Ever try to make a left-hand turn onto Robie Street in Lower Truro? Not an experience to be relished during the morning or afternoon rush, or most of Saturdays.
Same goes for left-hand turns onto McClures Mills Road from Lower Truro Road or James Street, a situation that is bound to get much worse once the new civic centre and regional hospital open this fall.
These are accident sites waiting to happen. Check that. Accidents have already occurred at these sites over the years.
Little wonder then that the professionals charged with monitoring traffic flow and safety are planning a major transformation on Robie Street and exploring potential changes on McClures Mills Road.
The new look in both cases is a roundabout, something drivers in Stellarton, Milford, Pictou, Halifax and elsewhere are already familiar with.
And, yes, like some things new or different many motorists don't like them. Not even a little bit.
Doesn't matter that these roundabouts will very likely improve traffic flow and safety for motorists. Doesn't matter that they will slow vehicles down and virtually eliminate T-collisions, those ones that can seriously injure or even kill people.
Doesn't seem to matter much, either, that the roundabout planned for Robie Street on the northeast side of the Highway 102 overpass will save the province money because the alternative would be six lanes on Robie Street to hold the amount of cars that would have been stopped at red lights.
Now comes word that another roundabout, situated behind Lawtons Drugs Store at the intersection of McClure's Mills and Lower Truro roads, will be discussed at the July 9 meeting of Truro Town Council and no doubt it will generate plenty of discussion, not all of it favourable.
In fact, some comments we've read and heard about the roundabouts remind us of the doubts expressed when traffic lights were first proposed for the intersection of Young and Prince streets in downtown Truro. Didn't turn out that bad, did it?
We say roundabouts may seem a little confusing at first but that will ebb with time and usage. Plus, they are a much better option that sticking with the status quo.
If you're sitting through ANY red lights you should probably go back to driver training... you're free to go once the opposite-facing traffic stops for the yellow light.