Roundabout vs. rotary

By Park Moo-jong

Seoul, the capital city of the Republic of Korea with a population of exactly 9.93 million as of March this year, is famous for its unrivaled busy around the clock traffic.

Nearly one in two citizens has a car, with the frequency of vehicle operation among the highest levels in the world. It's no wonder that the megacity is notorious for traffic congestion, pollution and the longest commuting time.

City officials and traffic experts are forever racking their brains over how to solve this chronic problem. The situation in other cities across the nation is no different.

Adding insult to injury, a new trend is the installation of new crosswalks and signal lights for the convenience of pedestrians, though this is described as a “humanitarian.”

The amazing quick temper of Korean drivers, as asked by many foreigners why they become so “crazy” once they take the wheel, is also responsible for the all-day gridlock.

Under these peculiar traffic circumstances, a Western type of circular intersection or junction, called a “roundabout,” has appeared to be an attractive tool to help ease the traffic flow and reduce accidents of late.

Frankly speaking, I didn't know the meaning of roundabout until I heard the song, “Roundabout” by the British rock band Yes in 1971, which was written when the group was on tour and traveled from Aberdeen to Glasgow and went through many roundabouts on the way.

And in 1993 when I was in Britain studying, I experienced the road traffic system requiring entering cars to give way to others already in the circle and optimally observe various rules to increase safety and make flow smooth.

Watching the flow at the numerous roundabouts there, I learned that the system can be effective only on the premise of concession and consideration for other drivers.

Now, roundabouts are commonplace across the world. Half of the world's roundabouts are in France, more than 30,000, including the representative one at the Arch of Triumph in Paris, although Britain has more as a proportion of all intersections than any other country.

The roundabout was introduced in Jeju Province first in 2010 and for the next six years 461 roundabouts were built nationwide, with the island having the most at 95 and Seoul having 29, according to the Ministry of Public Safety and Security.

The ministry said the system was surprisingly effective as the number of accidents dropped by almost half, contributing to smoothening the flow.

Compared to the general rotary with signal lights, the roundabout has no stop signs and vehicles do not stop, thus minimizing the emission of fumes.

Vehicles spend less time idling at roundabouts than at signaled rotaries, reducing pollutants. When entering, cars need to give way, but they do not always perform a full stop. As a result, by keeping a part of their momentum, the engine produces less work to regain the initial speed, resulting in lower emissions.

What's more, slowly moving cars in roundabouts make less noise than those that must brake to stop and start to speed up.

Proud of being a global leader in the operation of the roundabout, Britain has the Roundabout Appreciation Society (RAS), calling it “truly an oasis on a sea of tarmac.”

It says: “Unlike fascist, robotic traffic lights where we are told when to stop and go, the roundabout allows us to show one another our very own British driving decorum. We approach the island at our own chosen speed, in the lane of our choice. Cooperating and queuing accordingly with our fellow drivers, we wait for a gap and join the gentle gyratory flow in our own time, signaling our intentions and leaving at our chosen exit.”

On the rotary, drivers in front of traffic lights have to watch when the color changes, while on the roundabout, drivers watch other drivers pass through the intersection.

The conductor of the rotary is the one who installs and manages the traffic signals, while the conductor of the roundabout is the drivers, who make their own judgment that “now it's time to yield.”

Of the 29 roundabouts in Seoul, I used to pass through three located behind the U.S. Embassy, nearby Gwanghwamun Square and in front of the Seoul Olympic Memorial Center for Culture and Sports in Hyehwa-dong.

I have to confess here that I am also one of Korean drivers who become “inpatient” and “wild” at the wheel. When I lost the time to pass a signaled intersection by a second, I used to become irritated, blaming the car ahead.

The roundabouts at the three locations, however, help me take it easy and follow the rules based on the principle of “one by one.” Especially, the roundabout may be well suited for quick-tempered Korean drivers.

The government says it plans to bring the total number of roundabouts to 1,592 by the end of 2022.

The effectiveness and advantages of the system are already proven. There is no need for the administration to save its budget for the installation of roundabouts throughout the nation.

The “new” era of the Moon Jae-in government requires the cooperation and concession of the people as asked for at roundabouts.

Park Moo-jong is the Korea Times adviser. He served as the president-publisher of the nation's first English newspaper founded in 1950 from 2004 to 2014 after working as a reporter for the daily since 1974. He can be reached at emjei29@gmail.com or moojong@ktimes.com