quote:

ORIGINAL: OsideGirl

In the older sections of the cities of MA, there are no left turn lanes.

In the intersections with lights, there is 5 seconds between when the cross traffic light turns red and your light turns green. You put on your blinker, so oncoming traffic knows what you're doing, count to 5 and then throw it out there.

Otherwise, there is not a chance in hell that you will make a left turn.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Zonie63

quote:

ORIGINAL: OsideGirl

In the older sections of the cities of MA, there are no left turn lanes.

In the intersections with lights, there is 5 seconds between when the cross traffic light turns red and your light turns green. You put on your blinker, so oncoming traffic knows what you're doing, count to 5 and then throw it out there.

Otherwise, there is not a chance in hell that you will make a left turn.

What about making the left turn at the end of the cycle, just as your light turns yellow then red? That's what I usually do at intersections without arrows. I move out into the middle of the intersection before actually turning, so if oncoming traffic is too heavy, then I wait until the light turns red so that they finally stop, then I can make the turn.

quote:

ORIGINAL: OsideGirl

quote:

ORIGINAL: Zonie63

quote:

ORIGINAL: OsideGirl

In the older sections of the cities of MA, there are no left turn lanes.

In the intersections with lights, there is 5 seconds between when the cross traffic light turns red and your light turns green. You put on your blinker, so oncoming traffic knows what you're doing, count to 5 and then throw it out there.

Otherwise, there is not a chance in hell that you will make a left turn.

What about making the left turn at the end of the cycle, just as your light turns yellow then red? That's what I usually do at intersections without arrows. I move out into the middle of the intersection before actually turning, so if oncoming traffic is too heavy, then I wait until the light turns red so that they finally stop, then I can make the turn.

That's acceptable if you're not the first person in line. Basically, you can expect two left turns per cycle. But, if you're the first person in line and wait until the light turns red again, the people behind you will be very upset.

Truly, when you live there, the "banging a left" is just expected.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Zonie63
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to maintain one's sanity and composure while driving?

quote:

ORIGINAL: Zonie63

What about making the left turn at the end of the cycle, just as your light turns yellow then red? That's what I usually do at intersections without arrows. I move out into the middle of the intersection before actually turning, so if oncoming traffic is too heavy, then I wait until the light turns red so that they finally stop, then I can make the turn.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Zonie63

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to maintain one's sanity and composure while driving?

Yes....chill....be rational.

There's a dangerous mix of drivers who never really learned how to drive in the first place, along with those who view driving as some kind of gladiatorial combat and think the public roads are their own personal raceway.

(See above).

A lot of people clearly don't even bother to plan their route, as evidenced by people who zip across three lanes to make their exit in time. I see that a lot.

Many drivers don't even use their turn signals.

I seriously think you should track them down and kill them or, alternatively....chill the fuck out.

I'm probably speaking of a minority of drivers, as I think most drivers are courteous and obey the traffic laws. But there are some people who are enough to drive you nuts. Don't get me wrong, I'm not on the edge of road rage, but I'm just trying to gauge whether anyone else gets frustrated with traffic, bad drivers, etc. and how they generally handle it.

Uhmmmmm....we uhhhhh.....handle it.

quote:

ORIGINAL: OsideGirl

quote:

ORIGINAL: Hillwilliam

Drive in miami and you can drive anywhere.
I did it for 18 years.

I think SoCal is worse than Miami.

We have a large population of immigrants that come from places where the traffic moves much slower, traffic is much less, or they didn't own a car.

One of my friends is from Moloka'i. When she first moved here, she kept getting tickets for going too slow...because top speed on the island is 45MPH. She would freak out on the freeway.

quote:

ORIGINAL: DesFIP


The worst accident I've been in was caused by a tractor trailor who drove through a 40 mph zone, with a steep downhill grade going 70. He came up on me and never used his brakes. I was driven off the road with bad ditches either side and hit the only safe place in a mile and a half. The car went up a little embankment, flipped and was totaled. I walked away without a scratch. He never stopped. If he had, I would have made sure he was hit with a chargeable.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Hillwilliam

We had little old blue haired ladies driving their caddy in the left lane at 45

quote:

ORIGINAL: Hillwilliam
Annnnnnnnnnnd last but not least..........Canadians.

quote:

ORIGINAL: TheHeretic
Holy crap. Whatever God/s there may be were looking out for you there.

So you never knew if he had lost his brakes, or was in a meth rage, with you in path, huh?

quote:

ORIGINAL: TheHeretic

quote:

ORIGINAL: Zonie63

What about making the left turn at the end of the cycle, just as your light turns yellow then red? That's what I usually do at intersections without arrows. I move out into the middle of the intersection before actually turning, so if oncoming traffic is too heavy, then I wait until the light turns red so that they finally stop, then I can make the turn.

I met a guy once, whose method of making a left was to count to three when the light turned yellow, then gun it.

Unfortunately, at the moment we met, I was running 55 (legal limit) in an old Ford pick-up with shitty brakes, and had made the determination that I couldn't safely stop for the light, but could clear the intersection before the light turned red.

It wasn't a good moment for either of us.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Zonie63

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to maintain one's sanity and composure while driving?

quote:

ORIGINAL: MasterCaneman


When I'm driving, I KNOW I am better than 90% of the other drivers out there, simply because I've done more of it.