By Noel Smith
The Rio Del Mar Roundabout is an ideal location, next to the beach and to the Esplanade. It has in its center a stately palm tree, a souring aluminum streetlight, and the Whaley sculpture, a slender, curved rust-colored steel shaft approximately 14 feet in height supporting a seagull in flight that until recently stood next to Deer Park Center.
There are five streets feeding into the Rio Del Mar Roundabout. In counter-clockwise order facing inland from the beach they are, Beach Drive, Rio Del Mar Blvd (Going uphill), Venetian Rd, Aptos Beach Dr (Going toward Hwy 1), and the Esplanade Entrance/Exit
I first used a Roundabout when I was living in England. It was scary! For some reason the English love going around in clockwise circles while driving on the wrong side of the road and on the wrong side of the car. Fortunately here in the U.S. we drive on right side and therefore using Roundabouts is much easier.
Approaching
The first thing to know about a Roundabout is that when you are approaching one, treat it as just one big circular “Slow Down and Yield” sign. Also keep in mind that you will be going around the Roundabout in a counter-clockwise direction.
Entering
Only right turns when entering or leaving the Roundabout are permitted. Any vehicle (bus, car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, moped, scooter, Segway someone on roller skates, a skateboard or just jogging or walking — Remember, this is Rio Del Mar) already in the Roundabout has the right away so you will have to slowdown or even stop to let them go by before entering. If we didn’t, they might never be able to leave and be forced to go around in circles until they run out of gas or whatever is propelling them.
In the Roundabout
Now that you are in the Roundabout, you need to plan your escape. The first time you may go around more than once just to get your bearings. Large Roundabouts usually have good signage while small ones like in Rio Del Mar take some familiarity with your surroundings and the courage of your convictions to exit. As Rio Del Mar is so scenic (lovely beach, interesting surroundings and the occasional Bikini) you are forgiven if you circle around several times before leaving.
Exiting
Please use your Right Turn signal to warn your fellow Roundabout drivers that you are about to exit. Move to the right, check your mirrors, glance over your right hand shoulder, and gracefully, with self-assurance, exit the Roundabout – hopefully onto the right street.
Soon you will be an expert Roundabouter looking with disdain at those visitors that keep circling with that “What the heck do I do now” look on their faces.
Good luck!