McKenzie Towne Traffic Circle - New Markings?

[Wannago]

Was away over the weekend, and when coming home and entering the circle from the west (coming from Deerfoot) and intending to go almost all the way around to exit north onto Prestwick Blvd, there were yellow restriction markings trying to force me to the outside lane before the Prestwick exit (towards New Brighton).

WTF??

My guess is that this is an attempt to improve flow through the cirlce and avoid confusion / accidents, but I've been driving in circles (no pun intended) since I was 16, and the long-standing rules of the road have always worked well (minus those who had no clue how to drive in a traffic circle, but that's another story). These new markinga are going to cause more accidents than they prevent. I foresee many accidents as drivers see the yellow markings and just veer to the outside lane right into another vehicle, AND, it will probably the vehicle on the outside's fault because "techincally", the vehicle on the inside always has the right of way.

There should be no markings forcing anyone from the inside lane to the outside lane! Period!! If a person wanted to, they should be able to drive around and around in the inside lane as much as they wanted to (ala Chevy Chase in European Vacation).

What a stupid waste of time and money!

/rant

[ka-t240sx]

Somewhat agreed. There's been a few times where i could of put my bumper right through someones door cause of those retards that just cruise around in the outside lane.

Then they think their in the right and flip you the bird cause your layin on your horn haha. gotta love it. I could rant about those people a bit more but it's not really necessary.

I think that people should have to take that traffic circle to pass their road test haha, wonder how many people would fail.
If they really wanted to improve flow, they should add a stop/go light. :dunno:
If your comming out of inverness into the traffic circle, it's brutal trying to get in because nobody yields or even slows down when entering coming from deerfoot.

all in all, it was a nice attempt, and only time will tell how successful/non successful it is.

[colinxx235]

Yah my understanding of the new markings is that if you are coming from deerfoot you can't travel past the macs turn...? correct?

I drove it at like 11pm last night so it was a bit dark. I didn't understand the need to put those stupid markings.

But yes, beauties drive that circle everyday.

[Masked Bandit]

Let me get this straight, if you're coming in from the West (Deerfoot), the new marking show it to be impossible to stay on the inside lane until you get to the third exit (being Northbound) to go towards Prestwick? That doesn't make sense at all. How are all the residents of that are supposed to get home? Head towards New Brighton and then cut back through the neighbourhood???

[ka-t240sx]

If your coming in from deerfoot i think you can only turn into inverness or the one after inverness.
Which is probably why there's that nice yellow marking on the left side.

To force people to either get a bumper in their door or to turn off and not drive all the way around in the outside lane.

People drive that circle every friggin day, you think they'd learn how to properly drive it wouldn't you?
Same thing with it snowing. Everyone does 50k down deerfoot, ooh Calgary drivers hahaha. :facepalm:

Edit: this is what it used to be.
http://www.calgaryarea.com/se/mckenziearea/mckenzietowne/trafficcircle/traffic.htm

I didn't find it all that hard to use properly. People just need to be educated on how to properly drive a traffic circle.

To my understanding they pretty much cut out the inside lane and forcing you to only be able to use the outside lane to only take one exit to the right.
the inside lane is used to merge into it.

:dunno:

[Ntense_SpecV]

I drive this everyday, 2 times a day. I think one of biggest problems is that most everyone seems to think that you cannot use the outside lane to go past 1 exit.

People seem to think that as you approach the circle in the outside lane you intend to exit at the very next exit. I personally always use the outside lane to go around as the inside lane is always backed up with more traffic. It's not really that hard if you are in the outside lane to just yeild to people wanting to turn in front of you from the inside lane.

Now whether people use their fucking turn signals is another story.

[Mibz]

Who do I address this angry letter to?

[own3dzz]

Originally posted by Ntense_SpecV
I drive this everyday, 2 times a day. I think one of biggest problems is that most everyone seems to think that you cannot use the outside lane to go past 1 exit.

People seem to think that as you approach the circle in the outside lane you intend to exit at the very next exit. I personally always use the outside lane to go around as the inside lane is always backed up with more traffic. It's not really that hard if you are in the outside lane to just yeild to people wanting to turn in front of you from the inside lane.

Now whether people use their fucking turn signals is another story.

Wrong?

[Mibz]

No, he's right.

[Z_Fan]

Basically some fucking moronic tool who doesn't know how to use the fucking circle got some stupid fucking moronic lines painted on the circle to help the stupid fucking moronic douchebags who don't know how to use the circle to feel safer.

STUPIDEST FUCKING THING EVER.

Mibz, you can use that as the opener on your letter. Maybe add some more swear words.

And of course you can use the outside lane to go all the way around if you wish. Just yield and it's all good. (I don't do that but will if the circle is fucked because of timid drivers not being able to get in using the left lane)

I've never seen anything more stupid than those lines painted on that circle. Dumbest thing ever.

I think they are going to cause more accidents with this stupidity. People going around in the LEFT lane, like they should, suddenly getting forced in to the RIGHT lane? Is the right lane going to YIELD to all those folks? Therefore making the RIGHT lane totally useless and all the people who want to get in at that particular location unable to enter the circle - ever. This must be a total fucking gong show at rush hour now.

So, if I am leaving from Inverness, I get in the left lane, enter the circle, drive part way around and am FORCED in to the right lane? Do I have the right of way? I fucking well should if they are going to do this stupidness.

Total face palm for the ass hats who dreamt this shit up. Total life failure for ALL the people involved in recommending this, planning this, and carrying this out. Utter nonsense. I hope they have some other plan for work on the circle or something, and that this was just a first step so they can put a crew there or some shit.

:facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:

[Z_Fan]

Fuck it. Next time I am there I'm driving right over the yellow lines. It's just paint, and will be safer than some ass hat driving in to the side of me.

Someone should go there and paint gray over that shit.

ASAP.

[Mibz]

Can't wait for the first time snow covers those lines.

[Z_Fan]

I phoned 311 and am eagering awaiting someone from roads to contact me about W T F their divine plan is.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by Mibz
Can't wait for the first time snow covers those lines.

Isn't it just a single lane when snow covers the lines? Like how Deerfoot turns from 3 lanes to 2. :rofl:

[Ntense_SpecV]

Originally posted by own3dzz


Wrong?

See what I mean folks... hell there's diagrams, pamphlets and all sorts of other shit related to this damn circle and people still can't figure it out.

[Z_Fan]

Originally posted by Ntense_SpecV


See what I mean folks... hell there's diagrams, pamphlets and all sorts of other shit related to this damn circle and people still can't figure it out.

See I thought this his response was just a troll account based on the account screen name.

[Ntense_SpecV]

Originally posted by Z_Fan


See I thought this his response was just a troll account based on the account screen name.

