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I'm sure there's a reason for them. Just wondering if there's any data that shows why they're better.
So more people can turn left without having to wait till you come all the way back around to the point in the signal cycle where it's a protected left turn (or if it's a pretty low volume left turn movement, you don't have to dedicate time in the signal cycle for those protected left turns if they could find a gap in the traffic otherwise so there's more time in the cycle for traffic going straight or for the side streets).
That and so people know whether they're supposed to yield or not when turning.
Yeah, I figured that. But trying to explain that to her was just like trying to explain math homework to her when she was in 3rd grade... "NO! That's NOT how my teacher explained it!"
Results
The results were broken down into four categories based on the prior left turn display and which type of FYA was implemented. The largest category included 105 intersections where at least one left turn display was converted from a 5‐section “doghouse” protected/permissive left turn to a 4‐section FYA protected/permissive left turn. In this category, the signal phasing remained unchanged, only the left turn display(s) changed.
The results for this particular FYA category indicate a:
7% Reduction in Total Crashes,
15% Reduction in Fatal and Injury Crashes, and
22% Reduction in Left Turn Crashes on Approaches Treated with FYA
I saw someone make a u-turn on Western Blvd today. Through the cement median. While babbling away on their cell phone. About 5 seconds before a cop drove past me going the same direction. I did not see lights so I assume the cop did nothing.
So more people can turn left without having to wait till you come all the way back around to the point in the signal cycle where it's a protected left turn (or if it's a pretty low volume left turn movement, you don't have to dedicate time in the signal cycle for those protected left turns if they could find a gap in the traffic otherwise so there's more time in the cycle for traffic going straight or for the side streets).
That and so people know whether they're supposed to yield or not when turning.
I guess my point is that there is no difference between a flashing yellow left turn signal and a green ball. As for yielding when you turn left. You always yield when you're turning left. The only time you don't is when you have a green arrow.
Me too! It is much easier for the right turner to yield for the u-turner.
Quote:
Originally Posted by m378
I agree the right turn should yield to the u-turn. It's really dangerous to stop while attempting a u-turn on a green arrow - nobody behind you is expecting it. I feel like people making a right have a much clearer view into what's happening ahead.
Plus on a green left arrow, people are worry about nothing else except getting themselves through that intersection, where on a right turn, people still have an opportunity for a right-on-red.
How does the right turn driver know that the person making a U-Turn is not making a simple left - which is normally expected. The person making the right should not have to yield because they have no way of knowing what the other driver is doing.
IMO, The person making the U has more knowledge and should therefore be the one with more responsibility.
Last edited by blktoptrvl; 10-28-2017 at 04:02 PM..
I guess my point is that there is no difference between a flashing yellow left turn signal and a green ball. As for yielding when you turn left. You always yield when you're turning left. The only time you don't is when you have a green arrow.
Let's say for example there's a road going north-south and there are a lot of people turning left southbound and not a lot of people turning left going northbound that can find gaps in the traffic and clear out without a protected left turn. Normally if there was a protected left turn, it would mean that the left turns would go simultaneously and hold up the traffic going straight so that those left turns could go. With the flashing yellow arrow, the southbound left turning traffic can get a protected left turn, the southbound traffic going straight can start going (and get more vehicles through the intersection per cycle in that direction), and the northbound lefts can get a flashing yellow arrow to begin trying to make that left turn if there is a gap in the southbound traffic going straight. Meanwhile, because of the southbound protected left turns, the northbound traffic going straight is stopped so they would not get a green ball.
The flashing yellow arrow is needed in this scenario.
Also I imagine it's confusing for a driver if you have a green arrow, and then go to a green ball. The flashing yellow arrow indicates to the driver that even though the protected left turn time is over, you can still try and turn left (and keep the same signal indicator for that movement)
Oh and the flashing yellow arrow also prevents what's called the "Yellow Trap" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_trap
(where the light turns yellow/red on one side but the light stays green on the other side, but the left turning vehicles assume the other side is also yellow/red and attempt to make the turn)
Good to see the driver's ed system is working out well.
How do you know where OP learned to drive?
Anyway, OP's username starts with CRASH...
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Calgon....
