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A Michigan left is an at-grade intersection design that replaces each left turn at an intersection between a divided roadway and a secondary roadway, with the combination of a right turn followed by a U-turn, or a U-turn followed by a right turn, depending on the situation.
You would love LA where there are very few left turn signals. It is understood by the locals that at least a couple of cars will proceed with a left (quickly) after the light turns red as there is no other way to complete that maneuver in the forever clogged streets. Tough on those who are sticklers for rules but it keeps things moving.
Traffic has to "flow" on those cross-streets, as well.
As for the original topic, no. But, then I'm biased by having totaled a car when a truck with his landscape trailer made a turn right in front of me at a permissive light.
Had that issue as well. Other driver made a left turn in front of us and said that "he had the green". No, traffic moving straight had the green for both directions. There was no green left arrow.
We used to have the 5 bulb set up. Two green lights on the bottom, one with a left turn signal, 2 yellow lights in the middle, one red up top. Seems like a few years ago they started phasing those out in favor of the flashing yellow. One advantage I see is that it makes it clear to people turning left that they must yield. There's no confusion with just seeing green.
The dedicated red left turn arrows aren't too common. Sometimes they make sense since cars may be blocking the view of oncoming traffic. Other times they aren't really needed.
You would love LA where there are very few left turn signals. It is understood by the locals that at least a couple of cars will proceed with a left (quickly) after the light turns red as there is no other way to complete that maneuver in the forever clogged streets. Tough on those who are sticklers for rules but it keeps things moving.
I remember turning left from Ventura Blvd onto Hayvenhurst and I couldn't believe there was no left turn signal. Oncoming traffic was heavy and steady, but not heavy enough to the point where traffic would back up allowing me to turn through the gap of stopped cars. Instead I had to just wait til the light changed. I watched 3 cars in front of me all take their turns. When I turned I noticed the car behind me went ahead and made a dash for it as well.
As in post #3. Red/green (as opposed to flashing yellow, which is usually actually a red/flashing yellow/green) I usually see at intersections where traffic volume is high enough that they know it's unlikely left-turning cars would have much opportunity to go and they don't want people trying in dangerous situations. It's the same reason some intersections are "no turn on red."
It's infuriating, it's true, but usually for a reason.
Quote:
Originally Posted by T. Damon
You would love LA where there are very few left turn signals. It is understood by the locals that at least a couple of cars will proceed with a left (quickly) after the light turns red as there is no other way to complete that maneuver in the forever clogged streets. Tough on those who are sticklers for rules but it keeps things moving.
Same here. Some intersections that don't have a turn light that stops oncoming traffic (or, a light that is so short only one or two cars can get through when there's a lineup of 7 or 8) will have you almost never able to turn unless you do it that way.
You should come to Colorado, where left turn road engineering is a high art... and a continuing headache at every single intersection.
We got your flashing yellows. We got directed left-turn lanes. We got left turn greens that turn yellow after a few seconds. We got it all. Too bad drivers here are too confused to make sense of it all.
And that's why I plan my routes to avoid left turns whenever possible. 4-way stops are the worst but traffic lights like those really don't help much.
i see no need for the flashing yellow. Once the green arrow is gone, all that is needed is the green ball. It is the same as a flashing yellow.
Thank you..
I see a flashing yellow at a left turn and wonder what it means, because I grew up
knowing a left turn at a green light means yield. Now they have flashing yellow with a
arrow..Arrows meant dedicated turn when I learned to drive..
What they are changing in my area is having the typical green arrow for a left turn but when the light turns from red to green, the left turn arrow flashes yellow.
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