Support NeoGAF

[KHarvey16]

It isn't that stationary cars are heading towards them. It is when people pull out and pull into oncoming traffic. I've seen those accidents happen. Someone parked on the wrong side of the road just pulls into oncoming traffic and results in a head on collision.

Yeah, it's illegal because you necessarily must go the wrong direction in the lane to park that way.

I'm dead serious. No joke.

Their is a rampant lack of common courtesy for strangers by far too many people.

Not turning left isn't a common courtesy.

It would be great if the rest of you all just stayed home and left the roads to me alone. Why don't you guys muster up some decency and sleep in?

 

[Foggy]

Hopefully OP knows when McDonald's stops serving breakfast

 

[Jack Remington]

Being upset about someone turning left is a lack of courtesy for yourself. You literally are neglecting the fact that they are going to their destination because it inconveniences you. So you'd rather they be inconvenienced.

I was arguing for the greater good. They aren't inconveniencing one person. They're holding up dozens of people to make that maneuver.

 

[lsslave]

I wouldn't say that. It's about 40/60 in this thread so far. Just shows that the public awareness campaign still has a ways to go.

No. Unreasonable people with emotional issues need therapy.

I wish nothing greater than for you to be forced behind 50 cars turning left for the rest of your life unable to merge into the right lane. Learn some patience.

I know your mom told you that you were special or some shit like that but you're not. Your time is no more valuable than anyone else's. And them turning left? That is their turn to turn. They waited their turn you can damn well wait for yours.

Seriously. I can't wait until it's an unmarked cop you pull your drama on.

Edit:

I was arguing for the greater good. They aren't inconveniencing one person. They're holding up dozens of people to make that maneuver.

Who will all have to make their turns eventually. Everyone has a destination.

Why do you think most people turn to happy hour, skip out on driving through heavy traffic and wait for the flow to ease. I don't mind traffic. Turn up the tunes light a smoke and just go were the traffic takes me. If time was that big of a rush I'd have left earlier.

 

[El Odio]

On my way to work I have to pass a hospital that has two entrances. The first one has no separate lane for left turners while the second one not even a block away does. I absolutely annoys me when people don't just go ahead to the second entrance and then turn to the parking garage they wanted to turn into near the first entrance but it never aggravates me as much as the OP.

 

[KHarvey16]

On my way to work I have to pass a hospital that has two entrances. The first one has no separate lane for left turners while the second one not even a block away does. I absolutely annoys me when people don't just go ahead to the second entrance and then turn to the parking garage they wanted to turn into near the first entrance but it never aggravates me as much as the OP.

I would guess that a lot of people going to the hospital don't do it regularly and might not know that.

 

[QuicheFontaine]

I'm from the UK and can't comprehend this.

Paint pls?

Yep, in the UK we can turn left with no problem. Our system is clearly superior.

 

[mackattk]

I personally have never had a problem with this, maybe LA is quite a bit different. . It can be a little annoying, but don't let something like this ruin your day and don't get mad about it. Honking and flipping them the bird won't get them out of traffic any faster.

 

[joelseph]

This is going to be up there with tipping and tipping.

 

[DonDraper]

I live in LA and I do this all the time. I don't give a shit. I need to make my turn on that street. It is not illegal. If that pisses you off and causes you to honk and flip me the bird, then fuck off.

 

[Enco]

Is this accurate? So the people behind the turner get pissed?

 

[Archaix]

I find this impossible. The only possible scenario would be if the traffic has filled the intersection by the time the light goes yellow and cannot clear. At this point the people turning left should be completely in intersection because cross traffic is impeded and are given the first right of way as the upcoming green clears the intersection.

That's hard to believe, but not the part about it taking months?

Obviously it was exaggerated, but not every intersection has a traffic light. Left turns can happen anywhere. Your own sister might be a left turn. Try to sleep at night now.

 

[lsslave]

This is going to be up there with tipping and tipping.

No. This is pretty open and shut. A few self centered butt's think they are right. A few people who don't make left turns. The majority who think people who get angry about people making the turn they are entitled to make are the ones with issues.

And myself who genuinely feels the OP has emotional instability for their reaction to the situation.

 

[Halcyon]

Is this accurate? So the people behind the turner get pissed?

I'm assuming it is more than a single lane of traffic on both sides, otherwise it wouldn't be that busy.


