Traffic Circles - Driving you Crazy

About 2 years ago, I took the back way home from a local health food store. I like taking back roads, even if it takes me a little longer to get to my destination. It's more peaceful. You see trees everywhere, instead of cars. It's just a better overall experience for my driving time, so it's worth it to me. I'd driven this same road the previous day on my way back from my daughter's house. It's a plain, meandering road that passes the less used rear entrances to the High School and the mall, and it always eventually gets me to my destination.

You know how it is - you drive along on a road you've been on so often your car practically knows the way itself.

Suddenly I found myself right smack dab in the middle of - A TRAFFIC CIRCLE!

My brain froze. For a split second, even my body froze. How did this happen? How did I end up in Clifton Park? I actually started to panic as I tried to figure out how to get out of the circle.

Where was I?

And - How in the WORLD did I get there? I'd only been driving 10 minutes.

Hadn't I?!!

To the right was a street - no, not even a street - just a jut leading - nowhere. To the left was - The Mall!! oookkaayy... so. I'm on the right road! But -

HOW did a traffic circle get here - in ONE DAY!!!!

I drove this road less than 24 hours ago and there was no traffic circle. None. Zip! Nada!! There wasn't even any evidence of road work currently being done.

But, now, here it was. The Dreaded TRAFFIC CIRCLE right here in my plain, old, meandering back road.

Once I got over the tingling feeling in my hands from the stress of the moment - I started laughing. Whoever was in charge of that project should have installed overhead cameras, because I cannot believe mine was the only absolutely panic-stricken face driving through that circle.

Since that day, traffic circles have sprouted all over the Capital District. This was the only one that momentarily tilted my world off it's axles. I no longer have to drive around and around, straining to look at the signs and find my way. (At least, on most of them.) And if I'm honest, I can see the benefits they add to keeping the driving pattern smoother in heavy traffic zones.

Nevertheless, I'll miss my plain, old, meandering back road. It just isn't the same, anymore.