Monday, January 14, 2013

Green means Go A Public Service Message

Okay, you're in the left turn lane at a traffic light and though the signal has a green turning arrow, it's not lit. However, the green circle is lit, and the adjacent traffic heading your same direction is flowing through it. The question is, do you pull into the intersection on that green light? Or do you hang back, pretend no one can see you pick your nose, and wait for the green arrow to appear -- even if it's not going to show it's cute little pointy self until it cycles through the pretty amber and red lights, and the cross traffic gets to take its turn? Hmm? Do you stay or do you go? Hmm? HMMM?You GO!! When a gap appears in the oncoming traffic, and you can make that turn safely, hit the gas! Seriously. It's legal! Do not wait for me to lay on my horn because we both could have gone through the light were it not for your remedial driving skills!
Sorry. I can't tell you how many times I have idled behind people who either don't realize they can go left on a green without the arrow (Hello-o-o, green means GO!) or they're too timid to freakin' drive their car the way the law says they can – and should.

I have been driving since I was 15. That means I've been behind the wheel for, um, a really long time. (Wowee, was there even sliced bread back then?) Way back in 1960 and for most of the last 50+ years, we did not have green sissy arrows for making left-hand turns at traffic lights. If you didn't scoot into the intersection and grab your opportunity when it was clear, you never got through an intersection. You think I'm crabby about this? Imagine a bitchin' hopped-up '55 Plymouth on your ass, pushing you through, bumper to bumper. Since the law used to allow for two vehicles to make the left turn, you had to be alert and quick (no time for picking your nose) to breeze through before cross traffic started to move. Those were the days.
Here's the second most important point:  if there is no space or time in the oncoming traffic to make your turn, you are supposed to wait for the light to change to amber (or even red, my dear) for the oncoming traffic to stop before you proceed. I know you won't believe this, but really, it's okay. This is just how it's done. You're not doing anything wrong by being in the intersection under an amber or red light till you can safely make the turn. Capiche?
And one more thing? When it's okay to go, GET OUT OF THE INTERSECTION!

Listen, this is not about being in a big rush to get nowhere fast. Nobody's asking you to take chances with your life. And maybe in your state, there are little green arrows everywhere, but not in indiana. Not yet. So we have to do it the old-fashioned way

4 comments:

CWMartin said...

Sunday night I was leaving work. While it is a four way with full lights, straight ahead takes you into GM. Dude sits at the light with nothing coming and no signal on. Waits for the green and turns right on green as I suspected. Is the words "right on red" lost on you?

Bob G. said...

MsN:
Arrow?
I didn't even see the INDIANS...!!!

But, in answer to your query, I will sit at the light UNTIL there IS a break in traffic...I might creep past the line into the intersection slightly, to signal my INTENTIONS.

The GREEN ARROW (which isn't just a DC comic character and a kick-ass show on the CW) is there to allow the left-turn lanes first crack AFTER the cross-lanes have cycled through.

Other than that, you can mosey on thriough when no one is coming...no arrow required.

Surprising how many don't figure that bad boy out, hmm?

Stay safe down there.

Alice said...

sissy green arrows:)

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