So the OP is the one in the left lane that can't pull into what is probably an open right lane.

 

[joelseph]

That's hard to believe, but not the part about it taking months?

Obviously it was exaggerated, but not every intersection has a traffic light. Left turns can happen anywhere. Your own sister might be a left turn. Try to sleep at night now.

Light or not, if a intersection fills to a stop the car making the left turn is given immediate right away. I am unable to come up with a scenario that has you stuck behind a left turning car for more than 60 seconds.

 

[Grym]

Is this accurate? So the people behind the turner get pissed?

yes, accurate (though usually there are multiple lanes of traffic both ways)

no, only the OP gets pissed. everyone else is mildly inconvenienced (or driving in the further lane avoiding all the turners)

 

[Fularu]

Is this accurate? So the people behind the turner get pissed?

On this drawing, people on the left are dicks for not letting the driver make the left turn.

It wastes 10 seconds of your life and makes almost everyone happy.

 

[xxracerxx]

What gets my goat is that in most cases, there are other options. Usually you can find an intersection with an actual left turn lane within a block or two, and you can either double back or go up a street. If you have to get into a driveway that's only accessible from the street you're on, you can make a u-turn further down the road and turn into the driveway from the right. In short, there's very rarely a reason for anyone to screw over dozens of people for such selfishness.

Fuck this shit. I can damn well turn left when I want to.

 

[Dart]

I've made it my policy to honk incessantly if I'm immediately behind the driver doing this. If I manage to get into the next lane to go around the driver, I make sure to flip the bird as I go past. More people need to flip the bird for this shit.

Unnecessary honking could panic a driver into an accident.
You are endangering the safety of others as a trade off to your precious time & yet they are the selfish ones for trying to safely make a legal left turn?

What a dick move.

 

[FleckSplat]

It would be nice if people were courteous enough in the oncoming lane to leave a little path for left turners.

Nope, probably not going to happen.

 

[Cyan]

Is this accurate? So the people behind the turner get pissed?

Yes, except that generally it will be two lanes and the OP could just move into the right-hand lane in places where he knows this is likely to happen.

 

[pigeon]

This is why LA needs high speed rail.

 

[Pepiope]

I make this turn nearly everyday. You can be upset, but I usually put my turn signal on extra early to let the driver behind me know to gtfo of the lane.

 

[Elrond Hubbard]

Light or not, if a intersection fills to a stop the car making the left turn is given immediate right away. I am unable to come up with a scenario that has you stuck behind a left turning car for more than 60 seconds.

Nah, I have to do this sometimes. I got stuck for fully five minutes the other day because I had to wait through an extra red light cycle due to the turning douchebag.

I might not go quite so far as the OP, but I agree with his sentiment. Fuck those people. There is almost always a street with a proper left turn lane within a block or two, and you can just double back or make a U-turn.

Yes, except that generally it will be two lanes and the OP could just move into the right-hand lane in places where he knows this is likely to happen.

When I've been stuck in this scenario, it's because the right lane just speeds by mercilessly, not letting anyone in.

 

[jamesinclair]

I've made it my policy to honk incessantly if I'm immediately behind the driver doing this.

I hope you get pulled over and plastered onto the sidewalk for two hours by a good apple at LAPD. Youre breaking the law.

They're acting legally. You're not.

If you think it shouldn't be, talk to your local rep and ask for a left turn lane.

 

[inner-G]

I have never heard of someone being mad at another driver for turning. You crazy, OP.

Take the bus.

 

[Foggy]

Now trying to turn left out of a parking lot across 6 busy-ass lanes and taking 8 minutes to do this...that's some selfish(and dumb) shit. Especially if the parking lot doesn't have designated areast to turn right and left onto the street.

I sympathize with the OP, to a degree. I like to think I'm a very relaxed and easy-going guy, but man, if I'm waiting in the self-service line at a grocery store then you can count on me irrationally judging everything about people for taking forever at those self-service stations.

 

[Cyan]

When I've been stuck in this scenario, it's because the right lane just speeds by mercilessly, not letting anyone in.

Right. That's why I said "places where this is likely to happen" rather than "when this happens." The right lane is never going to let you in, you have to plan ahead. It's annoying, but it's a problem that you can handle with a little forethought.

 

[commedieu]

Is this accurate? So the people behind the turner get pissed?

