Pet Driving Peeve

50 years ago I was taught to creep into the intersection as you state. Do they not teach this anymore?
I specifically recall being taught in Driver's Ed, to not only pull into the intersection while waiting to make a left turn, but to pull in far enough that the car behind you can enter the intersection before the light changes.

I have been told that this is no longer taught, and in some states, it is against the driving code, to enter the intersection until it is clear to complete the left turn. Is this true? IDK.
 
Yeah that's annoying. This woman today was looking at her cell phone for about 30 seconds on a light that changes quickly with a line of traffic behind her. That's infuriating to me. I also live in the most densely populated state in the country by a long shot.
 
I specifically recall being taught in Driver's Ed, to not only pull into the intersection while waiting to make a left turn, but to pull in far enough that the car behind you can enter the intersection before the light changes.

I have been told that this is no longer taught, and in some states, it is against the driving code, to enter the intersection until it is clear to complete the left turn. Is this true? IDK.
What the OP describes, and to your question, is illegal in some states. In many states, you must wait at the stop line until you are actually able to go completely.

By proceeding into the intersection, and waiting until the light turns red to make your left turn, you are effectively blocking intersecting traffic when their light turns green. But that doesn’t matter, as long as you’re able to go, right?

In some states, that’ll get you a blast on the horn, in other states they use their middle finger to signal people who block the intersection for others.
 
Peeves me to no end when I see other drivers letting their pets drive.

Oh wait…

I don’t remember what was taught 30 years ago. I had half a mind to flip the manual when my kids were in drivers ed but never got to it. Don’t run into the op’s issue often, if at all, in my travels. But I do occasionally see a Boston left turn.
 
Green light and traffic coming the other way. I want to turn left. I go beyond the line so when it turns red I can go left. The majority of people will wait behind the line and wait for another cycle.
That’s one of my big pet peeves too, especially on intersections with no left turn signals. How do these people ever expect to get to turn when it’s a busy street???
 
Well, it all depends on the intersection and the traffic situation. There’s one particular intersection here that the traffic is lined bumper to bumper at the light. If you pull out to the center and wait to turn left, you’ll be sitting in the middle, waiting to turn until the 2 or 3 cars that try to beat the red light get through, with at least one of those 3 being a red light runner. At that point, you’re sitting in the middle, blocking the people that now have the green turn arrow. So now you’re the one that’s being irritating by making them wait even though they have a green light.
So in reality, everyone gets irritated at everyone else at traffic lights. 😂
 
In Missouri this is perfectly legal to do. It is a bit tricky since there is a safety risk of too much oncoming traffic to safely turn before the light turns red.
 
When I do this and I do it whenever I drive in the "Business Triangle", I need to be able to see that there is going to be a break, before I cross the line to make my turn. Our traffic signals encourage this behavior, with the yellow flashing left arrow while the thru lanes are green. Many times my left turn is completed while the thru signals are still green.
 
Al,

Yes it’s annoying but I understand some drivers don’t feel comfortable to creep into the intersection.

I drive in some intersections that are very narrow and it looks like both vehicles making a left hand turn almost scrape both passenger side doors.
 
Drivers here making a L turn are legally required to enter the intersection, but of course to wait until they can make the turn safely. In practice this often means waiting until the opposing traffic has stopped for a red light.
 
Its situational.
at a regular 4 way.. esp with a turn lane it works usually.
Light goes yellow you check to make sure oncoming is stopping then go..
now sometimes 3-4-5 people go which is absurd.
but i had to sit through 3 lights today because 4-5 dingdongs were blocking the road they went left at the end of their left arrow and were backed up onto the road so no one could go straight.. they deserved tickets.
 
In Ohio it’s called “clearance on yellow”-pull into intersection, light turns yellow, ONE CAR can turn left. Although around here it’s usually “light turns yellow, three cars run the red, then try to get out of the way before you get T-BONED!!”!
 
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