WACKY TRAFFIC

WACKY DRIVING, CYCLING, WALKING, AND PARKING

PEOPLE DO STRANGE THINGS WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, RIDING BICYCLES, AND CROSSING STREETS.
OFTEN GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTES BY LETTING POLITICAL BELIEFS INTERFERE WITH PROPER DESIGN.

WACKY DRIVING

========
MAKE ROOM FOR
ENTERING TRAFFIC

DON'T STOP AT THE
END OF THE RAMP

MISUNDERSTANDING THE MERGE SIGN

Many people think the MERGE sign (right) means that drivers should expect that traffic will be joining your stream from the right. But it means much more than this.

The MERGE sign means "MAKE ROOM FOR ENTERING TRAFFIC"

This MERGE sign actually means that drivers in the right lane must make room for entering traffic by adjusting speed or changing lanes so entering vehicles can fit safely into the lane. The entering vehicles do NOT have a YIELD sign. They have the right-of-way because their lane is ending.

The MERGE entrance is much safer than the YIELD entrance because the driver in the right lane of the freeway can see entering traffic much better than the entering driver can see traffic on the freeway:

Entering drivers must look over their shoulders, instead of where they are going, while the lane is ending.
Drivers on the freeway have more actions to choose from (adjust speed or change lanes), and will not lose the lane.

So the merging burden is placed on the driver on the freeway.

Be sure to make room for entering traffic. It's your duty. To make room, don't pass or go alongside any other car.

DON'T STOP AT THE END OF THE RAMP

Unless there is a STOP or YIELD sign or there is no acceleration lane, don't stop at the end of the ramp:

Entering drivers who stop are too often hit by the car behind.
Continue into the acceleration lane. Make lane changes after the end of the ramp.

Too many drivers wait at the end of the ramp until they can immediately cross into the lane they want (orange line and arrow).
This is quite dangerous.

Some drivers do this because they have never learned how to properly change lanes and merge.

Learn how to merge safely.

STOP!
(Legally a
STOP sign)

MISUNDERSTANDING AN UNLIT TRAFFIC SIGNAL

Many people seem to think that when a traffic signal is not lit (e.g. during a power failure) that traffic on the main street does not have to stop. This is not true.

When the signal you are supposed to obey is not showing any lit indication, it legally becomes a STOP sign. You must stop and wait for a time when no traffic is a hazard to your intended movement.

If a traffic signal is not operating properly, stop!

There are several cases:

One color of light is out on your side. The rest of the signal is operating normally. You must determine which color is out and drive appropriately.
Some signal faces are out while others are still working. This is usually the result of a traffic accident damaging the signal. Again, do not proceed until the way is clear.
All of the signals are out. This is usually the result of a power failure. Treat the intersection as an ALL WAY STOP.
Multiple colors are lit in all signal faces. This usually indicates that the signal controller is damaged. Stop, and do not proceed until the way is clear.
Some signal faces are missing because they have been knocked down in a crash. Stop, and do not proceed until the way is clear.

If a traffic signal is not operating properly, stop!

YIELD ON
FLASHING
YELLOW
ARROW

MISUNDERSTANDING A FLASHING YELLOW ARROW

Some people think a flashing yellow arrow gives them the right-of-way. This was once true in some states, but it is not true now.

A flashing yellow arrow always means YIELD.

Turning traffic at a flashing yellow signal must always yield to pedestrians and oncoming traffic.
This is true for both a flashing circular yellow and a flashing yellow arrow.

The purpose of the flashing yellow arrow is not better driver understanding. It is used to eliminate the yellow trap hazard.

Some people think the flashing yellow arrow is the same as a circular green.

For traffic turning in the direction of the arrow, the flashing yellow arrow has the same meaning the circular green has.
For traffic not making that turn, the flashing yellow arrow has no meaning at all. Drivers must obey other signal faces.

The flashing yellow arrow signal face controls only one traffic movement. The circular green controls many movements.

A flashing yellow arrow always means YIELD.

If you are turning left at a flashing yellow arrow signal, you must NOT obey the circular signals.

