Left turn view obstructed --- lean out or wait for the yellow?

[E=mc²]

Originally Posted by alex.w *//

perfect example would be turning left onto e hastings from renfrew. if the #16 bus is turning left onto e hastings from renfrew. The view is totally obstructed, and in rush hour traffic, the left turn lane is jam packed with cars.

Southbound Renfrew eh. Does the left turn signal actually work? I recall times during rush hour when I turn onto Renfrew (after coming from dundas) and the advance arrow never appears.

Originally Posted by tiger_handheld

you should be able to look at reflections from store windows etc..
if there are no store windows , u look thru the persons ( the person who's turning left) window, you should be able to see any light that is moving from back to front...

Yeah whatever method works.

Personally I just wait simply because it's easier to wait instead of forcing/straining myself trying to get a good view because even then, there are exceptional cases (don't you just love that) where some idiot doesn't have his lights on so you don't notice him and BAM you're fucked.

[twitchyzero]

Originally Posted by twitchyzero

When you start relying on that..what happens when the opposing car that's running the yellow light doesnt have his/her headlights on?

Originally Posted by tiger_handheld

you should be able to look at reflections from store windows etc..
if there are no store windows , u look thru the persons ( the person who's turning left) window, you should be able to see any light that is moving from back to front...

i think you missed the purpose of my statement

[hotjoint]

wait for the yellow or even red if its really buxy

[impactX]

S-approach. If that doesn't work, you don't wait till yellow, you wait till everyone on the opposite lane stops (or almost stops).

[kuri]

So why do they call it the "S-Approach"?

But yeah, like what everyone else have said already, do what you can to get a view without obstructing the opposing lane. If you can't (and especially when it's dark and some mofos have all their lights off), just wait it out. Better safe than sorry.

[Shun Izaki]

I just... lean a BIT... not enough that the front nose of my car is in their lane...If they hit me, i KNOW i'm still in mine

[q0192837465]

I'd just wait.

Saving a few seconds for the guy behind me is not worth putting myself in danger.

[Dragon-88]

Stay straight and dont turn until the intersections is clear. You must NOT lean into the oncomming lane because, one if the guy on the opposite lane get to turn and all the car behind him are going straight then ur the ass in the middle of an intersection, you should also stray straight before you turn because, if some one where to hit you from behind and your wheels are facing left guess where your car is going once u get hit.. Onto the incomming lane.... Just best to be patient and wait.

[E=mc²]

I guess it's pretty much unanimous.
Glad to see I'm not the only one doing this.
It IS hard tho I have to say, if you're at an intersection that doesn't have lights....like 1st ave east of Clark. Sometimes cars in both directions are turning left and since there's no light you can't use that to your advantage.
The good news is the person facing the uphill has a good view of oncoming cars in both lanes (sorta) whereas the downhill person is screwed.

haha I just avoid these types of intersections like the plague. No point stressing oneself.

[Stevie P]

Punch it and hope for the best.

[6thGear.]

Originally Posted by twitchyzero

When you start relying on that..what happens when the opposing car that's running the yellow light doesnt have his/her headlights on?

I never said I relied on it. Its simply an extra tool to use when driving. Same with the S-approach and looking through the windows of the opposing traffic. You can also roll your window down and stick your head out. Driving isn't black and white, there's tons of variables out there and you use any and all tricks to avoid accidents.

Drivers out there are becoming more and more idiotic and their bad habits are more apparent than ever. For instances, a stop sign means to come to a complete stop BEFORE the sign. Everyday I see drivers do a rolling stop and literally slam on their brakes past the corner of the curb. Or better yet when they take a turn they don't turn into the closest lane to them, they take the farthest lane out cause they're fucking lazy.

Maybe we should make a thread on driving tips

[E=mc²]

Originally Posted by 6thGear.

I never said I relied on it. Its simply an extra tool to use when driving. Same with the S-approach and looking through the windows of the opposing traffic. You can also roll your window down and stick your head out. Driving isn't black and white, there's tons of variables out there and you use any and all tricks to avoid accidents.

Drivers out there are becoming more and more idiotic and their bad habits are more apparent than ever. For instances, a stop sign means to come to a complete stop BEFORE the sign. Everyday I see drivers do a rolling stop and literally slam on their brakes past the corner of the curb. Or better yet when they take a turn they don't turn into the closest lane to them, they take the farthest lane out cause they're fucking lazy.

