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I have noticed that the majority of drivers don't seem to move into the intersection when waiting to make a left turn. Does drivers ed here teach not to do that?
It's not a big deal, I'm just curious, although I have been annoyed a few times when more than one car should have been able to get through the light.
I have noticed that the majority of drivers don't seem to move into the intersection when waiting to make a left turn. Does drivers ed here teach not to do that?
It's not a big deal, I'm just curious, although I have been annoyed a few times when more than one car should have been able to get through the light.
I know someone that got a ticket for doing just that in Mauldin. In Chicago where I learned to drive everyone needed to do it in order for traffic to move along. Gas was $4/gal and everyone's sitting through green lights to make left turns.
I always pull into the intersection while waiting to make a left turn. At a busy intersection without an arrow, it's usually necessary. It allows the car turning to need less of a gap in traffic to make the turn, and it also allows 1-2 cars to go when the light is yellow or barely red ("pink" as my dad calls it when you go just after it turns red!). I see plenty of other people in Greenville doing this also. Anytime someone doesn't do it I just consider them a moron and move on.
I have the same question, and, I guess, will now wait with Rapunzll for an answer. I came here from California, which, I can remember vividly, states in the driver's manual, if you can get your car INTO the intersection while waiting on an opening to make a left, then you have a RIGHT to complete the turn once the light turns red and stops oncoming traffic. This means that in a normal intersection, at least two cars can be IN THE INTERSECTION, waiting. On a very wide street, with maybe 3 lanes in each direction, you might find 3 cars in the intersection, waiting. This helps a lot to clear the traffic. In South Carolina I've noticed, especially where there is a left green-arrow at the beginning of the green signal, drivers will not enter the intersection on a green light if the green-arrow has turned off. They just wait for the next green arrow. No one seems to mind enough to blow their horn, so the pattern continues. Is there a law? In a state where waiting in the intersection is definitely allowed, there will be horns heard if people are not going to enter the intersection. The fact that it stays quiet in South Carolina seems to indicate its against the law.
Here's all I could find in the South Carolina Code of Laws in SECTION 56-5-970. Traffic-control signal legend....
(A) Green indication:
(1) Vehicular traffic facing a circular green signal may proceed straight through or turn right or left unless a sign at such place prohibits either such turn. But vehicular traffic, including vehicles turning right or left, shall yield the right-of-way to other vehicles and to pedestrians lawfully within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk at the time such signal is exhibited.
(2) Vehicular traffic facing a green arrow signal, shown alone or in combination with another indication, may cautiously enter the intersection only to make the movement indicated by such arrow or such other movement as is permitted by other indications shown at the same time. Such vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.
This section of the law doesn't seem to address our question, and since it doesn't disallow the "wait in the intersection to turn" issue, if nowhere else in the code does prohibit it, I would assume it is allowed.
Left Turns
A left turn often takes more preparation than a right turn. You must
think far enough ahead to get into the lane nearest the center of the
road. Signal at least 100 feet ahead. Before turning, check traffic behind
and in front of you. Make sure that no one is trying to pass you. Then enter the intersection from the lane nearest to the center line. Then turn
into the lane nearest and to the right of the center line. Yield to pedestri-
ans and oncoming traffic.
On a two-lane highway, the left turn should be made from as near
the center line as possible and then follow the steps in the preceding
paragraph. Should the light turn red when you are in the intersection about to
turn left, complete the turn when approaching traffic has cleared.
Now if we can only get slower traffic to stay right, we'll be getting somewhere!!!!
Page 25:
Know Your Lanes
Driving in the proper lane on a interstate is a “must” for safety. The
extreme right lane is usually for slower speeds and also for entering and
leaving the interstate. The other lanes are usually for motorists who
want to drive and maintain the posted speed limit. However, if another
vehicle overtakes you from the rear you should pull over to allow him to
pass.
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