I swear everyone taking this traffic circle are all a bunch of trolls...I've been honked at, fingered, cut off all because people have no idea how to take this thing and the signage doesn't really show you that you can take the outside lane all the way around. It only says you must yeild to the inside lane. So now we have literally hundreds of people all going about like sheep and the moment someone (me) takes this circle and does what is actually right they get the wrath of others who don't even know how to take it properly.

[Z_Fan]

Yeah I do the same damn thing. Fuck 'em if they don't know how the circle works.

If I'm in the circle, in the left lane, you better watch the fuck out if you are driving around past 4 exits in the right lane. ;-)

[Thaco]

Just when i thought i had this shit figured out, they go an change the rules again.!! no wonder why people cant comprehend traffic circles.

[Ntense_SpecV]

Originally posted by Z_Fan
Yeah I do the same damn thing. Fuck 'em if they don't know how the circle works.

If I'm in the circle, in the left lane, you better watch the fuck out if you are driving around past 4 exits in the right lane. ;-)

As long as you signal I will totally stop for you...LOL.

[Xamim]

So they pretty much made a two lane traffic circle into a single lane. If coming out of Inverness onto Deerfoot, how many times is the inside lane being cutoff with the stupid lines? Drove is as usual last night because nobody was around and didn't pay much attention.

[Z_Fan]

Originally posted by Ntense_SpecV


As long as you signal I will totally stop for you...LOL.

LOL like I say, I drive around the outside once in a while too and I will yield if necessary. I don't have a problem with people who use the circle like that, providing they yield.

What I really dislike, and I'm sure you do too, is when you decide to take the right lane, and go past several entrances, the people coming IN to the circle who have to wait as you go by often get angry too. Thinking you shouldn't be doing that. LOL!

The circle works very very very well. No idea why you'd change it. Just need to know how to use it and it is easy as pie.

[colinxx235]

^

I often use the outside lane driving past the macs with intentions of going to deerfoot.

The amount of people that have cut me off coming into circle from the next turn is insane. some very very close calls. Get lots of honks/fingers too.

[bart]

the way a simple 2 lane traffic circle should work is like this:

if you are entering in the right lane, you can only go right or straight leaving the circle, if you are in the left lane, you can only go straight, left or turn back around

that's how the rest of the world does it

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gNJiVpdIGHU/TkLkVG7KYkI/AAAAAAAAAV8/De-kqkWzm84/s1600/roundabouts-nav1.jpg

[Ntense_SpecV]

Public policing is horrible in this city... I don't like you doing (that) so I'm going to show you mentality. So like other's I've seen doing it... I'm all in favour of "Mandatory driver re-training".

[Z_Fan]

Well let's just hope they are in fact gearing up to do further work and not that they are trying to re-invent how a traffic circle works.

The City of Calgary will be conducting line painting to the roundabout on Sunday, November 4 between the hours of 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be various traffic restrictions to the roundabout, so traffic delays are to be expected during this time. Commuter and local traffic are advised to use 130 Avenue S.E. or Highway 22X to gain access to the area via 52 Street S.E. once the work begins.

[Mibz]

Originally posted by bart
the way a simple 2 lane traffic circle should work is like this:

if you are entering in the right lane, you can only go right or straight leaving the circle, if you are in the left lane, you can only go straight, left or turn back around

that's how the rest of the world does it No, that's how some places do it at some intersections, and they have special signage to show it.

[Z_Fan]

Our circle doesn't quite work like that just because it happens to have 5 entrances/exits as opposed to 4. The City of Calgary drivers handbook even shows that you can in fact drive around in the right lane all you wish and shows the areas you must yield to those who are in the left lane of the circle. (All exits) Of course the drivers training book only shows a 4 entrance/exit circle, but still the same principles are applied...

Besides, if you do follow the BLUE line in that example pretending here you are coming in from Deerfoot and actually did that (and lots of people do, and it's totally normal/legit) - what Ntense_SpecV is saying is that the folks who he just drove past at the first entrance will finger and honk cuz they think he shouldn't be doing that! LOL!

So basically those honkers have no idea how the circle is to work.

:devil:

[94boosted]

Originally posted by Z_Fan
Fuck it. Next time I am there I'm driving right over the yellow lines. It's just paint, and will be safer than some ass hat driving in to the side of me.

Someone should go there and paint gray over that shit.

ASAP.

When I got onto the trafic circle this morning (Elgin exit) every single person still drove it the old way i.e. inside lane right over the stupid yelow lines until the deerfoot exit :rofl:

Having to go from the inside lane to the outside lane as the yellow lines dictate will cause a bunch of accidents.


Originally posted by Z_Fan


What I really dislike, and I'm sure you do too, is when you decide to take the right lane, and go past several entrances, the people coming IN to the circle who have to wait as you go by often get angry too. Thinking you shouldn't be doing that. LOL!



:werd: That's why taking the outside lane for more than one exit is risky as shit even though it is absolutely allowed.


Originally posted by bart
the way a simple 2 lane traffic circle should work is like this:

if you are entering in the right lane, you can only go right or straight leaving the circle, if you are in the left lane, you can only go straight, left or turn back around



I wish we just implemented that here as it would alleviate so much confusion. :nut:

[Ntense_SpecV]

Or turn from the inside lane to the outside lane when they exit...

LOL - Free for all.

[Ntense_SpecV]

No what's risky is the people who don't signal when they exit, or just don't have a god damn clue how to take this thing. I also don't like being 10-15 cars deep coming home from Deerfoot and it taking a long as being stuck at a traffic light because people don't know how to yield or signal.

[Z_Fan]

Well it is official they are trying to implement the straight thru idea or right only turn from right lane and left lane will be the go around lane. Crews there right now with new symbols on the ground and new temporary signage. As well the painted blocked out zones are up and there are more than one area forcing left lane in to right lanes.

IN MY OPINION stupidity. But whatever. I have never had a problem with the circle and I lived in Inverness before the circle was even built. I think this is an effort to dumb it down for all the stupids. I think it will be a huge fail at rush hour. Time will tell I suppose.

[Ntense_SpecV]

Well, guess I will have to enter the circle from the outside lane, and immediately switch to the left lane to go around the circle. :banghead:

Only 1 more year for me taking this exit and hopefully they will finish the madness that is 22x. Or I will take the exit at 130th now as they finally opened up the intersection to continue east at 130th & 52st.

[colinxx235]

I wonder how long until the first accident is caused by the new lane painting etc....

So glad I'm moving on the 23rd. The area has become a nightmare

[own3dzz]

Originally posted by Z_Fan


See I thought this his response was just a troll account based on the account screen name.

Not trolling at all. The simplest way to use the traffic circle with the people driving in this city is to just make the right lane an exit only. That's my opinion. If you tell people that they can use the right lane to go around in (which they can, but that's to much responsibility for today's drivers IMO), people will abuse the system and cause accidents / congestion.

