Advanced Green Light Behaviour -I Don't Get It!

[George7941]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Driving in traffic is a cooperative venture, not a competitive one.


The best cooperation is to obey traffic laws, which means once the lights stop flashing, you wait and yield the right of way to oncoming traffic, even though you are more important than the rest of the drivers and are in a hurry.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: George7941
Drivers keep coming through on the advanced green after the flashing green has stopped and opposing traffic has the right of way - why do people encourage this behaviour? I can see why drivers keep doing it - because they get away with doing it even though they are holding up opposing traffic.



The answer is, because those five seconds are the only chance they get per light cycle in heavy traffic. Ergo, a "conga line". You get it, but are annoyed by it.

 

[George7941]

You are forgetting drivers further back who do not get to cross the intersection because the cars do not move for a few seconds after the light has turned green. Because of multiple lanes of traffic, six or more drivers do not get through the intersection because two or three cars continue turning left on a solid green. How does that make sense?

 

[Garak]

George, you're right and it's terrible behaviour. I just about got hit a few days ago. I can see guys wanting to get out when they're already in the intersection, but when two people, long before the stop line, blast out and turn in front of everyone else who has the right of way, that's idiotic.

There are enough old farm trucks here that some people have learned some lessons.

 

[George7941]

Thanks, Garak. As you can see from some of the replies, Bitog has its fair share of drivers who think that they do not have to follow the law like everybody else.

 

[Garak]

I have no problem when someone's already in the intersection and moving along. I'm not the guy peering over my shoulder to watch the arrow stop and get ready to hit the gas at the earliest possible nanosecond when the light changes, and have a perfect launch, like a race. But, I don't need five cars going through when the arrow is done.

People forget that an arrow is a handy thing to have and not a free pass. It was always fun back in the day when a clock failed and there were no arrows at rush hour, or, worse, yet, everything became a four way stop. Waiting two minutes for the next arrow is not a big deal.

Perhaps a little more surveillance and enforcement at some of these intersections is in order.

 

[SeaJay]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27

Driving in traffic is a cooperative venture, not a competitive one.


It is extremely competitive by me in the crowded roads and highways in the NY metro area. I wish it weren't so, but it is.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: George7941
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Driving in traffic is a cooperative venture, not a competitive one.


The best cooperation is to obey traffic laws, which means once the lights stop flashing, you wait and yield the right of way to oncoming traffic, even though you are more important than the rest of the drivers and are in a hurry.


Obey traffic laws? You need to spend a day driving in IL. Nobody here obeys the law. It's free-for-all and everybody thinks they are entitled to do anything they please. And why? Because law enforcement does absolutely nothing around here to police bad drivers so everybody gets away with it. I don't know what the cops do around here, but the only time you see one is when there's an accident. Cops could literally park and just hand out tickets, but apparently they're too busy keeping the donut shops in business...

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

In my area, once you enter an intersection have the right of way after the light turns red and opposing traffic gets a green. The issue usually is either people blowing into an intersection on a red OR when the traffic backs up into the "side" street and the left turners can't clear the intersection in a timely manner. Thus certain intersections have a NO BLOCKING sign.

Its no excuse, but some intersections are setup so poorly for left turns, you'd be there an unreasonable amount of time. For example, near my house I turn left onto a side street off a pretty busy intersection come rush hour. The main road is single lane and when people stop to turn left on both sides of the road... people just blow past them on the both shoulders. Now neither left turner can make it. Happens every day... even cops do it (ride the shoulder). I'm just waiting for someone to smack a person turning left and be at fault.

 

[eljefino]

The real fix would be if the guy in front gunned the gas as soon as it turned green so the line behind him could go through at 15-20 MPH instead of 5. Would move more cars in less time. That would require paying attention.

 

[ndfergy]

Driving in traffic is a cooperative venture, not a competitive one.

The above statement I wholeheartedly agree with. You are part of a system where gap control, courtesy and route management should be your prime focus to maximize flow in heavy traffic. As far as the topic at hand with dedicated left turn light cycles I'm OK with a little cheating as long as the perpetrators get well into the intersection while still on caution. If red, which a lot of drivers do, you're on borrowed time if you keep this practice up. There's pedestrians, cyclists and potential timed open lane through traffic to consider.

Drivers getting hung up in an intersection is what really gets my goat. It's inexcusable and shows a lack of good judgement, character or both. You do not enter an intersection if you cannot clear because of backed up traffic or you are for certain anticipating it clear well before the light changes.

Drivers turning left from a side street against the flow of rush hour traffic if better options are available is another problem. Either they're doing this to try and save time or they're completely oblivious. Below is a classic example I've drawn up where the best route to take to maintain good traffic flow is the Blue arrow. Red is for Dummies.