Why left turns are so jacked up in Tucson.

[lucas80]

CSB, we’ve been in Tucson for a few days doing some hiking and the left hand turn situation is maddening. A bunch of major intersections have no left turns allowed, you go past a block and then make a protected u-turn. This is called a Michigan left for some reason. Supposedly it’s safer. It doesn’t seem safe. It seems like a lot of people will attempt to turn left anyway, or you get smoked at the u-turn by someone running the light from the opposite direction.
Any other odd traffic patterns you’d care to discuss?

Why does Tucson have so many different kinds of left turns?

In Tucson, there are lagging arrows, and leading arrows and flashing yellow arrows. Even intersections with no left turns at all—the so called ‘indirect’ or ‘Michigan left,’ which involves a U-turn once past the intersection.

www.kgun9.com

 

[millah_22]

CSB, we’ve been in Tucson for a few days doing some hiking and the left hand turn situation is maddening. A bunch of major intersections have no left turns allowed, you go past a block and then make a protected u-turn. This is called a Michigan left for some reason. Supposedly it’s safer. It doesn’t seem safe. It seems like a lot of people will attempt to turn left anyway, or you get smoked at the u-turn by someone running the light from the opposite direction.
Any other odd traffic patterns you’d care to discuss?

Why does Tucson have so many different kinds of left turns?

In Tucson, there are lagging arrows, and leading arrows and flashing yellow arrows. Even intersections with no left turns at all—the so called ‘indirect’ or ‘Michigan left,’ which involves a U-turn once past the intersection.

www.kgun9.com

Dodge street in omaha has no left turns (except into a business, but you still prob shouldn't attempt). There are a bunch of right exits that take you about a half block, and then you take a left and cross at an intersection.

As inconvenient as it can be, it does make the street flow a lot better than it likely would with left turns.

 

[millah_22]

Dodge street in omaha has no left turns (except into a business, but you still prob shouldn't attempt). There are a bunch of right exits that take you about a half block, and then you take a left and cross at an intersection.

As inconvenient as it can be, it does make the street flow a lot better than it likely would with left turns.

For example

 

[bagdropper]

A buddy of mine used to live in Michigan and he called these Michigan U-turns.

When I'd visit him, took some getting used to but eventually got the hang of it.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

CSB, we’ve been in Tucson for a few days doing some hiking and the left hand turn situation is maddening. A bunch of major intersections have no left turns allowed, you go past a block and then make a protected u-turn. This is called a Michigan left for some reason. Supposedly it’s safer. It doesn’t seem safe. It seems like a lot of people will attempt to turn left anyway, or you get smoked at the u-turn by someone running the light from the opposite direction.
Any other odd traffic patterns you’d care to discuss?

Why does Tucson have so many different kinds of left turns?

In Tucson, there are lagging arrows, and leading arrows and flashing yellow arrows. Even intersections with no left turns at all—the so called ‘indirect’ or ‘Michigan left,’ which involves a U-turn once past the intersection.

www.kgun9.com

Florida doesn't seem to care much about running red lights. I honestly don't think it's controlled by camera's or anything...see it all the time...light hits yellow and folks speed up and go through while it's red.

Had someone almost rear end me because I stopped while it was yellow....

 

[bdcolt45er]

CSB, we’ve been in Tucson for a few days doing some hiking and the left hand turn situation is maddening. A bunch of major intersections have no left turns allowed, you go past a block and then make a protected u-turn. This is called a Michigan left for some reason. Supposedly it’s safer. It doesn’t seem safe. It seems like a lot of people will attempt to turn left anyway, or you get smoked at the u-turn by someone running the light from the opposite direction.
Any other odd traffic patterns you’d care to discuss?

Why does Tucson have so many different kinds of left turns?

In Tucson, there are lagging arrows, and leading arrows and flashing yellow arrows. Even intersections with no left turns at all—the so called ‘indirect’ or ‘Michigan left,’ which involves a U-turn once past the intersection.

www.kgun9.com

It's a common traffic pattern in Michigan. It is very easy to use in my opinion. The judgement on the left u turn is easier, in most situations there is no light for the u turn because there will be long breaks in traffic.

 

[St. Louis Hawk]

For example

We have a few of these in the Lou on Lindbergh Blvd except, in your map above, there is no street coming from the right where you make the 90 degree left - the exit loop is totally dedicated and isolated.

You just exit, make your 90 degree left, pull up to Lindbergh, wait for the light at Lindbergh, and then go straight (completing a left) or go left (completing a u-turn).

Interesting in why they use them.

 

[TC Nole OX]

How to make a Michigan Left!

 

[millah_22]

Florida doesn't seem to care much about running red lights. I honestly don't think it's controlled by camera's or anything...see it all the time...light hits yellow and folks speed up and go through while it's red.

Had someone almost rear end me because I stopped while it was yellow....

Pretty common in Omaha too. A mix between selfish drivers, impatient drivers, and sometimes the stoplights are very punishing if you don't make it through.

 

[jamesvanderwulf]

Did you hike to the top of Picacho Peak?

 

[billanole]

In Jersey, they call the “angle to the right, cut left to a light thingy” a jug handle. Cuts way down on t bone accidents and traffic moves well.

 

[lucas80]

Did you hike to the top of Picacho Peak?

No. Mrs. Lucas wasn’t feeling well enough to make the ascent. We looped around 2 miles, and then went up about 400 feet in that last .8 mile, but retreated. The desert poppies were in full bloom, so that was amazing to see. We hiked Catalina and Saguaro West.

 

[lucas80]

Back to the point, I guess they say it’s safer, but I still saw people aggressively making u-turns to get back to where they needed to turn, and then make dangerous right hand turns. Most of these streets are 45-50 mph, so you could get smoked just as easily turning right, which negates the safety advantage of no left turns.

 

[DooBi]

 

[LuciousBDragon]

CSB, we’ve been in Tucson for a few days doing some hiking and the left hand turn situation is maddening. A bunch of major intersections have no left turns allowed, you go past a block and then make a protected u-turn. This is called a Michigan left for some reason. Supposedly it’s safer. It doesn’t seem safe. It seems like a lot of people will attempt to turn left anyway, or you get smoked at the u-turn by someone running the light from the opposite direction.
Any other odd traffic patterns you’d care to discuss?

Why does Tucson have so many different kinds of left turns?

In Tucson, there are lagging arrows, and leading arrows and flashing yellow arrows. Even intersections with no left turns at all—the so called ‘indirect’ or ‘Michigan left,’ which involves a U-turn once past the intersection.

www.kgun9.com

Are you also going to drive back to the Midwest and provide a travelogue update here on HORT for fast-food ideas in Kansas and every stop to change your Depends?