STOP AND
STAY

MISUNDERSTANDING A RED ARROW

Some people think a red arrow allows a turn on red. It does not.

The Uniform Vehicle code says a steady red arrow always means stop and stay for any traffic intending to turn in the direction of the arrow.

A flashing red arrow allows a turn in the direction of the arrow after a stop.

A steady red arrow always means stop and stay.

TWO LEFTS! - - - NOT FOUR!

MISUSING A TWO-WAY LEFT-TURN LANE AS A MERGING LANE

There are two cases where a vehicle using the two-way left-turn lane to merge can block left turns or cause an accident:

A car moving in the same direction as the entering car wants to go also occupies the two-way left-turn lane at the same time.
A sideswipe accident could result.
A car moving in the opposite direction as the entering car wants to go also occupies two-way left-turn lane at the same time.
A head-on accident could result.

In both cases the entering driver is making an unexpected maneuver.
This can cause accidents when drivers try to use the lane for its intended purpose.

This is an abuse of the two-way left turn lane.

Do not stop in a two-way left-turn lane to merge.

Wait until both ways are clear before entering the intersection!

In most states, the law is: Never enter the intersection unless the way is completely clear to leave it.

PASSING IN A ROUNDABOUT

DON'T PASS

Passing is prohibited on the circular road of a roundabout for a reason. The lead vehicle could intend to continue circulating or take the next exit.
Passing can block the other driver from making the maneuver he intends. The vehicle in front must complete its maneuver before the vehicle behind gets there.

You should signal a right turn when your exit from the roundabout is next.
Many drivers do not do this. They make other drivers wait when they could enter the roundabout.

Be in the correct lane before entering the roundabout. Posted signs indicate the correct lane.

Never pass other vehicles within a roundabout.

Never change lanes within a roundabout.

Signal a right turn when your exit from the roundabout is next.

HOW TO SIGNAL A ROUNDABOUT RIGHT EXIT

If your exit is the first one (to the right), signal a right before entering the roundabout.
While you are rounding the center island, steer with your right hand.
When your exit becomes the next exit, signal a right, moving the lever with your left hand.
Take the exit. Steer mainly with your right hand.
If the turn signal does not cancel after the exit, cancel it manually with your left hand.

WATCH FOR
YELLOW TRAP

WAITING IN THE INTERSECTION TO TURN LEFT

Many states have a law saying that a driver must not enter an intersection unless he knows he can immediately leave it.

There is a reason such a law exists:

There is a danger called "yellow trap".

Yellow trap happens when the following conditions happen at the same time:

Left turns are allowed to filter through gaps in oncoming traffic when the light is circular green.
The circular green light facing one direction of traffic changes to yellow while the signal facing the oncoming traffic remains green.

When this happens, left-turning drivers may think oncoming traffic has a yellow and will stop.
They might turn across live traffic, causing accidents.

Governments are required to post this sign (right) if this can happen, but they rarely do so.
Often the governments are unaware that yellow trap is occurring because they check the signals in daytime when traffic is heavier.

Never enter the intersection unless the way is completely clear to leave it.

Never wait in an intersection to turn left. You can be trapped there by oncoming traffic.

PASSING ON THE SIDE ANOTHER VEHICLE IS SIGNALING A TURN TOWARD

This is dangerous, because the other driver signaling the turn may not see you. He might turn anyway.

This is selfish, because the other vehicle is going slow to line up a gap in your lane, not to go slow.

WACKY BICYCLE RIDING AND IDEAS

SELFISH
CYCLISTS

DEMANDING THAT AUTOS BE SLOWED TO BICYCLE SPEED

Bicycle riders want traffic to have to go slower so they can keep up with cars.

The problem is that many automobiles cannot go that slow without the driver doing something special to keep it going that slow:

Almost all vehicles have to be in a lower gear (usually first gear) to go as slow as this idea requires. This cuts the gas mileage by the ratio between the highest gear and the lowest gear. This value is usually about 24% of the maximum gas mileage of the vehicle.
When driving most vehicles with automatic transmissions, the driver has to ride the brake to keep it going that slow. This lowers the gas mileage to about 4 mpg.
When driving vehicles with manual transmissions, the driver has to slip the clutch to keep it going that slow. This wears out the clutch and lowers the gas mileage.
Every time a motor vehicle has to stop or change speed, it uses more energy. This is a law of physics. This means that such a change in motion uses more fuel.