My 2 cents

[max_boost]

So confused. Gonna drive the old way. Fuck everyone. LOL

[Ntense_SpecV]

But now you will have people making lane changes while going around a circle - gong show. People will still cross yellow lines, do whatever the hell they want as long as there is no enforcement or education. The biggest problem is that you can't take the webpage that shows who yields to whom and make a decent sign that explains this all this while trying to drive by it in 1-2 seconds.

[94boosted]

Originally posted by Ntense_SpecV
Or turn from the inside lane to the outside lane when they exit...


So what you're saying is that the right (outside) lane must exit at the latest at the macs exit? And anyone who wants to go further should be in the left (inside) lane and then must change lanes from the left (inside) lane to the right (outside) lane?

[Ntense_SpecV]

Originally posted by max_boost
So confused. Gonna drive the old way. Fuck everyone. LOL

100% agree. I can't believe that a traffic circle has it's own dedicated section on a webpage.

http://mckenzietowne-connect.com/around-towne/how-to-use-the-traffic-circle/

Is it really that difficult to navigate this thing for people? I mean, I will admit that I didn't know how to use this thing correctly the first couple times I drove it, but the moment I jumped online and saw the proper diagram I understood what I needed to do.

[Ntense_SpecV]

Originally posted by 94boosted


So what you're saying is that the right (outside) lane must exit at the latest at the macs exit? And anyone who wants to go further should be in the left (inside) lane and then must change lanes from the left (inside) lane to the right (outside) lane?

I have no idea now what the heck the new line work will be. I guess I will figure this shit out when I go home tonight... this is going to be fun at 6pm.

My comment is related to a lot of people who when exiting they don't turn into the same lane i.e. inside lane exits into the inside lane - I've seen many people basically change lanes mid turn while exiting.

[max_boost]

I dare you to rear end or side swipe me bra! :eek:

[ka-t240sx]

Originally posted by max_boost
I dare you to rear end or side swipe me bra! :eek:

challenge accepted! :D hahaha

[Ntense_SpecV]

Originally posted by max_boost
I dare you to rear end or side swipe me bra! :eek:

PIT manouver... that's right. I'll take whatever lane I want.

[Z_Fan]

I just drove through it again from Inverness.

Basically, here's what you've got:

From Deerfoot.
Left lane comes in and you must go by the first exit and then you can go out at next exit or exit up until Mac's. Right lane comes in and can exit immediately or next up until Mac's at which point the RIGHT lane MUST exit and the LEFT lane essentially bumps out, and presumably you are now gonna exit at Prestwick whilst in the right lane.

If you were leaving from Inverness, and want to exit at Deerfoot, you MUST use the left lane as the RIGHT lane will want you exiting no later than Mac's. So you'd enter at Inverness in the left lane and go around to Mac's, bump out to the right lane at which point you presumably are to bump back in to the inside lane and exit in the left lane toward Deerfoot. This is going to be the confusing and annoying part for people exiting from Inverness.

The reality is that the signage and markings are FORCING you to use the circle how it SHOULD be utilized - however - it takes away the flexibility the circle had for those who actually knew how to use it. So in essence, they are in fact trying to dumb it down to the stupidest of stupid users. This is very unfortunate and it is definitely going to cause problems. If you thought the LEFT lane coming in to the circle was long at rush hour before, you can only fucking imagine what this is going to do to that problem.

There is also a second bump out on the circle. It occurs between the deerfoot in/out entrances. So essentially if you wanted to continue around the circle, the left lane bumps out there too, forcing you again to the right, but you'd have the right away over all entering traffic. Presumably you'd exit in to Inverness at this point, or move back over to the left lane [if for example you wanted to go to Mac's from Prestwick].

I really dislike any policy that essentially is conformist to the lowest common denominator of stupid. That's what this is. It's making everyone use the circle in its most logical and simplistic way taking away any kind of advantage the circle could have had by allowing some flexibility for those who knew how to use it properly. Bottom line, they are totally diminishing the circles actual throughput capability to let ignorant drivers remain ignorant.

I mean, don't get me wrong, all this bullshit makes one use the circle exactly how I use the circle most of the time. So essentially it has no effect on me except the stupid little bump outs - BUT - it will have an effect on me when I can no longer bypass the timid drivers who can't get in from the left lane, forcing me to use the right or wait 10 minutes. Though I guess people [more aggressive or confident drivers] will just use the right lane anyhow, and immediately change lanes to the left lane once inside the circle, as opposed to just using the right lane until their exit.

IMO this will cause many accidents in the coming weeks, before people have it sorted out. But then again, will the drivers who couldn't figure it out in the first place be able to figure it out now? Really?

So if you go back up or back to page 1 to the four entrance/exit diagram posted in this thread, that is essentially what they are going to try to do - sort of - except depending on the entrance you take in to the circle, you could hit a bump out IMMEDIATELY. For those entering from Prestwick from the right lane, you MUST exit at Deerfoot so if you are wanting to go somewhere other than Deerfoot you gotta use left lane. Also for those entering from Kilt and Kaber wanting to go somewhere other than Mac's you MUST enter using left lane and then you'll immediately be bumped out to the right lane then back to the left lane. Silly but that's what will happen.

Gonna be a gong show.

[Z_Fan]

I have an SRT-4 that I can't seem to sell, so maybe I will take it there at 5PM tonight and just drive it around the left lane of the circle until I get hit. Let's remember, once I am in the left lane, I have to yield to no one. So I figure I should be able to drive around as much as I feel like, and everyone must avoid ME since I have right of way at all times.

How long do you think that would last before I got creamed?

Exactly.

Which is why these changes aren't helpful. I'd have a much better chance of not getting hit under the old (normal) traffic circle rules.

[Ntense_SpecV]

Traffic "engineering" again. Wonderful. Who needs an education when we can just re-invent the circle again.

[88CRX]

Bwhahahaha moved out of that area last week. I want to drive through it now to see what the fuss is all about.

[max_boost]

Originally posted by Z_Fan
I just drove through it again from Inverness.

If you were leaving from Inverness, and want to exit at Deerfoot, you MUST use the left lane as the RIGHT lane will want you exiting no later than Mac's. So you'd enter at Inverness in the left lane and go around to Mac's, bump out to the right lane at which point you presumably are to bump back in to the inside lane and exit in the left lane toward Deerfoot. This is going to be the confusing and annoying part for people exiting from Inverness.


Gonna be a gong show.

Can't you just stay in the right lane and peace out on to Deerfoot without doing one more final bump into the left lane. :confused:

[Z_Fan]

Originally posted by Ntense_SpecV
Traffic "engineering" again. Wonderful. Who needs an education when we can just re-invent the circle again.

