arborway rotary years ago, the driver actually backing up made me almost lose it. It's a fun story to tell as an ice breaker for an awkward dude like me.

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f0rtytw0 t1_j2c4ptz wrote

Paint, long since faded, as a way to separate those who are from here (here being those who use the road every day) from those who aren't (people who don't use the road every day).

Its an extra local fuck you

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cptngali86 t1_j2c4r60 wrote

It's not as bad as people who stop on a on ramp because they don't understand yield doesn't mean surrender and that there's a merging lane. That or people merging at 15 mph when there's 4 cars behind them and they basically force you into a dangerous situation.

Or people who drive below the speed limit in the passing lane.

People in general just don't know how to hell to drive.

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powsandwich t1_j2c8mum wrote

This could also easily be: “people who miss their turn or exit- do you realize the next one will also get you to the same destination?”

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clauclauclaudia t1_j2ca5ls wrote

Have you been there lately? Works completely differently now. Only one lane. No crosswalks to the center island. There’s still traffic lights at all the entrances/crosswalks but none controlling the circle itself.

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imp_924 t1_j2cc61y wrote

Bro someone stopped right in the middle of the street and backed thier car

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KawaiiCoupon t1_j2cgniq wrote

On this note: this guy (MA plates) almost murdered me by not yielding when I was in the circle. I didn’t slow down or give any indication that I was gonna let him in. I had to slam on my brakes and then he gives me a look like it was my fault. I’m lucky no one was behind me.

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hx87 t1_j2cj9oc wrote

It's not as strong as our opposition to adequate road lighting though. Seriously, fuck getting lazed in the dilated pupils by LED headlights on tall SUVs at night.

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ShiitakeTheMushroom t1_j2co7f6 wrote

>There’s no limit to how many times they let you go around

This is bizarre. I was actually asking myself how many times would you need to keep going around the traffic circle before a cop pulls you over.

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joelupi t1_j2cphpu wrote

That sort of happened to me

I was doing my driver's ed in reading and got in the rotary right there on the Wakefield line. The instructor got a call at the same time so since I didn't have any further instructions I just kept going around and around. Must have gone around 9 or 10 times.

She finally got off the phone and said pull off and head to the lake before she threw up from how many times we went in circles.

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Darklighter10 t1_j2crr8k wrote

lol, I don’t think that’s what they said. As an objective fact, legally a person crossing the street outside a crosswalk or against a light is doing so unlawfully. That in no way implies that a driver should not yield in that circumstance, and in practice cars defer to them anyway. That doesn’t mean someone should just walk into the middle of the street whenever they feel like it.

That being said, if an accident ever occurred and there was a lawsuit, the pedestrian can collect damages if they are found by a jury to be any number less than 50% responsible.

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Darklighter10 t1_j2csb5l wrote

The stop at an on ramp yield is not just stupid, it’s dangerous.

The on ramp is there to give you enough time to get your speed consistent with the current highway traffic. That way, you can smoothly merge and drivers on the highway don’t have to do anything. If I am on an on-ramp, this is what I and the other cars behind me are doing - matching our travel speed to the highway speed - if you are the car in front of that line and you STOP at the yield, someone is going to rear end you and it’s not going to be pretty.

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Asmor t1_j2cw7wf wrote

The rotary behind Wonderland station in Revere worked great for many years. Then they added a light at the station. And forevermore it's a clusterfuck to get through during rush hour. I've literally spent 15+ minutes trying to get through that rotary, multiple times.

I'm glad I don't live there anymore...

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bias_ed t1_j2cwd3t wrote

Could you just drive around and around and around a rotary for hours if you wanted? Or is there some kind rule that says no? Lol

−3

Less_Professor_1742 t1_j2cwo5t wrote

I actually saw someone stop and put the car in reverse to get back to the turn they missed.

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kinky__prof t1_j2d3all wrote

This is my favorite feature of New England roads.

Sure, signage may be nonexistent and the design philosophy is fuck-you-thats-why but at least you got a fighting chance and can go around again until you figure out where the fuck you are going.

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MPG54 t1_j2d6z26 wrote

My mom went around a rotary a couple of times unable to get to her exit. The fourth time around she pulled over in the middle and let the RMV guy finish her drivers exam.

