Driving in Traffic Roundabouts

I highly commend Caltrans’ brave new idea (Part I, Aug. 27) to experiment with British-style roundabouts at certain Southern Californian intersections. Although an Angeleno by birth, I lived in Britain from 1980-1984, and I can attest to the amazing efficiency (as well as aesthetics) of these traffic devices.

Contrary to what many American stick-in-the-mud skeptics seem to believe, the roundabouts do not result in mass chaos and confusion. The concept--a circle--is simple to understand. As engineer John Avallero states, drivers are much more likely to be courteous when they are heeding other moving vehicles, not just mechanized signals or signs. And we all know about the fools who equate traffic signals with authority figures, thereby getting their kicks out of running red lights.

MOIRA T. PITT

Huntington Beach