Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I think I can say what the real issue is with the flashing yellow arrow, and it honestly doesn't have anything to do with whether it's a good thing to have or a dangerous one - that's actually irrelevant to the problem right now.
I was in Charlotte last weekend for the first time and found driving around very stressful. This is not intended as criticism, just an observation, but Charlotte-area drivers are vastly different than any drivers I've encountered before, and I've lived and driven in Boston, eastern New Jersey, and Florida (and many other places) and not felt that amount of stress as I did last weekend.
So, first, you all drive differently (many more cars weaving back and forth across lanes without turn signals, making u-turns without yielding, yellow means speed up, speed limit signs' only purpose is to, well, they have no purpose, and traffic congestion seems to be an accepted way of life).
Second, the Charlotte area is such a vibrant and growing place that many newbies are driving its roadways and are still not completely familiar about how to get from Point A to Point B. Frankly, to a visitor or newbie, it's difficult to know how soon one has to slide over to the right or left lane to make the next turn.
So, add in a strange flashing yellow arrow that is such a foreign item on a traffic light system ... it is not something that is intuitive even for the most experienced and intelligent drivers. Yes, we know that yellow lights flashing or not mean proceed with caution, but if you're a driver who has been creeping along in miles of bumper to bumper traffic and have had cars cutting in and out all around you, and then are faced with a strange traffic light, that is a potential precursor to a dangerous situation.
That is my explanation. However, anything new causes stress and problems. I will bet that when the first traffic lights were installed - the red, green, yellow - drivers in those olden days didn't know what to think of them either and were probably writing letters to their newspapers in an outcry of complaint.
Charlotte drivers are horrible and it's due to transplants coming from different areas with different driving habits.
One of the biggest problems in my opinion is the large number of apartment complexes that only let you turn one way into traffic. This forces many drivers to make the dreaded U turn at some of the oddest places I've ever seen.
Not to deviate from the discussion of FYA's, but you are right about the sheer arrogance or ignorance of many drivers.
What toasts me are where commercial driveways meet the public road, many of them have concrete "islands" designed to have traffic enter only from the nearest lane and exit into the nearest lane.
How many times do the local drivers ignore the concrete pattern and force their vehicles in and out of the driveway in whatever direction they please?
Good for MD & PA! I am still against the FYA as it is used today because it is still confusing to many motorists. I had to sit in a line of 5 cars the other day because the first car would not turn on the FYA, even with no traffic coming the other way. I finally laid on my horn from 5 cars back and the guy in front of me threw his arms up like I was crazy.
That's safer than driving through as though other traffic had a red.
Quote:
I also disagree with this scenario. I'm heading eastbound on a four lane road and the light turns red for all east/west traffic. There are cars waiting to go straight and left in both directions. After the cross traffic light turns red, the westbound lanes of my road get a solid green for thru traffic and a green arrow for the left turn lanes. My westbound side stays red for thru traffic, but the left turn lane gets an FYA. My thought is that left turn lanes should stay red until the through lanes get their solid green, then have the FYA come on simultaneously.
That's how it must work. The flashing yellow arrow must be flashing at any time the oncoming signal is circular green. This is the only way the signal can prevent yellow trap, no matter what the signal controller decides to do. If they did it your way, when the controller skips unused phases, the left turning driver on your westbound side will be exposed to the yellow trap hazard. Yellow trap is now required to be eliminated or warned with a sign.
I'd really like to drive where it is people come from that complain about Charlotte drivers being crazy, rude, aggressive, etc. It must be like paradise because driving in Charlotte in a breeze compared to NOVA/DC. I go up there several times a year and it always drives me batty.
I'd really like to drive where it is people come from that complain about Charlotte drivers being crazy, rude, aggressive, etc. It must be like paradise because driving in Charlotte in a breeze compared to NOVA/DC. I go up there several times a year and it always drives me batty.
Maybe you're the crazy, rude, aggressive driver, so you don't notice it.
Not to deviate from the discussion of FYA's, but you are right about the sheer arrogance or ignorance of many drivers.
What toasts me are where commercial driveways meet the public road, many of them have concrete "islands" designed to have traffic enter only from the nearest lane and exit into the nearest lane.
How many times do the local drivers ignore the concrete pattern and force their vehicles in and out of the driveway in whatever direction they please?
Those are required under new design standards when a driveway meets a multilane highway and is within 100 feet of a signalized intersection. The driveway must either be closed or restricted to right turns.
Those are required under new design standards when a driveway meets a multilane highway and is within 100 feet of a signalized intersection. The driveway must either be closed or restricted to right turns.
Absolutely true. What burns me are the morons that turn into and out of those drives "against" the traffic pattern.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
