Nellonfury Member Username: Nellonfury
Post Number: 232 Registered: 03-2005
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 6:55 am: | |
It's been a year now since I start noticing the new LEFT turn signals.In case you don't know what it looks like, here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =O-h7bPSAd1A I be coming across intersections that be having these lights and I seen some drivers act like that they don't know what to do.If you're used to the flashing red singals,then these new left turns won't be no problem at all, in fact ALL the old flashing reds WILL be replace with these new ones incoming months.I don't know about you but I like this new LEFT turn traffic signal. It makes your left turn safely and all the states has them. Just remember: MAKE A CLEAR LEFT TURN WHEN THE TRAFFIC IS CLEAR DURING A FLASHING YELLOW LEFT ARROW! Hope this helps you out and drive safe! |
Nellonfury Member Username: Nellonfury
Post Number: 233 Registered: 03-2005
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 7:05 am: | |
Here's another link to makes it helpful: http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0 ,1607,7-151-36652-157528--,00. html |
Crumbled_pavement Member Username: Crumbled_pavement
Post Number: 53 Registered: 08-2007
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 7:06 am: | |
I haven't run across one of them but I don't think they would bother me. What bothers me are the lights that turn green in one direction while still red in the other direction. Example, an east/west road where the traffic traveling west has the green light but the traffic traveling east has a red light. What happens is a person starts a left turn because they have a green light, but the person going in the opposite direction sees motion and thinks the light is green for them too, so they proceed through the intersection almost hitting the car turning left. I've seen that on a few occasions |
Mallory Member Username: Mallory
Post Number: 219 Registered: 05-2006
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 9:08 am: | |
I now live in SW Florida, land of the Q-Tips during winter (Q-Tip is our term for retirees) and I only wish we had those flashing arrows down here. We only get the solid red arrow, and people still run those. I've almost hit a few people turning on those, and they look at you like they did nothing wrong. When I lived in Taylor, I remember the flashing red arrow as a very helpful and useful traffic signal. Down here they haven't graduated to that yet. Wait till you get a roundabout. You want to talk about confused, effed up drivers! |
Rfban Member Username: Rfban
Post Number: 211 Registered: 02-2004
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 9:19 am: | |
Why don't they just use a solid red light instead of a red arrow. It would be less confusing and it would keep it all consistent. |
Rooms222 Member Username: Rooms222
Post Number: 76 Registered: 04-2005
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 9:24 am: | |
There was a story in the paper that this new signal is a Federal requirement, and is supposed to be introduced nationally over time..... In Indiana, they used to put a sign that says "Delayed Signal" next to a turn signal that did not change when the other side went to green. |
Rjlj Member Username: Rjlj
Post Number: 432 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 9:25 am: | |
I would say grammar school is in order. |
Genesyxx Member Username: Genesyxx
Post Number: 826 Registered: 02-2004
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 9:48 am: | |
Honestly, its a waste. If you don't understand turn when cars AREN'T COMING, then you should have one of those Mel Farr shutoff switches in your car. Again, I propose retesting people every time they need their license renewed. |
Genesyxx Member Username: Genesyxx
Post Number: 828 Registered: 02-2004
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 10:04 am: | |
http://www.clickondetroit.com/ news/14764039/detail.html |
Johnnny5 Member Username: Johnnny5
Post Number: 655 Registered: 06-2005
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 10:07 am: | |
Personally I think it's a bad idea and that the transition will lead to some serious accidents. I do do agree with Mallory that Florida's turning lane lights are horrendous. Combining elderly drivers and confusing traffic lights is not a good idea. |
Pennst8 Member Username: Pennst8
Post Number: 11 Registered: 08-2006
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 10:16 am: | |
I used to live in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area and yeah I'd have to agree with the information mentioned above (all Florida traffic lights suck IMO). I really don't see what's so complicated about the flashing yellow turn signal. I mean it's kind of obvious what it means even without a thorough rant on how they work. |
Goat Member Username: Goat
Post Number: 9981 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 10:19 am: | |
Roundabouts are great if properly built. They do not impede traffic like a traffic light does and it keeps vehicles moving at all times. what is so difficult? Get in the lane you need to go into and move when you need to go down the necessary road. I wish N. America would implement more of these. Not to mention get rid of the 90 degree corners as well. Most roads should curve towards an intersection not attach at 90 degree angles. |
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed
Post Number: 1501 Registered: 02-2006
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 12:09 pm: | |
