Do you get pissed at drivers that don't make their right turn on a red...

[Howard]

About a week ago, I did do something out-of-character. It was nighttime as I drove past a convenience store in a 35MPH zone. I saw a car, with the headlights off, ready to pull-out behind me. In the light of the parking lot, I could see that there was at least one passenger. I started tapping my brakes until I was going almost 0mph, and I still managed to travel from here to here before they tried to pass. During part of that distance, it was REALLY dark and I couldn't see them even though I knew the car was right behind me. I think the city is turning off some of the street lights to save money or something.

When they finally tried to pass me, I wouldn't let them. They made 3-4 attempts and laid on the horn before they FINALLY realized the lights were out and turned them on. Then I let them pass.

They must have been RIGHT behind me because I was going extremely slow while tapping the brakes rhythmically. They should have been able to tell that their headlights were off because the back of my car wasn't illuminated. That's probably the first time I've been able to get someone to realize their headlights were off. Something is wrong with GA drivers.

Turning my own lights on and off usually does the trick for me, if I'm directly in front of them.

If they're in the next lane and I can get them to hear me...

 

[Eos]

What bothers me is the idiots turning left and let the light cycle multiple times because they don't realize that they can pull out into the intersection and complete their turn when the oncoming lane stops at the next cycle.

Leave earlier next time.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=46.61.202

No driver shall enter an intersection or a marked crosswalk or drive onto any railroad grade crossing unless there is sufficient space on the other side of the intersection, crosswalk, or railroad grade crossing to accommodate the vehicle he or she is operating without obstructing the passage of other vehicles, pedestrians, or railroad trains notwithstanding any traffic control signal indications to proceed.

 

[CZroe]

This is against the law in California. You must not enter an intersection to make a turn unless you can complete that turn in single motion, before the light turns red. If you are still in the intersection when the light has turned red you are impeding the people going in perpendicular to you.

"Single motion" is supposed to imply that you can't reverse to change your angle, like a tight U-turn may require. I am aware that CA law conflicts with what I said, but not in this way. I thought it was weird that people would freak out and look for cops after a light changed to red while they were passing through the intersection. Regardless, it's not often enforced, like the pedestrians in the crosswalk thing.

The second bolded portion is exactly what I'm stating occurs. I'm also wondering where you get this idea that I'm talking about an intersection with traffic lights? I'm fairly certain that I stated that this involves a four lane road with two lanes in each direction and said turn lanes cross over through the opposite direction on the same road. You may wish to apologize for your brash first bolded remark.

But there's another element that makes their action more dangerous. Even if I could still complete a turn with them in the median, there's a small crest right where this intersection is, and if a car pulls ahead like that... it's nearly impossible to see any traffic in the other lane. :\ I guess I need to buy a gas-guzzling, Earth-killing SUV so I can actually see.

Out of curiosity, what is your opinion on the distance between cars at a stop light (or any other stopping point)? Personally, I prefer as little distance as I can get... especially during times of heavy traffic. I've had points where people left tons of distance and I couldn't get in my turn lane because of it. One of the guys at work said they prefer to leave space just in case someone hits them from behind. While I understand that can occur, the chances are probably extremely low per stopping point.

EVEN WITHOUT TRAFFIC LIGHTS OR TURN LANES, oncoming vehicles can both turn left simultaneously. No wonder you think a suspended left-turn could block an oncoming left turn.

To answer your question:
In a car, as close as possible. I can't stand it when some idiot blocks me from getting in a turn lane and going on my merry way so that he can have 1.5 car lengths between him and the car in front of him. Often, these idiots have no idea that others just like them further up in traffic are directly responsible for them not making it through an earlier light cycle and further compounding the backup with vehicles that would be turning right.

On a motorcycle: they say to always leave an escape route and many say to hold the clutch in with the transmission in first any time that you are stopped. I only do this until another car is stopped behind me and I still have a bit of room. In CA, I often pull up beside a car as if to lane-split but I do not pass. This serves two purposes: reduces my own contribution to traffic backup and angles me toward an escape route.

I've been known to out-right honk and gesture at people leaving ridiculous amounts of distance when stopped or pull my entire vehicle in between them to shame them for being so wasteful in traffic. I their window is down, I'll even tell them to "close it up!"

Leave earlier next time.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=46.61.202

No driver shall enter an intersection or a marked crosswalk or drive onto any railroad grade crossing unless there is sufficient space on the other side of the intersection, crosswalk, or railroad grade crossing to accommodate the vehicle he or she is operating without obstructing the passage of other vehicles, pedestrians, or railroad trains notwithstanding any traffic control signal indications to proceed.

Lern tu reed. I didn't say anything about traffic on the cross street. That law applies to the lane you are crossing to, turning or not, being unable to accommodate you and I was fully aware of that.

 

[CZroe]

I'm assuming he means it's one of those "Yield on green" left turns and the person making that left turn takes his turn while someone going the opposite direction is trying to make a right turn (whom, by the way, would have the right of way)

I wonder if he is ever making a right on red and thinks he doesn't have to yield to the cars who have a green arrow just because they weren't originating from the intersecting street. I hope not.

You mean drivers run over people in the crosswalk and they aren't prosecuted?!

In CA, it's extremely frustrating if you have a pedestrian step right in front as you prepare to turn right and almost instantly leaves you enough space to turn but you have to wait for that ped to cross not only your lane, but the lane that has nothing to do with you and your turn. Then, inevitably, another ped enters the crosswalk just before the first finishes. It harms the flow of traffic and mostly exists to determine right of way and liability (not usually enforced).

 

[Ichinisan]

Turning my own lights on and off usually does the trick for me, if I'm directly in front of them.

If they're in the next lane and I can get them to hear me...

Yeah, I did that and it didn't work.

I always do that, and it never works.

Something is wrong with Georgian drivers.

 

[Ichinisan]

... without obstructing the passage of other vehicles, pedestrians, or railroad trains notwithstanding any traffic control signal indications to proceed.[/b]

See that part?

 

[HeXen]

I think the underlying issues that cause todays driving behaviors at its root are the fact that there are many roads that are not designed to handle the amount of traffic today. Traffic is unreal, even down narrow roads, there are poorly designed intersections, turning lanes created by squeezing it in from the original 2 lanes. Especially in cities where common business's pack down a main stretch of road that isn't large enough to handle all the people who need to get here and there on the same road.
TOp that off with bicyclers and slower drivers forcing other drivers to change into already congested lanes...now you have a recipe for roadass pie, or a wreck, whichever.

Many of the roads in my town were designed and first built in the 60's...now theres no room to expand or widen the roads cause everyone put buildings and utilities to the old road edge and too little easement for the city to do anything about it within reason.