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danieltyr4nt t1_j2d72er wrote

I recently moved here from the Midwest to live near family and frankly I love the driving culture here.

I laugh so hard trying to figure out where to turn. I am frequently lost but I love how some people will wave me on a left turn, let me in to traffic, allow me to budge into the lane I need, etc. I love the rotaries too. They seem like a way better idea than 4 way traffic light most of the time. People seem patient with me while I screw up. Usually a friendly wave seems to cover a lot of sins.

In the Midwest if you need to make a left - fuck you, you're just gonna sit until traffic is clear and traffic behind you will stack up for however long it takes.

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JerrkyD t1_j2dcm5u wrote

Niceholes are mostly female suburban drivers in front of you who suddenly stop to let someone pull out when there is light traffic, even though this process takes longer than just letting the person attempting to pull out wait for a few cars to pass by. These niceholes feel good about themselves because they stopped the cars behind them to let the driver pull out.

−13

lucascorso21 t1_j2dgumi wrote

I’d agree with this more except the number of Massholes bombing down the right lane makes that merge a bit more ‘interesting’. Though you still shouldn’t stop.

My favorite is close proximity on/off ramps, like 93-95, where it’s really obvious to zipper when there is heavy traffic…and people still don’t do it.

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abagofit t1_j2dienw wrote

I thought it was bad until I spent time in Florida. They can't seem to figure them out at all

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bradleystensen t1_j2dkp5v wrote

You might happen to be able to drive but the tests you take do not establish that. Anyone could pass the test. Therefore some people can drive, some just know how to go around the block and parallel park.

−6

bradleystensen t1_j2dkrcv wrote

Check out your rta and road accident mortality rate vs countries with a proper driving test. USA 12.4 deaths per 100,000 people. UK 2.9. In the UK you have to take a 1 hour test that includes rotaries, multi lane highways, complex junctions with poor visibility. Any meaningful mistake and you fail. I’ve taken and passed the test in both countries I am very aware which one actually tests whether you can drive properly.

−2

candybrie t1_j2dqlrt wrote

Yup. Sitting at an intersection waiting to turn left and I don't know whether I'm going to have some crazy person in oncoming traffic stop and wave me through or some crazy person behind me whip around and turn where there is no gap making oncoming traffic hit their brakes. I've had both happen. It's madness.

Makes me miss LA where I know no one is gonna let me through and we all know 3 cars are turning left once the light turns red.

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chrisvee0521 t1_j2dtvoa wrote

VFW Parkway rotary in West Roxbury has one too. We were in the car and it was red and we had to stop IN the rotary. It felt wrong. Like we were exposed. I’m like who the hell did this. It’s so stupid.

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Capelily t1_j2dw98v wrote

I actually saw someone go in reverse at the rotary near the airport in Hyannis.

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International_Pie270 t1_j2dxv6c wrote

Ehh, so round abouts sure you can go around maybe 3 -4 times if you're captain sense of direction, though I'm not sure if forever is technically legal in MA. It might be a form of obstructing even if you're in perpetual motion 🤔, also people who stop should have to go through a more advanced driver's education.

To get a license here it's not hard at all, and that's kinda the issue. In Finland it's fairly strict our drivers licenses is maybe a permit, theirs is like having a class A here. Also 2 weeks on a skid road as their winters are just about the same horrible stuff as here. And anyone who can reach the pedals is old enough to drive. So it's taken more seriously. We could learn a thing or many from them.

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davewritescode t1_j2dyks7 wrote

I had a cousin from Europe who lived with my family for a year in the US and on his list of things to do that year was get a drivers license because it was significantly easier and less expensive to get a license in the US and covert it over to his home country instead of passing the test there.

Our drivers education is a joke here and it’s one of the reasons our roads are so unsafe.

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iiTryhard t1_j2e0a23 wrote

You haven’t seen hell until you’ve seen the Columbia road rotary

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Commercial_Board6680 t1_j2e0go2 wrote

When my friends and I were young and poor, we'd sit on the steps of a building overlooking a major rotary in the city for entertainment. And entertaining it was. Never let us down.

