Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Pennsylvania > Pittsburgh
 [Register]
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.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 11-06-2009, 09:54 PM
 
6,600 posts, read 8,941,589 times
Reputation: 4683

Advertisements

This is inspired by the crosswalk thread. I'm not originally from Pittsburgh, and I was definitely caught off guard by the Pittsburgh Left for a while -- probably until I actually heard the term "Pittsburgh Left" and learned to look out for it. Now that I practically expect it at intersections like Fifth/Washington and Penn, it does not bother me at all. In fact, I think it helps at some intersections.

A car turning left at Fifth/Washington and Penn will most likely have to wait until their signal turns yellow, or even red. Which causes every car behind them to have to wait another cycle. If you toss in a few people turning left in a row it can cause a huge backup for just 4 or 5 cars. I think that generally it is safer than turning left on yellow/red and helps with traffic congestion.

That said, I don't actually do a Pittsburgh left unless someone flashes their brights at me allowing me to.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 11-06-2009, 11:13 PM
 
43,011 posts, read 107,799,961 times
Reputation: 30714
Quote:
Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday View Post
In fact, I think it helps at some intersections.
I think the Pittsburgh left should be officially incorporated into the traffic laws. Left turns on two lane roads should have the right of way at intersections with traffic lights.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-07-2009, 12:20 AM
 
Location: Philly
10,223 posts, read 16,766,307 times
Reputation: 2972
you mean where they are in the intersection waiting to turn?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-07-2009, 12:34 AM
 
43,011 posts, read 107,799,961 times
Reputation: 30714
Quote:
Originally Posted by pman View Post
you mean where they are in the intersection waiting to turn?
Yes. Of course they should stop---like a right turn on red exception----but oncoming traffic should yeild when there is traffic backing up behind the car waiting to turn.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-07-2009, 06:00 AM
 
Location: Yeah
3,164 posts, read 6,683,669 times
Reputation: 911
Quote:
Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday View Post
This is inspired by the crosswalk thread. I'm not originally from Pittsburgh, and I was definitely caught off guard by the Pittsburgh Left for a while -- probably until I actually heard the term "Pittsburgh Left" and learned to look out for it. Now that I practically expect it at intersections like Fifth/Washington and Penn, it does not bother me at all. In fact, I think it helps at some intersections.

A car turning left at Fifth/Washington and Penn will most likely have to wait until their signal turns yellow, or even red. Which causes every car behind them to have to wait another cycle. If you toss in a few people turning left in a row it can cause a huge backup for just 4 or 5 cars. I think that generally it is safer than turning left on yellow/red and helps with traffic congestion.

That said, I don't actually do a Pittsburgh left unless someone flashes their brights at me allowing me to.
I'm not originally from Pittsburgh either, and I do not promote or encourage the "Pittsburgh left" or any other act by Pittsburgh drivers where they feel they are in a bigger hurry than anyone else. There are always people on this forum who jump on traffic topics and are quick to say how much worse traffic is in bigger cities. Which is true, and which is why I do not promote this and other driving habits in this city where people feel they are in a bigger hurry than anyone else or entitled to be let in to traffic. Allow yourself extra time to get to your destination, KNOW where your destination is, KNOW alternate routes to your destination, and you'll get anywhere anytime.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-07-2009, 06:02 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh area
9,912 posts, read 24,586,644 times
Reputation: 5162
I've had Pittsburgh Lefts happen in front of me from time to time, and I've even made a couple myself I think over the years, where people seem to be anticipating it anyway (or otherwise hesitating). The true Pittsburgh Left though is not about permission. Wait with your signal on, watch the light intently, maybe edge out a little and with your wheels turned (obvious car "body language") and just floor it on green! Waiting for permission defeats the purpose anyway. He who hesitates is lost. If you try that crap in front of me and don't get it over with quick you won't make it. In general, it's a dangerous, boneheaded move that probably incites a fair bit of road rage. It really doesn't happen as often as you might think from as much as you've heard about it. It just happens often enough to have it attributed to the area.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-07-2009, 06:07 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh area
9,912 posts, read 24,586,644 times
Reputation: 5162
Quote:
Originally Posted by scottrpriester View Post
KNOW alternate routes to your destination
Wait, you're not originally from Pittsburgh, as you said. So surely you know that this is not possible among those from Pittsburgh. I don't know any natives who know alternate routes to anything.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-07-2009, 06:15 AM
 
Location: Yeah
3,164 posts, read 6,683,669 times
Reputation: 911
Quote:
Originally Posted by greg42 View Post
Wait, you're not originally from Pittsburgh, as you said. So surely you know that this is not possible among those from Pittsburgh. I don't know any natives who know alternate routes to anything.
That is 100 percent correct. It's now officially been three years for me, and I'm routinely told I know my way around better than most natives.

Thanks for verifying what I thought all along!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-07-2009, 08:18 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh
29,682 posts, read 34,216,632 times
Reputation: 76848
Quote:
Now that I practically expect it at intersections like Fifth/Washington and Penn
I hope with the Bakery Square project that this intersection will actually get some left turn signals. It really surprises me how many big/busy intersections in Pittsburgh don't have left turn arrows (Forbes/Murray, Forbes/Shady, Fifth/Craig, etc.) making a Pittsburgh left almost a necessity to move traffic.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-07-2009, 09:02 AM
 
Location: RVA
2,420 posts, read 4,701,937 times
Reputation: 1212
It usually doesn't bother me because I see it coming, but I hate it when people assume I'm going to sit and wait for them to turn. A good way to get rid of the Pittsburgh Left would be to install far more green arrow lights. There aren't many of them.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
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.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Pennsylvania > Pittsburgh

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top