Left Turn Lane (must yield to oncoming traffic) Situation...

Here's the situation:

I pulled into a left turn lane where my light was green, but there was a dense pack of cars steadily coming the other direction. It wasn't a left turn arrow, so I had to yield of course.

Since I could see there was no opening for me to go through soon, I waited at the crosswalk as to avoid being stuck in the intersection. (I HATE when people do this, and sometimes end up blocking the intersection if traffic on the cross street is stopped - leading to lots of honking, etc.).

Naturally, there's some guy behind me honking and making hand gestures . There wasn't a big line of cars behind me or anything, what did he expect, me to drive into oncoming traffic?!

Anyway, I notice a lot of people doing this thing where they drive out into the middle of the intersection, wait and wait, then it turns red, and they try to sneak through as the other traffic already starts going. I think it's stupid, but multiple other people I have spoken to think otherwise.


What's your take?

I choose A, final answer.

One car is ok. Because during the yellow-then-red sequence, there's enough time/room for one car to make the left before the cross traffic starts to roll through the intersection.

If I'm the second car, I just wait and if there are pedestrians, I wait behind the crosswalk.

I thing I miss about Tucson (maybe all of AZ) is that the left turn arrows FOLLOW the green, instead of being before them. That way, you don't worry about being stuck out in the intersection when the cross traffic light turns green.

Good for you for being considerate to the cross traffic and not wanting to block the intersection, though.

Originally Posted by Xcelratr

One car is ok. Because during the yellow-then-red sequence, there's enough time/room for one car to make the left before the cross traffic starts to roll through the intersection.

If I'm the second car, I just wait and if there are pedestrians, I wait behind the crosswalk.

This.

Originally Posted by southpaw

This.

need moar boxxy

Originally Posted by southpaw

this.

+1

Originally Posted by Xcelratr

One car is ok. Because during the yellow-then-red sequence, there's enough time/room for one car to make the left before the cross traffic starts to roll through the intersection.

If I'm the second car, I just wait and if there are pedestrians, I wait behind the crosswalk.

I thing I miss about Tucson (maybe all of AZ) is that the left turn arrows FOLLOW the green, instead of being before them. That way, you don't worry about being stuck out in the intersection when the cross traffic light turns green.

Good for you for being considerate to the cross traffic and not wanting to block the intersection, though.

I agree, yet I all too commonly see 2 or 3 cars out there, and with oncoming cars barely making the red, it just looks unsafe

At least one car must be in the intersection and be ready to make the left turn. That way, before the light turns red, at least one car will make it through as opposed to staying behind the crosswalk where nobody will make it through.

Only time I would stay behind the crosswalk and not go into the middle is if the street I'm planning to turn onto is full of other cars and making the turn would leave me stuck in the intersection.

Originally Posted by mkodama

At least one car must be in the intersection and be ready to make the left turn. That way, before the light turns red, at least one car will make it through as opposed to staying behind the crosswalk where nobody will make it through.

Only time I would stay behind the crosswalk and not go into the middle is if the street I'm planning to turn onto is full of other cars and making the turn would leave me stuck in the intersection.

I don't care how many people honk, if the street I'm turning into is full I'm not going to take it. That's a ticketable offense.

Blocking intersections = Srs Bsns.

Originally Posted by mindofarock

I don't care how many people honk, if the street I'm turning into is full I'm not going to take it. That's a ticketable offense.

Blocking intersections = Srs Bsns.

couple hundred dollar fine around here.

i was the guy trying to force you into oncoming traffic

this is common sense if u ask me; option a.

Originally Posted by kuksul08

Here's the situation:

I pulled into a left turn lane where my light was green, but there was a dense pack of cars steadily coming the other direction. It wasn't a left turn arrow, so I had to yield of course.

Since I could see there was no opening for me to go through soon, I waited at the crosswalk as to avoid being stuck in the intersection. (I HATE when people do this, and sometimes end up blocking the intersection if traffic on the cross street is stopped - leading to lots of honking, etc.).

Naturally, there's some guy behind me honking and making hand gestures . There wasn't a big line of cars behind me or anything, what did he expect, me to drive into oncoming traffic?!

Anyway, I notice a lot of people doing this thing where they drive out into the middle of the intersection, wait and wait, then it turns red, and they try to sneak through as the other traffic already starts going. I think it's stupid, but multiple other people I have spoken to think otherwise.


What's your take?

dude..i hate people like you. come to nyc (where real men drive) and see how pissed they'd get at you. if everyone did what you did in my city, no car could ever turn left again

if there is a lot of cars then u wait behind. if a couple then u should go in middle.

Originally Posted by Mike Larry

dude..i hate people like you. come to nyc (where real men drive) and see how pissed they'd get at you. if everyone did what you did in my city, no car could ever turn left again

OP spent most of his life growing up in a town with little traffic and now he is living in LA.

In CA, as the light is changing, a reasonable (1 to 2) amount of cars completing a left-hand turn have the right of way before cross-traffic is allowed to proceed past them. Basically, if you're in the intersection before the light turns red you're allowed to complete your turn.

If you see that the perpendicular lane you would be turning into is full, thus leaving you in the intersection, then you don't want to pass the crosswalk. Otherwise, it's perfectly legal to wait in the intersection to complete your turn as the light is turning red or just after if you're already in the intersection.

Originally Posted by mkodama

OP spent most of his life growing up in a town with little traffic and now he is living in LA.

i hope they tear him a new one

Originally Posted by jailonacs99

In CA, as the light is changing, a reasonable (1 to 2) amount of cars completing a left-hand turn have the right of way before cross-traffic is allowed to proceed past them. Basically, if you're in the intersection before the light turns red you're allowed to complete your turn.

If you see that the perpendicular lane you would be turning into is full, thus leaving you in the intersection, then you don't want to pass the crosswalk. Otherwise, it's perfectly legal to wait in the intersection to complete your turn as the light is turning red or just after if you're already in the intersection.

I wonder what all the red-light cameras in my neighborhood would think about that

That's what we like to call a Los Angeles left.