These are real costs to each automobile driver subjected to this idiocy.

Cyclists have no economic losses from going slow, from stops, or from changing speed.

Cyclists must obey ALL vehicle traffic laws.

SELFISH
CYCLISTS

DANGEROUS
SIDEPATH

SAFE
SIDEPATH

DEMANDING TO RIDE WITHOUT HAVING TO STOP

Bicycle riders want to maintain momentum at all costs - including safety. They also want to reduce the pedaling effort they must exert. This is why bicycle riders run STOP signs and traffic signals and go the wrong way on one-way streets. This wrongdoing endangers the cyclists and all others on the roads. Cyclists do unexpected things, causing others on the road to have to try to evade them. Often they fail to evade and the cyclists are hit by cars.

Bicycle groups keep lobbying for laws that let bicycle riders ride without ever having to stop. Such laws are political in nature, favoring bicycles, but they also block almost all other kinds of traffic. Their demands are totally impractical. The main purpose of road traffic is to move goods, services, and customers to places where products are made or sold (the source of all wealth), not to provide paths for cyclists to ride around on without stopping.

Bloomington Indiana built an elevated bridge with sloped approaches to make a bikeway pass over a major street. They did this so cyclists would not have to stop at the major street. Level paths connect the bikeway to the major street for turns. But many cyclists use the level paths and wait to cross the street traffic instead of using the overpass because they don't like riding uphill to get to the overpass.

Bloomington also built an eight-block-long two-way sidepath along one side of a street.
Cyclists are not required to stop along this entire length.
All north-south streets along this length stop for all east-west streets and for the sidepath.
But the following problems make this unsafe.

Drivers turning left across the sidepath might be kept from seeing a cyclist with the right-of-way by oncoming traffic (light blue arrows and blue truck).
This is an unusual intersection configuration that might confuse drivers.
These double intersections at two-way streets have 32 possible traffic movements, as opposed to 20 possible movements at a standard intersection. Drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians have way too many movements to watch out for.
These double intersections at one-way streets have 22 possible traffic movements, as opposed to 15 possible movements at a standard intersection. Drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians have too many movements to watch out for.
Four of the cross streets along this path were former through streets that became stop streets to make this monstrosity. Drivers might not remember to stay stopped.

Safe sidepaths have a one-way path on each side of the street with the path one way in the same direction as the adjacent vehicle lane.

The traffic laws we have are the safest possible - if everyone obeys them. They also move the most traffic of all kinds.

Cyclists must obey ALL traffic laws.

CHOO-CHOO
GOES FIRST

DEMANDING LIGHTEST TRAFFIC UNITS TO HAVE HIGHEST RIGHT-OF-WAY PRIORITY

Many liberals believe that the lightest (in weight) units in traffic need the most protection.
They say that all traffic units heavier than a given traffic unit must yield to that traffic unit.
So they say that the order of right-of-way priority must be lightest to heaviest:

Pedestrian, Bicycle, Car, Truck, Light Rail, Train, Ship

The ship, of course, is really a drawbridge.

The problem with this idea is that the heaviest traffic units cannot stop within the sight distances of their drivers.
So the traffic unit with the highest priority must be the one that is least able to do anything to prevent any impending collision.
The actual legal order is:

Train, Ship, Emergency Vehicle, Light Rail, Pedestrian, All other vehicles (equal)

Right-of-way is based on ability to avoid, not vulnerability.

DANGEROUS
BIKES-FIRST
THINKING

THE SAFE WAY

RIGHT TURN YIELD TO BIKES

RIGHT TURNS YIELD TO BIKES does not work because the right turning driver often cannot see the bicycle coming up from behind on the right. The rear roof posts and the narrow fields of mirrors restrict vision, especially to the right back. Also, once a truck starts a turn, the mirrors point the wrong way for the driver to see a bicycle.