Yes. Exactly. It essentially kills the traffic flow at the entrance from Mac's/Petro as all cars will be bumping out essentially plugging gaps those users could have entered at - because the cars move over essentially blocking BOTH in lanes there as they do that. Same thing happens at the Deerfoot entrance for any cars going around the circle in that area. (Which granted is less than most other areas of the circle) However, those people who want to come in from 52nd/Macs, and go to Inverness - they are gonna have a bitch of time getting in but once they do they will fuck up the traffic trying to come in from Deerfoot as they will essentially block both lanes inbound when they exit at Inverness.

Honestly, I don't think this was very well thought out and I think the users of the circle are going to have accidents and literally thousands of complaints will flood in to the city over the coming weeks. I could be wrong. Are there that many stupid people on our roads that will think this is a great idea?

[Ntense_SpecV]

Originally posted by max_boost


Can't you just stay in the right lane and peace out on to Deerfoot without doing one more final bump into the left lane. :confused:

If I follow the diagram that Bart showed it wouldn't be possible as we have a 5 sided entry/exit circle, so you would be essentially 'crossing' a lane that would force you to exit from. Correct?

[Z_Fan]

Originally posted by max_boost
Can't you just stay in the right lane and peace out on to Deerfoot without doing one more final bump into the left lane. :confused:

Absolutely you can. That's what they are going for I'd say. I'd go as far to say you could now just exit in to either lane at the Deerfoot exit. Here is why. Because you had to bump out right just before, you've just moved in to the right lane blocking BOTH inbound lanes from Prestwick. Therefore it is now [ha ha] impossible for anyone to be on your LEFT at this point. So you could move back over and exit in the left lane if that's what you wanted, or you could just stay where you are forced to be and enter in the right.

It also highlights the problem here. This change essentially makes the exit back to Deerfoot a single lane exit instead of a dual exit. Oh sure both lanes are going to be present and could be chosen for exit, however, the feed to it has essentially just been put through a funnel down to single file. Slowing the entire circle in the process and also blocking the Prestwick entrance lanes - whereby most people leaving from Inverness would have been in the LEFT lane all the way around, now they will start in the LEFT and end in the RIGHT - this means Prestwick's entrance in to the circle in the morning will be 100% blocked. Normally those users would have been able to enter more easily in the RIGHT lane as the Inverness users would take the LEFT lane all the way around. This option will be gone, so instead of the right lane from Prestwick being pretty easy to get in to, it will now be totally blocked by traffic from ALL other entrances as they are now in the right lane blocking not just one Prestwick lane entrance, but both. ;-)

This is going to totally suck if you live in Prestwick. That's for damn sure. You're going to get fucked in the morning trying to get out, and you're going to get fucked in the evening trying to get in to the circle in the left lane from Deerfoot. (Which is already bad enough I'm sure we all agree!)

[alanaround]

Originally posted by Z_Fan


Absolutely you can. That's what they are going for I'd say. I'd go as far to say you could now just exit in to either lane at the Deerfoot exit. Here is why. Because you had to bump out right just before, you've just moved in to the right lane blocking BOTH inbound lanes from Prestwick. Therefore it is now [ha ha] impossible for anyone to be on your LEFT at this point. So you could move back over and exit in the left lane if that's what you wanted, or you could just stay where you are forced to be and enter in the right.

It also highlights the problem here. This change essentially makes the exit back to Deerfoot a single lane exit instead of a dual exit. Oh sure both lanes are going to be present and could be chosen for exit, however, the feed to it has essentially just been put through a funnel down to single file. Slowing the entire circle in the process and also blocking the Prestwick entrance lanes - whereby most people leaving from Inverness would have been in the LEFT lane all the way around, now they will start in the LEFT and end in the RIGHT - this means Prestwick's entrance in to the circle in the morning will be 100% blocked. Normally those users would have been able to enter more easily in the RIGHT lane as the Inverness users would take the LEFT lane all the way around. This option will be gone, so instead of the right lane from Prestwick being pretty easy to get in to, it will now be totally blocked by traffic from ALL other entrances as they are now in the right lane blocking not just one Prestwick lane entrance, but both. ;-)

This is going to totally suck if you live in Prestwick. That's for damn sure. You're going to get fucked in the morning trying to get out, and you're going to get fucked in the evening trying to get in to the circle in the left lane from Deerfoot. (Which is already bad enough I'm sure we all agree!)

[First post] - I think a lot of the difficulties of the traffic circle is that there are slight, but significant differences to the way Alberta (can't speak for any other province) discusses traffic circle rules compared to Europe and the UK. An example is that for me, coming from Inverness to Deerfoot (left turn to last exit) I get the option of which lane I exit onto. I doesn't appear, to me anyway, that that is the case here. Although I find the handbook a bit vague on certain elements regarding Traffic Circles and Roundabouts.

[Z_Fan]

Originally posted by alanaround


[First post] - I think a lot of the difficulties of the traffic circle is that there are slight, but significant differences to the way Alberta (can't speak for any other province) discusses traffic circle rules compared to Europe and the UK. An example is that for me, coming from Inverness to Deerfoot (left turn to last exit) I get the option of which lane I exit onto. I doesn't appear, to me anyway, that that is the case here. Although I find the handbook a bit vague on certain elements regarding Traffic Circles and Roundabouts.

Yeah the handbook isn't the greatest though it does explain it. Bigger problem now is that all existing rules and diagrams they have for traffic circles are NOT going to align with the rules of this circle after this is done. The individual signage and road markings at each entrance is going to be different from any booklet - and it's even going to have to be different from each entrance at this particular circle.

In any case, I don't know what all the signage is going to be at certain entrances to the circle. I guess once they are done today we will see what is what.

But I can tell you they have effectively made certain entrances from RIGHT lanes right turn only. I'm not sure what happens when someone comes in from Kilt & Kaber in the RIGHT lane and wants to go around the circle. Guess they should have got in the LEFT lane. LOL. I'll guess they will have a sign that says RIGHT LANE MUST EXIT or RIGHT TURN ONLY. Which means the only options is out towards Mac's.

I suspect this same thing will happen at the Prestwick entrance. It's going to be RIGHT LANE MUST EXIT or RIGHT TURN ONLY. Looks to me, since there are 5 ins & outs that the rules for each entrance and exit is going to vary. Some will be immediate exits, and some will allow you to go past a an exit or two in that right lane. This is just going to add more confusion.

Where the bump outs are, it effectively pushes left lane traffic from Deerfoot and Inverness in to the RIGHT lane at the Mac's entrance, thereby blocking both those lanes, and presumably if you aren't exiting in to prestwick, you will exit Deerfoot and since you are now in the right lane, you will probably (as Max Boost says) just peace out on to Deerfoot. Thereby also blocking both in lanes at the Prestwick entrance.

IMO this isn't a good idea at all. We will see...I'm done speculating though. Makes me angry and I'm glad I've moved out of Inverness. But now I'm likely to move all my business, shopping, school, child care etc OUT of these areas simply because the City of Calgary feels the need to totally fuck this intersection up. Bottom line is the traffic circle has too high of a demand which is why it is busy. Placing two funnels inside the circle itself is certainly not going to make it more efficient.

