To alleviate the close your eyes and gun it strategy of crossing between the Aiken Mall and Publix, our thoughtful city planners placed a small traffic circle at the 4-way intersection. We are rarely there because I hate the traffic on that end of town, but tonight we needed something from a particular store so there we were. We also needed a few small items from Publix so the traffic circle would get run.
On the way in I only got to do 1/4 of the circle because we were just turning right. I threatened a 450 degree turn, but thought better of it when I got the look. After some shopping I did get to finish the circle on the way out. To make up for the ho-hum entrance I wound it up to about 5000 rpm for the 270 degree exit thereby cramming all the groceries into the right side of the trunk. The lateral G portion of the ride was fine, but I got another look when I accelerated from 5k to near redline upon straightening out. I then had to just coast the last 50 yards to the traffic light at the main road.
I’m sure if there was anyone else around they would have smiled at my idiocy of rushing through the circle to have to wait 3 minutes for the light to change, but who cares I had fun. And in spite of the second look, so did my passenger.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/05: 137
I still find our traffic circle to be a load of fun. Especially in third gear. Currently my longest trip through the circle is 1080 degrees. Yes, exited from the same side I entered from.
I refer to it as my own personal skid pad.
They are proposing a larger diameter one to link a dead-end road to Walmart and another street, by-passing a clogged main road. That one should be a 2nd or 3rd gear run…