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davewritescode t1_j2e0goo wrote

One thing that blew my mind in the days before GPS is that a lot of towns in New England don’t have street signs that tell you what street you’re currently on, just the street you’re crossing.

Not that it matters anyway. I found out the hard way that Tremont street in Mission Hill doesn’t in fact lead you back to the back bay, it randomly hooks turns left at Roxbury Crossing with no signage.

Also, I’ve lived on 2 completely unconnected Tremont Streets in Boston.

Don’t get me started on south street in Roslindale

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General-Skywalker t1_j2e3j85 wrote

This is triggering because it just happened to me and I despise it every time. Over a quarter mile long on ramp and this lady is just humming along at 25 mph the entire length then just stops at the end with 4 additional cars behind me. All of us had to stop for this dumbass. This was also an on ramp that had about 500-1000ft of extra lane to help with the merge, not a rt. 1 legit stop sign at the end of the on ramp.

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cptngali86 t1_j2e4tu0 wrote

When people do that and there's no cars in the right lane I just pass them and won't let them in. Fuck those people they're going to get someone killed one day.

Also when people go 60 in the left lane and you can't go around and then you're stuck in the death zone of a 18 wheeler in the middle lane. Seriously people if you don't want to go over the speed limit stay the fuck out of any lane other than the right one, ideally stay home.

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abhikavi t1_j2e7a7s wrote

Oh man the pre-GPS days were a challenge. Good luck finding a street where Elm and Bolton are on the left, followed by Oak on the right. Especially when you were so lost you didn't know what town you were in.

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bramley t1_j2e7tuc wrote

That's fine on rotaries that are actually just circles, but there are more than a few that have specific lanes that shunt you to places you don't want to go.

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Toddy_Tomorrow5pm t1_j2e81bf wrote

MY THOUGHT EXACTLY! Miss your exit? You will have maybe 15 seconds to try again. And would you accept from the left hand lane on a highway?

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Equal-Love t1_j2efil4 wrote

Whose not a terrible driver on the road nowadays. Everyone is looking at there phone still…

0

Apprehensive_Text_68 t1_j2ej64j wrote

I drive by Logan every day and you wouldn't believe the amount of people I've seen stop and back up because they missed the exit. I know it's easy to miss consider there's 89374278923 signs with arrows and warnings that the airport is on the right.

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DanMasterson t1_j2esof2 wrote

Commuted Brighton to W Rox for years and almost all of the accidents on my route were people who stopped in a rotary and got rear ended

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BehrHunter t1_j2euqac wrote

Don't ever go to Ireland and rent a car at Dublin Airport. The first thing you encounter leaving the airport is a big ass roundabout with traffic lights. You just got off a flight that landed at 5AM, you're in a rental car, sitting in the drivers seat on the wrong side of the car and driving on the wrong side of the road.

I can handle it. Im from there. But I pity the poor average US tourist that has no clue.

I think Ireland invented traffic lights on roundabouts. They are everywhere and they suck.

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Funkybeatzzz t1_j2f0e2b wrote

Yeah, this totally isn’t how roundabouts work. Do you drive much? Most multi lane roundabouts exit on at least two lane roads. They’d be single lane roundabouts if not.

Edit: also if you follow the other rules about yielding this wouldn’t be an issue. You’re clearly part of the problem.

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Aside_No t1_j2f7kfu wrote

Saw a lady driving the wrong way around the hammond pond rotary once. I'll never forget her. She was in the inside lane too.

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chronicallyill_dr t1_j2fax7p wrote

To be fair there are countries where the right of way changes depending on the STATE you’re in, so if they got their diver’s license elsewhere they genuinely might not know or have thought to look it up until the moment they were faced with a rotary. Mexico is one of such places, 0/10 makes road trips weird.

Also tf is up with the places where the person merging into the rotary has the right of way, it totally defeats its purpose.

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chronicallyill_dr t1_j2fbv0u wrote

I remember the first time I was confronted with stoplights at a rotary, it was in Guadalajara, Mexico. I thought to myself that of course you had to put stoplights in there to make them fucking work, since for some reason that state just decided the person merging the rotary had the right of way and that made no fucking sense.

1