I think residents of these areas will likely begin to explore ANY alternatives out of their areas as opposed to going through the circle. So in the end, maybe that will help traffic!

Major :thumbsdow

[speedog]

Originally posted by Z_Fan
Absolutely you can. That's what they are going for I'd say. I'd go as far to say you could now just exit in to either lane at the Deerfoot exit. Here is why. Because you had to bump out right just before, you've just moved in to the right lane blocking BOTH inbound lanes from Prestwick. Therefore it is now [ha ha] impossible for anyone to be on your LEFT at this point. So you could move back over and exit in the left lane if that's what you wanted, or you could just stay where you are forced to be and enter in the right.

It also highlights the problem here. This change essentially makes the exit back to Deerfoot a single lane exit instead of a dual exit. Oh sure both lanes are going to be present and could be chosen for exit, however, the feed to it has essentially just been put through a funnel down to single file. Slowing the entire circle in the process and also blocking the Prestwick entrance lanes - whereby most people leaving from Inverness would have been in the LEFT lane all the way around, now they will start in the LEFT and end in the RIGHT - this means Prestwick's entrance in to the circle in the morning will be 100% blocked. Normally those users would have been able to enter more easily in the RIGHT lane as the Inverness users would take the LEFT lane all the way around. This option will be gone, so instead of the right lane from Prestwick being pretty easy to get in to, it will now be totally blocked by traffic from ALL other entrances as they are now in the right lane blocking not just one Prestwick lane entrance, but both. ;-)

This is going to totally suck if you live in Prestwick. That's for damn sure. You're going to get fucked in the morning trying to get out, and you're going to get fucked in the evening trying to get in to the circle in the left lane from Deerfoot. (Which is already bad enough I'm sure we all agree!)
Maybe that's the whole intent here - some social engineering for the residents of Prestwick, train them to use a different way to get out of their community.

[speedog]

BTW, can someone post up a graphic of what the city has done with the line painting so all of us people who don't regularly wander into that area can physically see what is going on?

[Ntense_SpecV]

Originally posted by speedog

Maybe that's the whole intent here - some social engineering for the residents of Prestwick, train them to use a different way to get out of their community.

Problem is that to get to Deerfoot from any of the communities nearby there are only 3 options. (I say Deerfoot as it's the only major artery from the South).

1. 22x - Horrible amounts of never ending construction. Fall of 2013/2014.

2. Mckenzie Traffic circle - if you know what you are doing it's a breeze.

3. 130th - Too many traffic lights.

I guess you can also go to Barlow from 52nd but it's just too slow and not convienient.

[ga16i]

Yeah, completely agree with Z_Fan it's a complete mess right now. I'll see if I can grab some pics later maybe. The jist of it is that instead of a nice circle with two lanes, it's now an ellipse with certain areas blocked off, so some of the circle is two lanes, and some it is now one lane.

To make things even worse, the circle has five exits, and if you're coming in from Deerfoot (Mckenzie Towne Blvd is a 2 lane road), the two signs that are put up suggests that the left lane can only go straight and left, and the right lane can only go straight and right. That's all well and good, except that there isn't really a going straight option. The closest thing to going straight is continuing on Mckenzie Towne Blvd towards Mac's. The confusion I think is that the sign for the right lane should show straight with two exits, not straight with one exit. Not matching number of exits on the signs with the road really made it confusing for me.

[Mibz]

So are they building actual curbs or are they just lines? If it's just lines I expect many threads in the future for the douchebags that just take the right lane around anyway, rules be damned :P

[alanaround]

Jjust painted yellow lines, they aren't raised from what I've seen. They've also dropped temp. road signs at Prestwick and Inverness directions indicating that the right lane is right only (those black and silver ones you see at traffic lights with the arrow and 'RIGHT LANE' at the top) and painted signage on the lanes themselves as you approach the circle.

[alanaround]

Originally posted by ga16i

To make things even worse, the circle has five exits, and if you're coming in from Deerfoot (Mckenzie Towne Blvd is a 2 lane road), the two signs that are put up suggests that the left lane can only go straight and left, and the right lane can only go straight and right. That's all well and good, except that there isn't really a going straight option. The closest thing to going straight is continuing on Mckenzie Towne Blvd towards Mac's. The confusion I think is that the sign for the right lane should show straight with two exits, not straight with one exit. Not matching number of exits on the signs with the road really made it confusing for me.

My interpretation from driving through it once this morning (from Deerfoot, and noticing the painted lane signs) was that the left lane can hit Macs and Prestwick (or right round) and the right lane can hit Inverness and K&K. This is just my observation and may be incorrect - and it is certainly not clear from the markings as the two 'straight ahead' arrows are identical and the left-hand lane one doesn't point off center to represent Macs..

once we get a good snow base, 'normal' service will resume :)

[Phl0xed]

Great, just what this intersection needed. I noticed the painted lines last night, which caught me off guard, no doubt. There was nothing I hated more than the people coming from Prestwick in the right lane not yielding to people driving in the right lane. Not quite sure how many signs we can give people to help them out when they can't even understand what a fucking yield sign means.

Thankfully, I just exit at Inverness when coming from deerfoot every day. Mainly to avoid the stupidity of the rest of the city, but partly because it seems quicker to my place anyways (as opposed to taking McKenzie Towne Gate). However, this sounds like it might make for interesting morning commutes to deerfoot. One of the biggest problems with this area is its lack of fluent entrances/exits to access it.

Can't wait to leave the office shortly and have to deal with these monkeys.

[colinxx235]

^

The people from prestwick in the morning are scary. Especially now that I really care about my car.

When I had the huge caddy that sob in the sunfire smashed the curb nice and good when he realized I wasn't slamming my brakes for him.

[ianmcc]

Pics of the madness...

The yellow lines you aren't supposed to cross over...
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c272/02ztsian/Beyond%20Pics/DSCF0480.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c272/02ztsian/Beyond%20Pics/DSCF0479.jpg

New directional signs...

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c272/02ztsian/Beyond%20Pics/DSCF0482.jpg

These look a lot like crop circles...
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c272/02ztsian/Beyond%20Pics/DSCF0483.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c272/02ztsian/Beyond%20Pics/DSCF0484.jpg

A second set of yellow lines...

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c272/02ztsian/Beyond%20Pics/DSCF0485.jpg

Big Brother is watching you (although this has been there for a while now)...
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c272/02ztsian/Beyond%20Pics/DSCF0481.jpg


Oh ya-that will fix the problems! Let's make it more complicated!

[M.alex]

Originally posted by ianmcc
Pics of the madness...

