YIELD - NOT a Suggestion

It's time for me to complain about the roundabouts again.  Today, in the pouring rain, I drove through the roundabout at Maple and Drake.  The rain was so heavy at times you could hardly see in front of your windshield.  I even saw cars pulled off the road.  It was probably a smart idea.

As I was returning home I thought about driving three miles out of my way in order to avoid going through the aforementioned intersection.  Alas, I just wanted to get home.  Traffic was moving slowly.  As usual, everyone seemed to head for the left lane in the roundabout.  So, I got in the lane and waited my turn and pulled into the intersection.  As I am going around, a car pulls into the roundabout right in front of me.  He looked right in my direction and just kept moving.  What part of 'Yield' do these drivers not understand?  Do they think it means that someone will 'yield' to them?

Several years ago a local radio station had someone from the State Police on the air at the start of a long holiday weekend.  He was giving safe driving tips.  He told drivers that when merging onto a freeway they are required to yield to oncoming traffic and merge when they are able to do so safely.  He reminded them that it is not the freeway driver who is required to yield to them.  Boy, I bet that idea surprised a lot of drivers.

The fact that a car in the roundabout has the right of way seems to mean little to drivers who have no intention of yielding to anyone.  It's more like 'Damn the torpedoes.  Full steam ahead.'  Oh, and BTW, the speed limit is only 20 mph in the roundabout.  And yes, it is posted.  You just have to read the signs.