If the bicycle passes the right turning driver on the right and thinks he has the right-of-way, the right turning driver might never be able to see the bicycle before hitting it. Often the back of the right turning vehicle hits the bicycle from the side. When this happens, often the bicycle is knocked over sideways, and in many cases, the back wheels of the vehicle run over the rider.

This is a selfish political rule intended to give favor to the bicycle. It is dangerous and should be abolished. Politicians must not favor one type of transportation over another for either political or environmental reasons.

A large truck making a right turn at a tight intersection must swing to the left (often into the next lane) before making the turn to get the back wheels or trailer wheels away from the corner curb. Then it must turn sharply to the right (often entering the oncoming lanes of the cross street) to make the turn. Buses and other long vehicles have the same problem.

Trucks are not doing this just to make the turn easier. If they don't do this, their back wheels will cross the curb and they might hit pedestrians or signposts.

It is illegal to pass on the right of any vehicle signaling a right turn.

It is illegal to pass on the left of any vehicle signaling a left turn.

It is also illegal to pass any vehicle when approaching or within an intersection.

It is also illegal to pass another vehicle in the same lane.

The rule should be the same for all vehicle types. DO NOT PASS where a right turn crosses a bike lane. The vehicle in front must remain in front and the other vehicle must not pass it. The second vehicle must not even pull up even to it - it must remain behind the lead vehicle until both have passed through the intersection.

Never pass a turning vehicle on the side it is signaling to turn toward.

Never pass when approaching or within an intersection.

Never pass when approaching or within a roundabout.

Cars and bikes must not pass each other when approaching an intersection.

RIDING ON SIDEWALKS

Riding a bicycle on a sidewalk is not illegal for the purpose of protecting pedestrians. It is illegal in many places because bicycles riders on sidewalks seem to think they have the right-of-way where the sidewalk crosses a street. They do not have the right-of-way. Any vehicle (including a bicycle) is required to stop before entering a street from a sidewalk, driveway, or other off-road location.

The federal Uniform Vehicle Code also prohibits riding bicycles on sidewalks.

The problem is that a bicycle moving at speed is usually not visible to other vehicle drivers in time to avoid an accident. It is a hazard similar to passing a right-turning vehicle on the right (see above).

The street trees the "experts" want between streets and sidewalks to protect pedestrians from errant vehicles also block the motorist's view of approaching bicycles.

Bicycles on sidewalks must be walked to be safe.

RIDING BICYCLES ACCORDING TO PEDESTRIAN LAWS

Pedestrian laws are designed for traffic units (pedestrians) that travel at 4 mph or slower. Bicycles usually travel at between 10 and 25 mph. Pedestrian laws are based on pedestrians moving slowly enough that they can be seen for some time before they reach the intersection. Bicycles move too fast to be allowed to follow pedestrian laws. Bicycles must follow vehicle laws because of their speed.

Roller skates, scooters, skateboards, and Segways also go too fast to be allowed to follow pedestrian laws. Most states do not allow any of these to be used in traffic.

Bicycles with wheels smaller than 20-inches are not classed as vehicles, but as "sidewalk bikes". They must not be used in the street.

The street trees the "experts" want between streets and sidewalks to protect pedestrians from errant vehicles also block the motorist's view of approaching bicycles and toys on sidewalks.

Bicycles and other toy vehicles on sidewalks must be walked to be safe.

RIDING THE WRONG WAY ON A ONE-WAY STREET

This is very dangerous for these reasons:

A vehicle is coming from a direction that is unexpected to other drivers.
There are no traffic signs or signals facing the wrong-way rider.
Drivers entering the street from side streets are not looking for vehicles coming from the wrong direction. They might hit the wrong-way rider.

RIDING THE WRONG WAY IN A TRAFFIC LANE

This is very dangerous for these reasons:

A vehicle is coming from a direction that is unexpected to other drivers.
Drivers entering the street from side streets are not looking for vehicles coming from the wrong direction in the lane. They might hit the wrong-way rider.
There are no traffic signs or signals facing the wrong-way rider.
Drivers turning on red will not be looking for vehicles coming from the wrong direction in the lane. They might hit the wrong-way rider.

o^fð

NO LIGHTS AT NIGHT

Using a front white reflector instead of a headlight is very dangerous.