The yellow lines you aren't supposed to cross over...
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c272/02ztsian/Beyond%20Pics/DSCF0480.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c272/02ztsian/Beyond%20Pics/DSCF0479.jpg

New directional signs...

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c272/02ztsian/Beyond%20Pics/DSCF0482.jpg

These look a lot like crop circles...
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c272/02ztsian/Beyond%20Pics/DSCF0483.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c272/02ztsian/Beyond%20Pics/DSCF0484.jpg

A second set of yellow lines...

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c272/02ztsian/Beyond%20Pics/DSCF0485.jpg

Big Brother is watching you (although this has been there for a while now)...
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c272/02ztsian/Beyond%20Pics/DSCF0481.jpg


Oh ya-that will fix the problems! Let's make it more complicated!

What ... the .... fvck? :confused:

[ga16i]

haha, yup good job on the pics. Coming from the KK entrance this morning going towards Mckenzie Towne Hall with the intention of getting onto Deerfoot, both lanes seem to converge since I'm not supposed to enter the yellow area. Real fun when there's two cars one in each lane from Mckenzie Towne Gate trying to get to Deerfoot since both seemingly starts off valid, but the inside lanes disappears. Is the outside lane still supposed to yield to the inside? Pretty dman hard when the inside lane is the one that disappears and you're already on the outside. In order for the outside to yield, the inside has to overtake before their lane ends at about 1 car length ahead.

The markings on the ground both point straight, and like alanaround mentioned, it might mean right lane goes to first two exits and the left lane goes to the last two exits. But it sure would be a lot more clear if the straight arrows were offset to point in the correct directions instead of pointing straight. Right now, to me it looks like straight and left or straight and right giving you three directions (left, straight, right) for 4 possible exits besides the one you're on.

Edit: found a pic of this sign:
http://www.globaltvedmonton.com/assets/0/105/782677e8-ad6c-4090-8692-eb30711517ba.jpg

This sign is a good representation of what the traffic circle actually looks like. Straight just plain makes no damn sense, neither does left or right haha.

[Ntense_SpecV]

Tens of Thousands of dollars spent right there folks. Yup, that sure will clean up the confusion.:nut:

[bart]

glad to see it's going to be like the RoW

another fyi, never signal left, only signal right when you are to turn off

[Ntense_SpecV]

Originally posted by bart
glad to see it's going to be like the RoW

another fyi, never signal left, only signal right when you are to turn off

About this...I see people signal left all the time to enter the intersection. Hell I'm guilty of this when I take the inside lane. Am I supposed to signal left when entering the traffic circle in the left lane?

[Xamim]

So if 4 cars enter the circle from Deerfoot, two in each lane. The cars on the outside take the first two exits (Inverness and Kilt), the cars on the inside then merge to the outside due to the yellow lines and and can go to McKenzie Towne Blvd. or Prestwick, correct?

So now people trying to enter at Inverness are fucked because both lanes are blocked. If you happen to get into the circle and want to get out to go to Deerfoot... you have to go inside lane first because you won't be taking the first two exits, then merge to the outside due to the lines at Mckenzie Towne Blvd. and then can take either inside or outside lane to Deerfoot?

:facepalm:

[bart]

canadian literature probably says signal left, but thats all wrong, only signal right when you plan to exit ;)

[Ntense_SpecV]

Well looking at the photo's again, looks like I change nothing about how I use this circle except that now I really will have to yield to the traffic coming towards me from Inverness going to Deerfoot as opposed to being able to go right away (most of the time). I forsee people coming from McKenzie Town Blvd heading to Deerfoot in the left lane being even more timid to enter the circle now. If you look at the photo with the 2 trucks in it (2nd one down) you can see how they sort of move over here. I suspect that will become the norm for most people. Kinda, sorta move to the outside lane but really it's going to be business as usual for most.

[Nitro5]

Fucking moronic. It worked before. 2 lanes in, 2 lanes in the circle, 2 lanes out. Now they force 2 lanes into 1 at 2 parts of the circle. Because bottlenecks help traffic flow. Fact!

[Z_Fan]

All the people who helped dream this up, approved it, carried it out, etc should be terminated for incompetence.

T O T A L L Y M O R O N I C

[Z_Fan]

Bottom line, this will NOT improve safety. This will NOT improve traffic flow. (Obviously) This will NOT improve anything. It will hinder efficiency and probably cause more accidents short term and I doubt it will decrease the accident rate long term.

The traffic flow problems are NOT a direct result of the traffic circles intended functionality. The traffic flow problems are a DIRECT RESULT of two things and only two things.

1) Volume.
2) Driver ignorance.

In that order specifically because the volume demand on the circle is simply higher than it is capable of handling no matter the driving rules during high volume time frames. Period.

Driver ignorance [general lack of understanding or simple not knowing at all] on how the circle CAN work or even DOES work is secondary to the volume problem.

It simply services or needs to service too many vehicles. Something you don't fix with road signs that probably can NOT BE FOUND ANYWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.

Save for a few fields in England.

[ExtremeSi]

I don't understand why the city thought it was a good idea to build a huge 2-lane traffic circle at this very busy intersection when there's practically no other 2-lane traffic circles in the city! How are people arriving at this thing for the first time suppose to know how it works?

If we had a lot of traffic circles like they do in the UK then people would be forced to learn how to use them, but we don't so people have no idea. I don't know if these new lines are going to "help" things or not. I avoid that traffic circle like the plaque. I've been through it a handful of times and been given the finger and honked at 50% of the time I'm there.

[phunx]

I'm not sure, but it feels like they were supposed to paint the yellow lines on the other side of the road (outside lane).

[94boosted]

So when you're in the inside (left) lane and you get "bumped" to the right (outside) lane, who has the right of way :confused: Technically speaking you should always yield to vehicle on the left...... or should this situation never happen as at the two "bumps" outside (right) lane people have to exit prior to the "bump" :nut:


Originally posted by ExtremeSi
I don't understand why the city thought it was a good idea to build a huge 2-lane traffic circle at this very busy intersection when there's practically no other 2-lane traffic circles in the city! How are people arriving at this thing for the first time suppose to know how it works?

If we had a lot of traffic circles like they do in the UK then people would be forced to learn how to use them, but we don't so people have no idea. I don't know if these new lines are going to "help" things or not. I avoid that traffic circle like the plaque. I've been through it a handful of times and been given the finger and honked at 50% of the time I'm there.

Case & point as to why the traffic circle should be a mandatory part of the drivers examination.

[Z_Fan]

Ya I think the lines should have been on the other side too so you dont switch lanes 4 times per rotation of the circle if you were to just continually drive around the thing. Those lines the way they are now is just FUCKED.

[Phl0xed]

Drove through it on my way home from work... What a monstrosity... I stand by my former point:

People can't figure out a yield sign, how on earth are they to figure out those hieroglyphics that aren't even 100% accurate? ...Sigh...

