The new roundabout, according to The Guardian newspaper, "has been a big hit with motorists" and city officials say city businesses are telling them they "wouldn't mind seeing more of them pop up around the city" ("Belvedere roundabout gets finishing touches" Aug' 13 Guardian).

Uh oh... these things aren't cheap, but can speed up traffic when used properly. Trouble is, many Island motorists see a stop sign and think "yield sign". They see a yield sign and think it means "give 'er!". Take the new roundabout on Mt. Edward Rd. Drivers are supposed to take turns at the yield signs, similar to a four-way stop. That doesn't mean, for example, cars travelling east on Allen St. (towards St. Peters Rd.) can go thorugh the yield sign at the roundabout 8 cars at a time, as if they were all tied together.

It's frustrating to enter the roundabout when it's your turn, only to have some idiot entering out of turn, blowing their horn and giving you the finger. You people know who you are. If you can't use it properly, why not buy a bus pass and make the rest of us safer?

So, now the one in front of UPEI and the Farmers Market is due to open this Monday. It's basically a two-lane roundabout so, while that has the potential of doubling capacity, or making exits and entrances easier, it also has the potential for the aforementioned bad drivers (I prefer to call them "roundabout idiots") get in some real road rage.

Good luck to all of us when the city has dozens of these (I think Mitch Tweel will ask for one at Queen and Pond Streets)...