(bolding mine)
I completely agree with this. There are numerous (more than I care to think about) intersections in Houston, Tx. that have ‘dedicated’ left turn lanes. Even if there isn’t any traffic in the oncoming lanes, you must wait for ‘your’ green light.
Very wasteful, not only of the drivers time, but also gas. One would think that ‘traffic’ engineers (or whatever they’re called) would realize this and change the system.
“Blocking the box” typically refers to being unable to clear the intersection after your light has turned red. This generally isn’t a problem for people turning left: your light turns red, oncoming traffic stops, and you complete your turn before cross traffic has a chance to get annoyed. The Wikipedia page even makes mention of it:
(my bolding on the relevant clause)
Decades ago in New Jersey it was said that you should never enter an intersection unless it’s clear to go all the way through. This avoids gridlock… and being sideswiped at 50 mph. Not sure of the legality of it, but for all the road signage I’ve seen, I think it’s common that being non-moving in an intersection is illegal. But, as mentioned, everyone does it, like passing on the right.
Except when there’s no space for you to go on your intended street because it’s full of cars. While in most cases there is room for you after the oncoming traffic stops and lets you in, sometimes you get caught out in the intersection with no place to go.
Interesting. When I went to traffic school the Fairfax county cop told us just the opposite. That doesn’t mean, however, that drivers around here know how to execute this simple maneuver. Most don’t and are content to just sit and wait. Which is why I presume there are so many left turn arrows. (Left turn arrows are aggravating.)
The State of Maine Motorist Handbook and Study Guide says (page 34):
In the Connecticut Diver’s Manual the closest I’ve found isn’t really about left turns:
When I lived in Michigan, 2 or 3 cars would make that left, usually without impeding traffic. When I moved to Tennessee, I had to get used to everyone just waiting at the damn stop line.
I may just be repeating what others have mentioned, but: This is more of an issue if you’re going straight rather than making a left turn. If there’s heavy traffic—like, a line of cars stretching all the way to the next intersection, so that you don’t have room to go all the way through an intersection because of the cars in front of you, being caught in the intersection when the light turns red can be bad, because you have nowhere to go.
This is a critically important point, do not turn your wheels to the left while waiting! If you are hit from behind your car will be shoved head on into on-coming traffic!
Are you sure about that? That would be truly stupid. Everywhere else that I know, green means you can go and not have to yeild, regardless of whether its a turn lane. Not just in the US, but everywhere I’ve driven: England, France, Italy, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and many US states.
If it’s a flashing green light, then maybe, as long as there’s a sign indicating what a flashing green means. I know what red, yellow, flashing red, flashing yellow mean, and it’s the same regardless of whether it’s a turn lane.
That can apply to left turns just as well. If you are turning left, you shouldn’t enter the intersection untill there si sufficient space on your target road to accomodate your vehicle without obstructing the passage of other vehicles or pedestrians. If there’s space there for you there, then yes, you can pull into the intersection and wait there until a gap in oncoming traffic lets you through, which may not happen until after your light turns red.
I’ve never heard this, and I can’t find it after a quick search. Do you know what part of SS. Ch. 316 forbids it?
I actually saw this in China. Xian, I think. We were in a tour van/bus waiting to turn left and got the green arrow at the same time the oncoming traffic got their green light. The driver moved into the intersection but didn’t turn until a gap. All the tourists looked at each other like “What the hell? We have the green arrow and the oncoming traffic has a green too?”
Firefighter checking in: Yeah, pulling into an intersection just makes my job going lights and siren to a run more difficult. While it may be legal and the social norm, it’s definitely not safer for our emergency responders. So, even if people are honking at ya, try to not get too far out.
And… as a continuous PSA: When you see a Emergency Vehicle behind you, do NOT slam on your brakes. That also does not make for a good day for us. Just politely signal which way you’re gonna move and then move that way. Or speed up to stay ahead of me… either is fine… (:
I certainly wouldn’t do this if a firetruck were approaching, but with all due respect, I don’t think asking people not to pull into an intersection because a firetruck might come along at some point is going overboard. It could also be counter-productive, if it causes longer backups at intersections, due to fewer cars getting through each cycle.
I was taught this too. I’ve been surprised to see other drivers turn their wheels before they can actually turn left.
A few years ago when I was in traffic court waiting my turn I saw a TON of cases like this. Maybe the police were cracking down, or maybe it’s always like that, I don’t know. Every single person explained it wasn’t their fault the ran the red light; they’d pulled into the intersection to make a left and had to turn when the light turned red. No kidding, there must have been 30 people, all with the same defense. And to every single one the judge told them they should have never entered the intersection without a clear path to exit. So, at least there (north Mississippi) it’s against the law.
I understand why people do it, but I hate it, because often after the car in the intersection turns right on red, the next two cars think they should get to go as well. And this is even in intersections that have a left arrow, so it really pisses me off when I have to wait forever to see if I can go safely without some chucklehead slamming into my side because it’s too inconvenient to follow the fucking law.
Not sure I’ve ever heard of people getting tickets for it in Minnesota. Here you’re expected to do it and will be on the receiving end of honks, fingers and screams until you do.
In Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the custom is to bang a left turn in front of oncoming traffic as soon as the light turns green. They’ve been doing in so long, oncoming traffic frequently waits for the first couple of cars to turn left, even waving them through, holding up traffic on a green light…
The flashing left arrow is a new nationwide standard that is gradually coming into use in many places. Note that the solid (non-flashing) yellow left arrow and the flashing yellow left arrow are housed in two separate lamps rather than using the same lamp. (Anybody know why that should be?) I believe that is part of the standard, for whatever reason.
Example: http://www.cityofhenderson.com/public_works/fya.php
Google flashing yellow left arrow to find many many more places where this is described, and places that are using this now.