More accurate..

 

[Enco]

I'm assuming it is more than a single lane of traffic on both sides, otherwise it wouldn't be that busy.


So the OP is the one in the left lane that can't pull into what is probably an open right lane.

So he's stuck behind someone turning and wants to turn to the right lane but can't?

But yea this issue sounds weird.

In the UK we have small areas made for people that want to turn. Wouldn't that solve this problem?

edit: loool at the picture above.

 

[noquarter]

Can't agree with you at all. Now if there is a sign with No Left during certain times or ever, than I understand getting upset.

Where I live now I can turn left, drive about a mile, going through three more traffic lights, make a left, go through a parking lot and go back through the last three lights (hopefully somebody isn't trying to go straight in the right most lane so I can 'skip' the last light) and then make the right that would be a left. So can add anywhere between 1 minute to 5 extra minutes.

Maybe you should just try to drive in the right lane and pass the left lane up? I know driving in city traffic sucks, did it for a few years years ago and now get to deal with traffic everywhere, but getting angry at other motorists really is only going to get you hurt. Do you really think the car making a left is concerned with you? Just chill and make sure your safe when driving.

 

[studyguy]

Again I assumed we were talking about unprotected left turns where depending on the city, no one gives a fuck about giving you the right of way or it can be hard to see oncoming traffic.

Those kinds of turns are never fun.
Worse yet are the ones in the middle of the street in LA where the business you need to go to is on the left and there's clearly a marked break to enter, but you need to go against traffic. It's stupid, the city is laid out terribly and there's not much to do about it.

 

[speculawyer]

I'm even more annoyed by people that can't properly take right turns.

PSA: USE THE BIKE LANE WHEN TURNING RIGHT!

As long as there are no bicyclists, you can pull over the right and slow down in the bike lane before making your right turn such that you do not slow the traffic behind you. That is why it is a dotted line at the intersection.

 

[Valtýr]

if i have to make a left, i'm making a left. don't really care about the people behind me.

 

[Htown]

So, to recap, today we've learned that going less than the speed limit and turning left are asshole moves on the road.

 

[Affeinvasion]

The left lane is for passing and taking left turns. If you drive in the left lane all the time you had better expect to stop behind people taking left turns.

 

[Jonm1010]

Being upset about someone turning left is a lack of courtesy for yourself. You literally are neglecting the fact that they are going to their destination because it inconveniences you. So you'd rather they be inconvenienced.

Here is an example of courtesy "You have one item, go ahead of me" (people do this all the time at a store). An example of you being an impatient dolt? You deciding how OTHER people pay for things. You don't get to choose how they make a payment (based on your previous comment I used this reference).

Let me be clear what I am talking about when I say left hand turners.

I am talking about the people that take a left hand turn when they are pulling up to a right hand lane. Worse when they creep out blocking oncoming cars. Double worse when the lot they are pulling out of has a light they could of used to make that turn

I am talking about people who could go up a block and make a u-turn or could go up and find a light that could allow a proper left turn but instead they choose to stop traffic to turn left because going up is too inconvenient for them.

I am talking about people that try and cross 3 or more lanes of traffic to get into the turning lane at the light instead of exiting the lot at a spot that could prevent that or turning right and finding a more appropriate place to get to the street you are going.

I am talking about this:


http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_VAsiC5a02U

 

[outunderthestars]

I'm even more annoyed by people that can't properly take right turns.

PSA: USE THE BIKE LANE WHEN TURNING RIGHT!

As long as there are no bicyclists, you can pull over the right and slow down in the bike lane before making your right turn such that you do not slow the traffic behind you. That is why it is a dotted line at the intersection.

That is untrue in alot of states. California allows it, but only less than 200 feet from the intersection and you cannot impede cycling traffic, nor narrow the bike lane to below 3-4 feet (which is almost impossible to avoid given how narrow most bike lanes are)

 

[Russell_T_Shackelford]

Forgive me if I'm reading this wrong, but isn't it something a good ol' Michigan Left can help with?

Or perhaps a Jersey Jughandle?

Of course, LA's current state isn't conducive to either of these solutions.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

It's not illegal, right? Then it's none of your fucking business if I choose to take a left turn.

You should not be driving when juicing.

