Merging on a Highway

[tvguy]

THAT drives me crazy. You should not enter the intersection (cross the stop bar) unless the other side of the intersection is clear. This is regardless of going straight or turning.

What drives me crazy is that there are still intersections where this can happen. There should be.....IMHO......a protected turn lane with it's own traffic light at every intersection with traffic lights. When I go visit my son in Northridge, I am amazed that 4 lane arteries have traffic lights that don't have a protected turn lane.

 

[sam_gordon]

If you pull into the intersection and wait, what happens if the right turners from the other direction come to a stop in the lane you are trying to turn left into?

Then your light turns red, you have absolutely nowhere to go, and now you are probably blocking 2 lanes of cross traffic.

I think you're getting into a lower probability of scenarios. Go back and read my post #213. You're heading North, wanting to turn to the west. If you have to wait at the stop bar (not enter the intersection), even with a green light, if there's enough traffic southbound, you will never make the turn. Now, you should not enter the intersection if there's no room in the west bound lane for you.

BUT, lets take your scenario... there's room in the west bound lane for you, so you pull into the intersection waiting for south bound traffic to clear so you can turn. A driver heading south makes a right hand turn taking the "space" you would have fit into. So, what to do? When the light turns red for southbound traffic, you pull up as close to the bumper as the now west bound car. If you have to get partially into the shoulder, you do. This allows room for the east bound taffic to flow. Southbound isn't going anywhere, they have a red light. West bound (other side of the intersection) isn't going anywhere because there's no room for them. Northbound isn't going anywhere, they have a red light.

 

[Robber Baron]

I think you're getting into a lower probability of scenarios. Go back and read my post #213. You're heading North, wanting to turn to the west. If you have to wait at the stop bar (not enter the intersection), even with a green light, if there's enough traffic southbound, you will never make the turn. Now, you should not enter the intersection if there's no room in the west bound lane for you.

BUT, lets take your scenario... there's room in the west bound lane for you, so you pull into the intersection waiting for south bound traffic to clear so you can turn. A driver heading south makes a right hand turn taking the "space" you would have fit into. So, what to do? When the light turns red for southbound traffic, you pull up as close to the bumper as the now west bound car. If you have to get partially into the shoulder, you do. This allows room for the east bound taffic to flow. Southbound isn't going anywhere, they have a red light. West bound (other side of the intersection) isn't going anywhere because there's no room for them. Northbound isn't going anywhere, they have a red light.

Are you okay?

 

[sam_gordon]

Are you okay?

Well, I have a little nasal congestion from allergies and I'm overweight, but other than that, yea. Are you okay?

 

[gmi3804]

If you pull into the intersection and wait, what happens if the right turners from the other direction come to a stop in the lane you are trying to turn left into?

Then your light turns red, you have absolutely nowhere to go, and now you are probably blocking 2 lanes of cross traffic.

You turn and wait behind them.

 

[gmi3804]

Unless you're a driver in Chicago, apparently, lol. I see this allllllll the time: green light to go straight, driver moves into intersection but cannot clear it due to backed up traffic. Light turns yellow, then red, and driver is still in the intersection. Light now turns green for traffic going the other way, but they cannot go straight because cars are blocking them. (Cue incessant horn honking, lol).

Yes, it happens. And they're idiots. And when they try to back up instead of completing the turn, they're double-idiots.

 

[RedHead0186]

Yes, it happens. And they're idiots. And when they try to back up instead of completing the turn, they're double-idiots.

The scenario I described has nothing to do with turning. This is about drivers going straight through an intersection but not being able to get all the way through. Not saying they're not idiots, but also nothing to do with turning.

 

[georgina]

Really? There should be at least a slight delay between one side going red and the other going green. That gives the person in the intersection time to "clear".

I agree there needs to be room ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE INTERSECTION before you should cross the stop bar. That's what that law says.

do you drive in a major city? Here in DC, yes, there is a delay between the light turning red and the other way going green, but everyone going the opposite way is usually running that red light. It’s harrowing.

Unless you're a driver in Chicago, apparently, lol. I see this allllllll the time: green light to go straight, driver moves into intersection but cannot clear it due to backed up traffic. Light turns yellow, then red, and driver is still in the intersection. Light now turns green for traffic going the other way, but they cannot go straight because cars are blocking them. (Cue incessant horn honking, lol).

same here. Try getting on New York avenue during rush hour to get into the tunnel to 395. Intersection is frequently blocked by traffic going straight at the light. If you stop at a green light to wait for traffic ahead of you to clear, someone from another lane will move over in front of you to block it. Always an adventure.

 

[tvguy]

The current controversy here is a change at one of the most heavily used freeway exits. The exit has had 2 right turn lanes forever to help get cars through. But now, a few months ago they put up a "No Turn on Red" sign.
And if the heavy traffic flow and no right turn on red were bad enough, adding to the gridlock:
1)There is an In and Out Burger at this exit.
2) There is now also a Chick Fil A at this exit.

Bonus. The Highway Patrol office is also there, so now they almost don't even have to leave the office to write tickets.

 

[Moliphino]

The current controversy here is a change at one of the most heavily used freeway exits. The exit has had 2 right turn lanes forever to help get cars through. But now, a few months ago they put up a "No Turn on Red" sign.
And if the heavy traffic flow and no right turn on red were bad enough, adding to the gridlock:
1)There is an In and Out Burger at this exit.
2) There is now also a Chick Fil A at this exit.

Bonus. The Highway Patrol office is also there, so now they almost don't even have to leave the office to write tickets.

Around me those usually get a "right on red from right lane only" sign. Most people ignore it and go right on red from both lanes.

 

[tvguy]

Around me those usually get a "right on red from right lane only" sign. Most people ignore it and go right on red from both lanes.

I was wrong, there are THREE right turn lanes there. It appears no turn on Red from any of them.