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Can someone tell me on what page of the NC DMV manual it tells you to pull into the intersection on a left turn? Because I just went through the manual and didn't see it.
Yeah, it's not addressed in the manual. But it is allowed.
Then again, my instructor (a guy from Jamaica Plain), while out on the road practicing had me "go strong, don't look" through a yield sign at the end of a road that dumped out onto a busy state route and as a result missed side swiping a pickup truck by inches....guess I should have taken that as a huge red flag that what he was teaching me may not be all that relevant.
My Driver's Ed instructor made me drive him around so he could grab coffee at Dunkin' Donuts or go shopping at Best Buy (alright, 5 minute break!)
Quote:
Originally Posted by DPK
In a way I kind of understand the fault though. It's a flashing yellow. You have to ensure it's safe before making the turn movement, regardless if the idiot coming in your direction is a dumbass running a red light.
I am a NC native and I was always taught to pull into the intersection on a green ball (or flashing yellow arrow now) to wait for traffic to clear to make a left before the light changes to red (or right when it changes red if you have to). We were taught it was ok to turn on yellow or red if you were "clearing the intersection".
I do take some exception with your characterization of NC drivers, Twingles, but I'm sure in your line of work you don't see the good ones! FTR, I have had to deal with several insurance folks over the past 10 years or so through no fault of my own. I do not know where the different folks who hit me learned to drive.
The Pittsburgh left involves two cars facing one another waiting at a traffic light (which lacks a protected turn) or other stop signal: one turning left and one going straight. The left-turning car will anticipate the green light, although ideally not actually entering the intersection on the red.
As the light turns green, the left-turning car will rapidly proceed left ahead of the opposing traffic, frequently with the signaled assent of the opposing traffic. By accepting a modest delay in going straight, the opposing traffic has saved the left-turning traffic waiting an entire light cycle to turn left, as well as saved an equivalent amount of time for all the cars that otherwise would have been stuck behind the left-turning car. In situations where there is so much oncoming, straight traffic that a left turn would not be otherwise possible during any part of the light cycle, the Pittsburgh left can allow a line of left turning traffic to proceed incrementally.
Frequently, the on-coming cars will accelerate slowly enough to allow the turn to be completed without anyone slowing down or being delayed at all. This means that a "Pittsburgh left" can, in places other than Pittsburgh, be the equivalent of simply judging the oncoming traffic to be slow and distant enough to turn in front of it: something that in and of itself is not illegal.
The Pittsburgh left has no basis in law. Failing to yield to oncoming traffic while navigating a turn is a traffic violation, and is prohibited in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.[3]
At certain intersections, left-turning traffic may be given precedence over straight-moving traffic in a regulated (and thus legal) manner, via the use of protected turn signaling.
Many of Pittsburgh's roads are narrow streets with only a single lane in each direction, and most intersections lacking left-turn-only lanes. If a car is attempting to turn left, no other cars behind it can proceed through the intersection. Allowing the left-turning car to proceed first through the intersection gives that driver a chance to get out of others' way, allowing for smoother flow.
That is common MA driving protocol ....I just assumed it was typical lack of consideration on the part of the native population (even when there is a dedicated left turn lane)
That is common MA driving protocol ....I just assumed it was typical lack of consideration on the part of the native population (even when there is a dedicated left turn lane)
So is it true, you're supposed to sit in the intersection to make a left turn? That's news to me.
You're not. You're not supposed to enter an intersection until you can proceed all the way through it.
And on the topic of left turns it drives me crazy when a car in front of me turning left onto a 4-lane road waits for the opposing car turning right onto the same road to complete the turn. Both cars should turn simultaneously as the car turning right must only use the closest lane meanwhile the car turning left can use all lanes except the far right.
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