Maybe we should make a thread on driving tips

Hmm, but if you're not gonna rely on it then there really isn't a point in looking at the reflections then? For instance, if my view is obstructed by the opposing left turner (with a long lineup behind him) I've pretty much made up my mind to wait until the light changes you know what I mean. I sometimes don't even bother looking at traffic, and just wait for the light to change. Because I've noticed that during times where I watch for oncoming traffic closely, I KNOW I still won't go just because it appears that there are no more oncoming cars. Rather not risk it. It may look safe but the "what ifs" makes me feel safer to just wait for the yellow. Thus, any other methods to see better are irrelevant IMO. And obviously leaning out is a no no.

Off topic, but I'm guilty of doing the rolling stops at stop signs and turning onto the center lane. To be honest I don't think rolling stops are any more dangerous. If there's a pedestrian about to cross or whatever I know to stop fully, that's common sense. For the right turns, the curb lane is usually filled with parked cars so it really makes no sense to turn into it sometimes. Plus, sometimes turning into the curb lane is just too tight of a turn and it's easier to go to the left lane (e.g. Commercial turning onto 1st Ave eastbound).

Another issue with turning right onto the curb lane, say you're trying to turn right and cross traffic is only on the left lane, none on the curb lane. Would you still turn? I, like most people, would actually wait for cross traffic in the left lane to pass before making my turn because it's really tight of a turn, plus what if someone in the left lane decides to change to the curb lane? Very dangerous IMO.

and I agree, a thread on driving tips would be a very good idea

[6thGear.]

Ok. Let me rephrase myself. Its one of the tips I use when driving. Not only do I use the reflections, I also look through the opposing cars window or I'll stick my head out of my window. Of course when all else fails, I will wait for the red light. Rolling stops may not be dangerous as it sounds, but lets say you do that and an intersecting car crosses your path. Not knowing if your going to fully stop, they slam on their brakes thinking your running a stop sign. They end up getting rear-ended by a tail-gater. You may not have been in that accident but you sure as hell just caused it. Your already at fault according to ICBC.

As for the right turns, major streets have 3 lanes. Center lane, middle lane and curb lane. If your turning right, you take the closest available lane. Same as if your turning left. Its not that hard. No right turn is "too tight". They all have the same degree's of turn. Now of course that only applies when you have 2 lanes of traffic. But if you only have 1 lane of traffic, then its pretty obvious you turn when its safe to do so and not turn into the curb lane, since your supposed to take the closet available lane and the curb lane with parked cars is deemed not available. I don't even know why you brought that scenario up. That's just common sense man!

Now, I'm no traffic driving guru. It's just that having to take my class 6 road test 6 years ago really opened my eyes and refreshed a lot of the road rules I had forgotten. It also made me realize just how much we all need to follow them. They were made up and implemented for a reason.

[E=mc²]

Originally Posted by 6thGear.

As for the right turns, major streets have 3 lanes. Center lane, middle lane and curb lane. If your turning right, you take the closest available lane. Same as if your turning left. Its not that hard. No right turn is "too tight". They all have the same degree's of turn. Now of course that only applies when you have 2 lanes of traffic. But if you only have 1 lane of traffic, then its pretty obvious you turn when its safe to do so and not turn into the curb lane, since your supposed to take the closet available lane and the curb lane with parked cars is deemed not available. I don't even know why you brought that scenario up. That's just common sense man!

I meant turns like from commercial onto a 2 lane road (where both lanes are used - not a street like Hastings where the curb is usually parked cars) are tight, but actually even more so when it comes to turns from a driveway.

I guess I should've been more clear, a better example would be turning out of a parking lot onto the curb lane on First Ave for instance. (RBC parking lot at renfrew, or the one by commercial). Believe me it's tight as hell and when you have fast moving traffic, common sense tells you to wait til BOTH lanes are free and then make the turn (not make the turn when only the curb lane is free because cars in the left lane may switch lanes into you or you may cut into the left lane slightly for instance and cause an accident). The second point in the brackets refers more to "shitty" drivers but even the best drivers can't help but cut into the left lane slightly when they are driving a van or pickup truck.

this is irrelevant for streets like broadway/hastings, but more for First Ave, 12th ave where both lanes are free, there are no parked cars. And it refers more to turns from a driveway.