 

[Muffdraul]

I pretty much agree with the OP. I live in LA, and if there isn't a dedicated left turn lane then I avoid making a left turn there at all costs. I'll gladly go an extra block or two and flip a bitch. I just can't stand the idea of people behind me thinking "I FUCKING HATE YOU SO MUCH I WISH I COULD HATE YOU TO DEATH." Because that's pretty much what I do when I'm stuck behind some asshole making an inconsiderate left turn.

The left lane is for passing and taking left turns.

Yeah, 100 years ago when there were only 1/8th of the number of cars on the road. That dog won't hunt today.

 

[darkazcura]

I wouldn't say that. It's about 40/60 in this thread so far. Just shows that the public awareness campaign still has a ways to go.

40/60? Are we reading the same thread. I think one maybe two people have agreed with you in this thread.

 

[StopMakingSense]

40/60? Are we reading the same thread. I think one maybe two people have agreed with you in this thread.

Seriously!

 

[jamesinclair]

That is untrue in alot of states. California allows it, but only less than 200 feet from the intersection and you cannot impede cycling traffic, nor narrow the bike lane to below 3-4 feet (which is almost impossible to avoid given how narrow most bike lanes are)

Incorrect.

in 50/51 states it is either REQUIRED or heavily encouraged.

Only Oregon is different with their shit rules. (Im including DC which has the same exact law as California)

-Only 200 feet

Thats actually about 10 car lengths, so it is significant

-Cannot impede cycling traffic

Not exactly. You can't cut anyone off (obviously), but you merge behind the bike. If other bikes arrive while youre waiting to turn, theyre to pass you on your left

-" nor narrow the bike lane to below 3-4 feet"

Youve got that completely wrong. Its a reference to the 3 foot passing law, but youre not passing a bike when making a right turn. Youre to merge as far right as possible, as close to the shoulder/curb as you can to make your turn.

This is what the page you linked to says:

When you are making a right turn and are within 200 feet of the corner or other driveway entrance, you must enter the bicycle lane only after ensuring there is no bicycle traffic, and then make the turn. Do not drive in the bicycle lane at any other time.

Which is what speculawyer said.

1) Check if (bike) lane is clear
2) Signal merge
3) Merge into lane as far right as practible
4) Turn at corner/driveway

 

[Jack Remington]

Okay, aside from the over the top honking and whatever, would people agree that going an extra block or two to where there's an actual left turn lane and doubling back would be a far more considerate course of action than holding up dozens of people as much as five minutes each to make one turn?

1-2 minutes of your time vs 40 minutes to 2 hours of combined societal time.

 

[Orthogonal]

Shared roads would fix a lot of common traffic issues. It is a concept that seems strange at first (even absurd) but the few places that have used it have seen dramatic improvement in traffic flow and safety. It would however be fairly costly to implement in the US since it would require both road and intersection redesigns in order to retrain drivers from a lifetime of conditioning and bad habits on the road.

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=-vzDDMzq7d0

 

[Man_Flannel]

You get mad at people taking legal left turns?

 

[StopMakingSense]

Okay, aside from the over the top honking and whatever, would people agree that going an extra block or two to where there's an actual left turn lane and doubling back would be a far more considerate course of action than holding up dozens of people as much as five minutes each to make one turn?

1-2 minutes of your time vs 40 minutes to 2 hours of combined societal time.

WHERE ARE YOU THAT MULTIPLE DOZENS OF PEOPLE ARE BEING HELD UP? I HAVE LITERALLY NEVER SEEN THIS IN LOS ANGELES



Seriously, at most its like 3-5 cars that get unlucky, at most. Any more than that is a huge rarity.

 

[KHarvey16]

Okay, aside from the over the top honking and whatever, would people agree that going an extra block or two to where there's an actual left turn lane and doubling back would be a far more considerate course of action than holding up dozens of people as much as five minutes each to make one turn?

1-2 minutes of your time vs 40 minutes to 2 hours of combined societal time.

I'd pay good money to waste 2 hours of your time.

 

[Jack Remington]

WHERE ARE YOU THAT MULTIPLE DOZENS OF PEOPLE ARE BEING HELD UP? I HAVE LITERALLY NEVER SEEN THIS IN LOS ANGELES



Seriously, at most its like 4-5 people who het unlucky, at most. Any more than that is a huge rarity.

Drive down Santa Monica Blvd in the afternoon or early evening.