[Phl0xed]

double post: delete

[Nitro5]

Originally posted by ExtremeSi
I don't understand why the city thought it was a good idea to build a huge 2-lane traffic circle at this very busy intersection when there's practically no other 2-lane traffic circles in the city! How are people arriving at this thing for the first time suppose to know how it works?

If we had a lot of traffic circles like they do in the UK then people would be forced to learn how to use them, but we don't so people have no idea. I don't know if these new lines are going to "help" things or not. I avoid that traffic circle like the plaque. I've been through it a handful of times and been given the finger and honked at 50% of the time I'm there.

If there were lights instead rush hour traffic would back up out onto Deerfoot. The thing flows traffic like crazy, even if not everyone understands it. These change will bog down the flow.

[Ntense_SpecV]

I'm just so glad they waited until November to do this. I mean, you wouldn't want the general public to know what to do with a traffic pattern/flow change, especially when it's daylight out in good weather conditions in an area notorious of a high accident rate.

[Z_Fan]

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i141/photodump_2006/Beyond/CircleWTF.jpg

If you look at this picture [half ass pic sorry] it shows you roughly where they put the yellow block-out lines. This forces the left lane right.

I think they made a mistake and meant to draw them on the other side of the road, blocking out the RIGHT lane. That makes much more sense to achieve what they are trying to achieve based on the signage. It also puts the circle back to more 'normal' functionality with the exception of limiting the distance around the circle people can travel in the RIGHT lane.

The whole goal here is to minimize people travelling around the circle in the right lane. (No idea why, as when done properly it is not a problem - they just yield)

You can see that this is fucked completely for how the circle is meant to be used and it makes a lot more sense for those blocked out areas to be in the RIGHT lane thus not making the people who want to go around the circle change lanes (which is totally nonsensical...)

If they moved those to the proper side, then the flow remains pretty much how it is and doesn't totally fuck the mac's entrance and the prestwick entrance by flooding the right lane with ALL the circle traffic.

[theken]

i drove over the yellow markings today when i had to take the last exit, fucking stupid, they don't even know the laws of the circle and they are trying to enforce improper driving.

[Z_Fan]

Originally posted by theken
i drove over the yellow markings today when i had to take the last exit, fucking stupid, they don't even know the laws of the circle and they are trying to enforce improper driving.

I just sent a letter to the city.

Hopefully it will get to roads. You can not call roads. It is all done through 311. So get on the phone and call 311.

I hope that the City of Calgary doesn't kill someone or cause accidents - and I hope that if they cause an accident that those folks sue the city for their complete incompetence.

Let's start counting the hours before they fix this problem. Moving the lines is not optional. It's mandatory.

Yeah, let's force traffic to move in to the right lane because now we don't want right lane traffic to be there - uhm - but let's also forget that right lane traffic has been going through there for the last 12 years. Yeah, this isn't a fucking problem at all.

Total E P I C F A I L C I T Y of C A L G A R Y R O A D S is totally incompetent. Good job fellows. Good job. Slow clap. Very slow clap.

:guns: :guns: :guns: :guns:

[Nitro5]

I've already phoned 311. Hopefully they are flooded with calls. Also contacting Shane Keating would probably help,as he's the area Alderman.

[Z_Fan]

Glad some people are calling 311.

It might not be necessary though. Using some pretty serious mathematical calculations, science & fancy computers with an insanely high mips I've been able to come up with why the City of Calgary Roads division has done what they've done here at the McKenzie Towne Traffic circle in SE Calgary.

The City of Calgary Roads crew, as it turns out, is not at all incompetent. The idea was clearly great. Well beyond our inferior minds. Unfortunately, since the City of Calgary is so smart, and we are all so stupid, we couldn't immediately see the big picture.

So, with the help of Google Maps, I accidentally stumbled upon the answer to the question: WHAT THE FUCK? Something everyone probably asks themselves at one point or another. WTF?

Well, it doesn't become clear until you pull it up in photoshop and map out the path of the left lane. Illustrated with their newly painted lines at their very approximate locations.

See here:

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i141/photodump_2006/Beyond/McKenzieCircleLines.jpg

The answer to WHAT THE FUCK?

Mickey Mouse Ears.

That's the answer. I can't believe the beyond CSI didn't already figure it out.

Very simple.

I'm sure most of us have over looked it. That's what happens when you start trying to think things through too much. You miss the simple stuff.

So you see, the blocked out areas, and the need to change lanes 4 times per revolution of the circle should you wish to continue around it, is very very obvious and simple...

Mickey Mouse Ears.

As seen below, it's clear the City of Calgary knows exactly WTF they are doing. You CAN NOT drive on Mickey's ears. Period.

So rest easy tonight. No problem here. City has it all handled. No ass hats down there at all.

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i141/photodump_2006/Beyond/MickeyMouseCircle-1.jpg

[ExtremeSi]

Originally posted by Z_Fan


Mickey Mouse Ears.


Lol. I get the feeling you don't like the new lines.

[Z_Fan]

Originally posted by ExtremeSi


Lol. I get the feeling you don't like the new lines.

Now that I understand, I'm perfectly OK with it.

I know it's not in any drivers manual anywhere, but I think we all know you simply can't drive on Mickey's ears.

[Canucks3322]

This circle in Mckenzie is proof that not all bad drivers are Asian...its just bad white drivers all day long going thru.

[88CRX]

Hahahaha hahahahah.

Wtf is right. Pretty sure you're right. They should block off the outside lane, not inside lane.

[btimbit]

Jesus tap dancing christ.
Glad I'm no longer dating a chick from that area, I'm going to avoid that clusterfuck at all costs.

I kinda understand what they were trying to do, but it was so clearly not thought through at all.

So let me get this straight, if I wanted to get from Mckz towne blvd (off deerfoot) into prestwick, the new markings want me to change lanes within the circle way before my exit, rather than smoothly exiting. I want the name of the guy that thought that was a brilliant idea.

City of Calgary roads in a nutshell. Under-plan and over think a 'brilliant' solution to a fucking problem that shouldn't have even existed in the first place.

That'll be interesting when the snow flies

lmfao at the mickey mouse ears:rofl:

Edit: Crap, my brother moves to Prestwick in a month. Definitely taking 22x-52nd instead in busy periods.

[Mibz]

People know what a black sign with a silver/white arrow means as much as they know how to drive a roundabout. I can't count the number of people who drove straight through a left-turn only lane during Elbow Dr construction and then honked at me when they almost hit me.

I would LOVE to see the before/after collision stats in a few months.

