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Yes that might be a factor. (Some) Drivers in Maryland can't even take a left turn properly - they think it is their right to enter into adjacent lane when they are trying a left or U-turn.
Yes that might be a factor. (Some) Drivers in Maryland can't even take a left turn properly - they think it is their right to enter into adjacent lane when they are trying a left or U-turn.
Quote:
Originally Posted by certsevtxert
Oh, this is in Maryland? Well that explains it.
Yeah, Maryland has some ...interesting drivers.
U-Turns are also really popular at this intersection (Google Maps). The main road, running east to west, is Apache. Traffic exiting the apartment complex has a traffic light. Because of the light rail line, access to businesses on either side of the road is limited. You can actually see the dark marks on the pavement, where people make U-Turns at that intersection. The curbs along the sides of the light rail line are cut back enough so that traffic can swing around without interfering with traffic (so long as they yield to traffic with the right-of-way). U-Turns on red are common practice at this intersection, and several others like it down the light rail corridor.
U-turns are an accident waiting to happen. I saw a nasty one on a country road east of Calgary just at dusk. A cop and I were at the light and a kid in a Suzuki dropped his friend off and proceeded to U-turn. Neither the cop nor I saw the car coming, it happened that fast. Bad idea, and a bad habit to get into.
U-turns are an accident waiting to happen. I saw a nasty one on a country road east of Calgary just at dusk. A cop and I were at the light and a kid in a Suzuki dropped his friend off and proceeded to U-turn. Neither the cop nor I saw the car coming, it happened that fast. Bad idea, and a bad habit to get into.
Don't blame U turns, blame the driver who doesn't know what they're doing.
U-Turns are also really popular at this intersection (Google Maps). The main road, running east to west, is Apache. Traffic exiting the apartment complex has a traffic light. Because of the light rail line, access to businesses on either side of the road is limited. You can actually see the dark marks on the pavement, where people make U-Turns at that intersection. The curbs along the sides of the light rail line are cut back enough so that traffic can swing around without interfering with traffic (so long as they yield to traffic with the right-of-way). U-Turns on red are common practice at this intersection, and several others like it down the light rail corridor.
Are you serious? U-Turning across light rail tracks on a red light. Death wish.
U turns are a bad habit to get into for a few reasons. One is that your maneuver is unexpected and a surprise to other drivers. Second, it creates a blind spot on the pass. side of your car as you turn. Third, if you are hit it's usually a broadside and nasty.
As mentioned, it's a very bad driving habit and best avoided.
Fortunately the kid in the above post wasn't hurt, but broadsides often result in serious injury.
Are you serious? U-Turning across light rail tracks on a red light. Death wish.
The light rail has it's own signal. The signal changes when the tram is about 1/8 mile away from the intersection. When cross traffic has a green light, the light rail signal will remain "red" (well, it's actually a horizontal bar for "stop", and a vertical bar for "go") until cross traffic goes back to red.
As with the other intersection mentioned, the curbs are cut back enough to allow U-turns without interfering with cross traffic. Watch the tram light, yield to cars / pedestrians / bikes who have the right-of-way, and there's no issue.
Quote:
Originally Posted by thedwightguy
U turns are a bad habit to get into for a few reasons. One is that your maneuver is unexpected and a surprise to other drivers. Second, it creates a blind spot on the pass. side of your car as you turn. Third, if you are hit it's usually a broadside and nasty...
U-Turns are common practice here, so it's no "surprise" for other traffic. While it does put moving traffic in your blind spot, it's no bigger than any other time. If improperly done, you risk being in an offset front end collision (by entering the cross-traffic lanes on your left). If traffic is moving with speed, this could cause serious damage to your car, and anyone in your front passenger seat. Turning cross-traffic will be moving at a lower speed, thus reducing the damage / injuries in an accident.
The light rail has it's own signal. The signal changes when the tram is about 1/8 mile away from the intersection. When cross traffic has a green light, the light rail signal will remain "red" (well, it's actually a horizontal bar for "stop", and a vertical bar for "go") until cross traffic goes back to red.
As with the other intersection mentioned, the curbs are cut back enough to allow U-turns without interfering with cross traffic. Watch the tram light, yield to cars / pedestrians / bikes who have the right-of-way, and there's no issue.
You said, "U-Turns on red are common practice at this intersection". If cars have the red light, then the train probably has the vertical bar, and the car making the U-Turn is in serious danger of getting T-boned. No wonder there are so many crashes between cars and light rail trains.
You said, "U-Turns on red are common practice at this intersection". If cars have the red light, then the train probably has the vertical bar, and the car making the U-Turn is in serious danger of getting T-boned. No wonder there are so many crashes between cars and light rail trains.
The light rail runs every 15 minutes on-peak, 20 minutes off-peak. The chances of it coming just at the moment someone pulls a u turn are very slim. For the train heading the west, there is actually a stop just west of that intersection, so it will be moving pretty slowly going through that intersection. Unless someone turns at the exact wrong time, the train would have time to slow/stop as needed. The train coming from the east will have also started slowing in preparation to stop at the station, so again chances of a collision are slim.
I try to do what is safest. Sometimes the U-turn is safer than trying to cross a lot of lanes of oncoming traffic. It's not dangerous if you can see what is coming. If you can not see, then you should not do it. There is no black and white answers here. Some states it is always illegal, but it seems that most places allow it as it can often be done safely. Some drivers should never do it (because they can't drive well). Some cars are too big, can't turn tight enough. Someplaces there is a hidden blind spot and are usually marked "No U-Turn".
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Yeah, Maryland has some ...interesting drivers. 
Are you serious? U-Turning across light rail tracks on a red light.
Death wish.
