Perhaps a year ago additional signage was installed on the outside median strip of the Cameron Station traffic circle explaining that cars driving on the inside / left lane can not turn right and exit the circle. Prior to the signage I routinely would have to look out for the aggressive drivers that I guess were unsatisfied with how I was driving through the circle. It typically goes something like this:
I turn right into the neighborhood from Duke Street onto Cameron Station Blvd. after battling traffic for 45 minutes from DC to Alexandria (a commute that I know is actually not that bad). I prefer to drive the speed limit (25 mph) on Cameron Station Blvd. because it is difficult to stop if a pedestrian is in the crosswalk if you are driving any faster. Often someone behind me thinks I'm driving too slow so they get in the left lane to pass me. They usually pass through the crosswalks with no regard for pedestrians. Even though they pass me, we still end up at the main traffic circle at the same. I am then in the right lane and they are in the left and we are both turning right into the circle at the same time. We have to drive more carefully and slowly because of this, which is ironic since the person that passed me I presume is trying to shave every second off their drive home. Both cars are then driving around the circle, neck and neck so to speak. I will be turning right onto Cameron Station Blvd. and then making an immediate left onto Kilburn St (by the pool) about 30 yards after the circle to get to my house. Here's where everything goes wrong: the car next to me on the inside lane also turns right! Now, if you are reading this and are unsure why this is a problem just close your eyes for a second and think about it...Anything? OK. Here's the problem: What if I was not turning right onto Cameron Station Blvd.!?!?! What if I was continuing to drive around the circle to turn right onto Brenman Park Drive (the retail street)!?!?! If is was continuing around the circle then BAM! A nice little accident that is completely avoidable.
When this new signage was added explaining how to drive in the circle I noticed these incidents decrease substantially for me personally. It did make me chuckle though when I saw the placement of the signage. It is on the right / outside of the circle. Wouldn't it make more sense for it to be on the left / inside of the circle? After all, that is where the driver who can do something wrong is driving. The driver in the right lane can turn right or go straight. They know that. It's the driver on the left/inside lane that needs to see the sign.
Anyway, I write this post because this same situation happened to me again last night after things had been going so well. I was driving in the right lane on Cameron Station Blvd. coming from Duke Street and slowed down when I noticed a pedestrian in the crosswalk on the right. The pedestrian decided to let me pass anyway, but the fact that I was slowing down irked the driver behind me and they passed me on the left (good thing the pedestrian didn't cross the street). We stopped at the circle at the same time and the driver exits the circle back onto Cameron Station Blvd. from the left lane. I honk because I will need to make an immediate left onto Kilburn St. and they look at me like I'm crazy.
So, if you are a driver that didn't understand why you can't turn right from the inside lane I hope this clears things up. And, please don't argue that you saw a turn signal of the driver on the outside lane so you knew it would be safe to turn right. There are two flaws with that: 1) don't put so much trust into turn signals. Maybe the driver has left the signal on from the previous turn or what if they change their mind? 2) In my case I am going to proceed immediately to the left lane to turn left. There should be no reason I can't do this because I am the first and (theoretically) only driver turning right out of the circle.
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