quote:I would say grammar school is in order. I be seein these lights, and when I see 'em, I be runnin' dem shits. |
220hendrie1910 Member Username: 220hendrie1910
Post Number: 78 Registered: 02-2006
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 12:20 pm: | |
Ebonics aside, it's the black lights that scare me. You know, the ones that should be red, yellow, or green, but aren't, because the city didn't fix them. Burned out in Ottawa. |
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul
Post Number: 2088 Registered: 10-2006
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 12:37 pm: | |
Nice. Only in Michigan does flashing yellow mean that you DON'T have the right of way. |
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise
Post Number: 983 Registered: 09-2007
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 12:42 pm: | |
This is just like "Make a Complete Left Turn When Traffic Clears!" on a Divided Street. The only difference is all the streets won't be divided and the light will be blinking yellow. |
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul
Post Number: 2089 Registered: 10-2006
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 1:17 pm: | |
What was ever wrong with this normal way of solving this problem (as is done in most other states): http://www.flickr.com/photos/r awmustard/347134739/ |
Ro_resident Member Username: Ro_resident
Post Number: 278 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 1:50 pm: | |
quote:Nice. Only in Michigan does flashing yellow mean that you DON'T have the right of way. The flip side is that people disregard the flashing red lights intersections with lagging lefts (e.g., the green arrow comes at the end of the cycle). A flashing red indicates a person must come to a complete stop. They may proceed making their left turn when the intersection is clear. Most of the time people treat the flashing red as if it were a flashing yellow (yield--proceed with caution) rather than a stop indicator. The new style signals do away with the flashing red. You get a flashing yellow when you are expected to yield to oncoming traffic. |
Benjo Member Username: Benjo
Post Number: 34 Registered: 02-2007
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 2:42 pm: | |
"A flashing red indicates a person must come to a complete stop. They may proceed making their left turn when the intersection is clear." I remember reading in the Freep or the Snews that you don't have to come to a complete stop at these intersections before turning. |
Chris_rohn Member Username: Chris_rohn
Post Number: 351 Registered: 04-2005
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 2:50 pm: | |
I remember when a cop pulled over someone I know and told them you need to come to a complete stop at flashing red left intersections before turning. Flashing red is technically a stop sign. And to answer the question in the thread title: No. The new lights don't confuse me. Cars that are turning or changing lanes always have to yield to cars that are maintaining their direction. (Message edited by chris_rohn on December 04, 2007) |
Danindc Member Username: Danindc
Post Number: 3791 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 3:12 pm: | |
quote:Nice. Only in Michigan does flashing yellow mean that you DON'T have the right of way. Flashing yellow does not indicate "right of way" (that's what green does). Flashing yellow indicates "proceed with caution". |
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul
Post Number: 2095 Registered: 10-2006
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 5:12 pm: | |
"Flashing yellow does not indicate "right of way" (that's what green does). Flashing yellow indicates "proceed with caution"." If you drove up to an intersection that had flashing yellow in your direction and flashing red for the cross traffic, wouldn't that mean that you had the right of way? |
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge
Post Number: 3998 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2007 - 5:20 pm: | |
Not necessarily. What if you have a flashing yellow, but you're turning left? Now you don't have the right of way. |
J32885 Member Username: J32885
Post Number: 55 Registered: 11-2005
| Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 - 1:28 am: | |
I've seen the new Flashing Yellow < going up around town. Most of them are poping up at most major intersections. Just treat the new Flashing Yellow < as a Flashing Red. |
Gannon Member Username: Gannon
Post Number: 11067 Registered: 12-2003
| Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 - 5:23 am: | |
All of these discussions about how 'easy new things are' has no understanding of how close to utter breakdown some people are because of their lack of perception and conceptual speed. If only ONE person becomes confused by a 'new' sign designed to increase or maintain flow...they've killed the flow. No matter how easy it is for the rest of us, we've NOW acquiesced to the lowest common denominator and made ourselves slaves to them. I know, I've been stuck behind a few of 'em even at Camus Martius! I don't care about the numbers, since roundabouts cause so many people confusion...hell, we should take our hint from the multiple merge violations on our highways alone! Some people cannot perceive and process differences in velocity between vehicles to merge, let alone change lanes...so why put intersections EVERYWHERE that force them to do what they cannot? Would they be better off for everyone, IF there was a decent mass-transit system? |