Date: Sun, 8 Mar 2009 16:06:27 -0400 (EDT)
From: Kerry Straughn
Subject: Traffic Circle
<I too, have witnessed cars rapidly “slingshotting” out of the traffic
<circle, most notably when I am crossing West Street in front of the General
<Store Cafe. Several times I have feared for the safety of myself and my two
<children, one of whom is disabled and not a very fast walker.
<You are right, Ace. Those coming from Siler City never yield and drive
<right on through the round-a-bout. I have noticed this over the years. The
<other entrances to the round-a-bout, people yield except those coming from
<Siler City.
My opinion here is it all stems from the General Store. By no fault of the General Store itself, people that park across the street J-walk across instead of using the crosswalks and cars that park right in front of the store are always trying to back out into traffic. There is too much going on in this area for people unfamiliar with the circle to have time to read the yield signs. Your eyes are way too busy watching for people crossing and cars backing up. Maybe one fix could be turning all the spaces in front of the store into handicapped spaces so people who walk slower don’t have to go around the crosswalk. Able body people can use the parking lot AND the crosswalk.