Dangerous left turns/today's near miss

[Mike and Cha]

Originally Posted by McKTX

My husband a retired TX police officer has often told me that if I/you are in the intersection with a green light you are OK as you have a green light. After it turns yellow/red you have the right to clear the intersection as it was you had the green light when you entered. Maybe just in TX?

That is the Law in every state I have been in, if you enter on a green, or even yellow for that matter you have to yield to oncoming traffic. Otherwise what are you supposed to do just turn in front of someone because the light is changing? That would be a little crazy and cause a lot of liability on the State that would enforce such a law.

[MRUSA14]

Originally Posted by RMSmithJr

I dislike left turns, even more so with the big rig.

Not me. I prefer a left turn over a right turn when driving a big rig. The left turn gives you much more room to maneuver and makes it far easier to complete the turn without hitting a curb.

[Oldkarphart]

Originally Posted by MRUSA14

Not me. I prefer a left turn over a right turn when driving a big rig. The left turn gives you much more room to maneuver and makes it far easier to complete the turn without hitting a curb.

Three Lefts make One Right in a tight right turn intersection.

[rocketslc]

Originally Posted by McKTX

My husband a retired TX police officer has often told me that if I/you are in the intersection with a green light you are OK as you have a green light. After it turns yellow/red you have the right to clear the intersection as it was you had the green light when you entered. Maybe just in TX?

Then there's Utah where the next 6 cars in line think they have the right to enter the intersection and turn after the red.

[G.G.]

Originally Posted by Oldkarphart

Three Lefts make One Right in a tight right turn intersection.

When I took the Lazy Days driver course, we were told this is the preferred method. According to LD, one of the big delivery outfits (UPS/Fed Ex/????-can't remember) has this as a rule..no right turns...always take the 3 left turns and come back to where the right turn would've been.

[LPerry]

Originally Posted by G.G.

When I took the Lazy Days driver course, we were told this is the preferred method. According to LD, one of the big delivery outfits (UPS/Fed Ex/????-can't remember) has this as a rule..no right turns...always take the 3 left turns and come back to where the right turn would've been.

My UPS driving buddy told me the opposite. They don't want the risk or the wait if left turns so they route all right turns as much as they can.

[twinboat]

Left turns are the cause of most accidents, why would you want to make 3, rather then 1 right.

[ElvistheKing]

Originally Posted by DryCreek

Except in Japan, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand?

Also most of Southern Africa, India, etc.

Try doing it in a left hand drive 38" foot RV over here too.

[THenman]

Originally Posted by twinboat

Left turns are the cause of most accidents, why would you want to make 3, rather then 1 right.

Turning radius. On a tight right turn in a long class A you may have to get into oncoming lanes twice to avoid clipping something on the corner plus tail swing can also cause a problem. The left turn has a larger radius and the vehicle will stay in lane better.

Tom

[wilburn]

Originally Posted by G.G.

When I took the Lazy Days driver course, we were told this is the preferred method. According to LD, one of the big delivery outfits (UPS/Fed Ex/????-can't remember) has this as a rule..no right turns...always take the 3 left turns and come back to where the right turn would've been.

UPS Drivers Never Turn Left, and Neither Should You | Travel + Leisure

[AITG]

Right turn...left turn...hey, it's a 50/50 shot.
In reality, a UPS package car (the brown truck) can go anywhere your car can go. And they don't turn left in North America.

[UFO Pilot]

Many years ago, I worked for a large communications company in San Francisco. They had a rule of no left turns unless you were on a one way street.

[EdInArk]

Originally Posted by LPerry

My UPS driving buddy told me the opposite. They don't want the risk or the wait if left turns so they route all right turns as much as they can.

UPS even has routing software that attempts to avoid left-hand turns. I also have a UPS driver buddy who says they try to avoid lefts.

I also saw a UPS exec being interviewed on some TV show that said that.

[nehog]

To this thread I'll add that in New Hampshire virtually all left turns at lights are controlled by an arrow, and a turn is only allowed when the arrow is green. Makes a left turn much, much safer. Down side is that it does slow traffic down some!