[theken]

http://www.canada.com/news/calgary/Traffic+circle+changes+cause+frustration+McKenzie+Towne/7502405/story.html

you can twitter that alderman who says "there is no national standard" for traffic circles, but I do believe that in my drivers handbook I received 14 years ago, and current updated ones have the exact same markings in them, you can't "force" someone to turn, and say when I leave my friends house on the prestwick turn, and I am going to new brighton, I can not do that because I have to make a stupid lane change and risk getting hit because of some fucking paint, I will not be following the new "rules" that this asshat made up. I will follow my knowledge which has served me since I was 14

[Phl0xed]

However, city engineers agreed to paint the lanes in the interest of driver safety, Keating said.

“I hope it is the right plan and I have to give them the benefit of doubt that it will work. If not we have to change it.”

Hahahaha! "...in the interest of driver safety"!? What a joke. He clearly does not drive this thing every day in rush hour times.

[Mibz]

Wait, who's giving who the benefit of the doubt? The article makes it sound like Keating didn't want to do it but engineers did.

[Ntense_SpecV]

Well, it seemed business as usual this morning. The only benefit I see from this is with my personal commute I saw lots of cars slow down right at the yellow markers which made it easy for me to enter the circle. I'm sure with time people will get comfortable and be faster around those sections of the circle, which will make it harder for people to enter.

I'm thinking that once 22x is open you will see more and more people head that way. I think I will probably take 130th now that they have opened McIvor up at 130th. It makes sense for me to go that way instead of back tracking out of Copperfield to get to Deerfoot.

[94boosted]

Originally posted by Z_Fan


Mickey Mouse Ears.



:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

OMG it makes total sense now, thank you.

[Nitron88]

+ 1, this is messed up. Outside lane should be marked not inside lane. City will be sued for anyone who knows the rules of a traffic circle and gets into accidents with those chumps heading from OJ's area into the circle without yielding to inside lane vehicles.

Get's me almost everytime.. they stop, look and then drive into the inside lane when you're right there. Why stop and look then cut someone off. Ready to sue the city and the chumps if something happens.

[Z_Fan]

Went thru the circle today and took note that 9/10 people just drove straight across the painted lines. (And I did too cuz it's fucking stupid to appear to be changing lanes in a traffic circle...)

There was ONE person that obeyed the lines after slamming on the brakes to try to figure out WHAT THE FUCK the lines were there for. Then they proceeded whilst almost stopped completely to switch lanes and continue slowly and confused around the circle. You might wonder...WHY DID THIS PERSON STOP? Oh, I dunno, maybe because they couldn't figure out what fucking City of Calgary Roads asshat Engineer decided their lane should abruptly be forced to move over to the right in a traffic circle. So this persons got scared they might get hit by a car travelling in the right lane. No idea why!! Fortunately all this incident did was allow a few people waiting to sneak in...

One of the vehicles that drove straight over the lines was a City of Calgary van. I laughed. Guess the City didn't put out enough "Look How Fucking Stupid We Are" memorandums for their own staff - either that or their own staff know it's a stupid fucking idea in the first place. Either way, it was funny as hell to see it happen. I know it's just some dude who happens to work for the City and apparently does know how to use the circle. Good for him.

The signage they have is all fine really as it is for the most part just telling you how to use the circle to be most effective in the first place, with the hopes you don't/won't continue around in the outside lane. Really that's just good traffic circle use and most people don't drive all the way around in the outside lane anyhow. (Yes yes I know some do)

So really the only stupid thing [beyond having right lanes forced to turn at certain exits] is the damn painted lines. They should have either painted them blocking the right lane so there are no bump out "it looks like a lane change" lane changes in what is otherwise a 2-lane-wide circle. Keep the left lane on the inside all the way around where it belongs. Besides, I want to know who the fuck has the right of way at that exact moment? Obviously it should be the guy in the circle but WHY THE FUCK are we weaving from left lane to right lane as we approach an entrance? Just to increase our chances of the poor bastards coming in hitting us? Mickey Mouse Ears! God damn, move the painted lines to the other side so at least this way the people who are accustomed to using the outside lane for the last, oh I don't know, a fucking decade won't side swipe you if you actually decided to obey the lines and they decide to use the circle how for one of its many intended purposes. (Keep driving on the painted lines - that's how you can send your message back to the mental midgets at the City of Calgary Roads) Let's rub that fucking paint right off.

With regards to that, I took note that the fresh paint is half worn the fuck off already. Especially on the heavy traffic part by the Mac's exit/entrance. Why? Because it's a stupid fucking idea brought about by stupid fucking people and the users who supposedly are too stupid to use the traffic circle actually aren't...and are continuing to use it the way it was meant to be used. Go fucking figure, eh.

Ok. I think that completes my rant for the day.

I'm VERY VERY disappointed in Mr. Keating and if you voted for him, you should be too. So, don't make that mistake again unless he gets this shit fixed pronto. No, uhm, let's not give the benefit of the doubt to the City. Let's give the benefit of the doubt to the drivers. Let's teach them how to use it effectively for those who can't figure it out. If Mr. Keating got to see an actual diagram with the lines painted on it before this idea was implemented, and he for one second thought it was a good idea, then he's a complete and total utter asshat who should next time step up with balls of steel and say Go Fuck Yourself to the City "Engineers" who apparently can't figure out that when driving around a circle you actually take the path of a circle!!!! HOLY FUCKING "L I G H T B U L B".

Let's see. I'd have loved to be in that City of Calgary Roads meeting.

"So, uhm guys, we've got a Traffic Circle in the SE. And uhm, guys we need to get the cars around the Circle a little more easily because, uhm, people can't seem to figure it out. Uhm, does anyone here have any ideas on a good way to get the traffic to go around the circle?"

Silence.

"Uhm, anyone? I was thinking maybe we should just leave it as a circle and the traffic could go around the circle in a circle!" [There must be a reason he's the boss!]

Johnny raised his hand.

"Ahhhh, sir...Ahhhh, I think we should make the cars weave sir! That'd be totally rad & awesome!"

Silence.

"Welp, since no one else has any idea how to get cars move around the circle, we're going to try the weaving method. It's brilliant! Hey, Johnny, doe you think we should get them to weave like, what, twice per complete trip around the circle?"

"Fuck no Boss. Let's make them go back and forth and back and forth and back and forth!!! Like 6 times Boss!

"Well Johnny, I like your idea but let's make them weave only 4 times!"

Good idea. Great idea!

WHO THE FUCK CAME UP WITH THIS SHIT!? You've been wondering and I've got your answer. Johnny Stupidface.

Oh yeah, nevermind, it was Johnny Stupidface freshly back from his trip to Disneyland and had MICKEY FUCKING MOUSE on his mind.

Engineers of Total Fail will make you drive around a circle with 4 lane changes. You used to be able to just hold the steering wheel and HOLY FUCK you'd turn around the circle. Now you get to hold it, turn her right, turn her left, hold it, turn her right, turn her left hold it. Ya. Thank god for simplification.

Ok. Now I think that completes my rant for the day.

Got to find my fucking pills now.

:clap: