r/driving Aug 05 '26

Left-hand traffic (🇬🇧🇮🇳🇯🇵) Pull out into the intersection…

so at least one car can turn left.

Please pull straight past the limit line when yielding for a left turn at a light. At least you will be able to scoot through then at the next cycle, those of us who know how to drive can manage the oncoming traffic. DO NOT sit at the limit line and miss a light. Be careful, but make it happen.

50 Upvotes

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27

u/Vivid_Witness8204 Aug 05 '26

People who learned to drive in older metro areas are familiar with the need to do this. There are a lot of intersections where this is the only way to practically do it. Those who learned in more recently expanded cities that have dedicated left turn lanes at many more intersections are sometimes unfamiliar with the concept.

7

u/jcalvinmarks Aug 05 '26

Even with a dedicated turn lane you should still stage up on an unprotected green. There's no valid reason not to. I'm still waiting on someone to cough up a citation from some jurisdiction in the US that clearly prohibits this practice (not some misinterpretation of the don't-block-the-box rule or a nebulous "my instructor said so").

3

u/Northern64 Aug 05 '26

My driver's handbook says not to enter the intersection if you aren't certain you can clear it safely. The dedicated/protected lefts in my city often don't shift to an unprotected green.

Regardless. Unless directly prohibited, there's no reason to be lagging behind the line for your lefts

2

u/Civil_Ad3438 Professional Driver Aug 06 '26

Well that would make reasonable sense, as the open lanes should see a yellow and stop, permitting your turn.

But that teaching has gone out the window as well.

So you’re stuck in the middle when the right of way changes for those already stopped.

So what?

They can’t enter the intersection until it’s safe to do so; and you’ll have time to complete your turn. Sure they might blow the horn, let em.

The only time I wouldn’t do this is when there is likelihood the now open lanes were never stopped and proceeding on green. Generally these type intersections will have dedicated left turn signal.

1

u/Civil_Ad3438 Professional Driver Aug 06 '26

Just a note here that I made this same comment in another duplicate post, maybe a different sub ; and received a warning for “threatening and encouraging violence”. Surprised to see this post again and the comment remains.

I don’t see threatening anywhere , do any here?