The reflector on the front is useless if the car is not heading straight toward the bicycle (can you find a bicycle in the image at right?).

It is very dangerous when a car has just overtaken and passed a bicycle at night, because the driver can't see the bike to return to his lane without hitting it.

The bicycle rider cannot see obstacles in his path at night without a light.

This is why a real headlight is necessary at night (drag mouse over the center of the black square).

WRONG COLORS OR USAGES OF LIGHTS AT NIGHT

Using lights wrong on a bicycle confuses other drivers.

Flashing red lights to warn drivers of the presence of the bicycle (allowed in addition to a steady red light or reflector, but not alone and not visible from the front)
Flashing yellow lights to warn drivers of the presence of the bicycle (allowed in addition to a the lights required by law, but not alone)
Flashing white lights to warn drivers of the presence of the bicycle (allowed in addition to a the steady white headlight, but not alone and not visible from the back)
Light colors other than red, yellow, or white (not allowed - reserved for emergency vehicles)
Extremely bright flashing red lights or flashing lights with unusual flash patterns (fool drivers into thinking the bicycle is an emergency vehicle)
Lights bright enough to blind drivers
Lights flashing faster than twice a second (flashing at the brain's alpha frequency can disrupt normal thinking or cause an epileptic seizure)

WACKY PESTRIAN ** ANTICS

** Pestrian - a pedestrian who breaks traffic laws

CROSSING AGAINST THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL

The traffic signal must have a long signal cycle to move the most traffic.

Too many people think the signal makes them wait too long for the walk light, so they disobey the signal.

They think they know more than the engineers who designed the signal.

When they walk against the signal, they endanger themselves and delay other traffic.

The selfishness of these people shows their disrespect for safety and for other people.

2-phase signal

4-phase signal

8-phase signal

EXPECTING THE NEXT SIGNAL CHANGE TO BE THEIRS

Too many people think of the simple 2-phase traffic signal (upper right). Notice how there are two different signal phases:

Northbound and southbound straight and right (lefts through gaps - north is up)
Eastbound and westbound straight and right (lefts through gaps)

They think that when the signal changes, the next light will be the one that lets them cross. The problem is that more and more traffic signals today have more than two phases.

Most traffic signals now have left turn phases. Each left turn phase takes up extra intervals in the traffic signal cycle.

Examine the 4-phase signal sequence displayed (middle right). Notice how there are four different signal phases:

Northbound and southbound left turns (north is up)
Northbound and southbound straight and right
Eastbound and westbound left turns
Eastbound and westbound straight and right

If you are crossing the street on the north side, you have to wait until phase 4 occurs. The three other phases have live traffic crossing your crosswalk. You have to wait until the diagram with a purple line across the top of it appears before you can cross. Pedestrian crossings are in purple.

Note that right-turning traffic and left-turning traffic with a flashing yellow arrow must yield to pedestrians. But traffic turning left on a green arrow does not have to yield to pedestrians.

The most sophisticated lights have 8 phases (lower right), but those have two timing rings, so two phases that don't conflict can go at the same time. Again, you have to wait until the diagram with a purple line across the top of it appears before you can cross. But there can be as many as six phase patterns per cycle with only one allowing the crossing. Notice how there are six different signal intervals:

The phases in some of the intervals can be different on each cycle.

Usually pedestrian signals are used with this signal because pedestrians have trouble telling when they can go by looking at just the vehicle signals.

The diagram shows the flashing yellow arrow phasing patterns.

EXPECTING THE SIGNAL TO CHANGE AS SOON AS THEY PUSH THE BUTTON

When you push the pedestrian button, the following things happen:

The button closes a relay or locking circuit.
The relay STAYS closed until the pedestrian signal shows the walking man.
The button normally does not count the button pushes. Some give extra time for a handicapped person with a long button press.
It gives a signal to the traffic signal controller that the pedestrian signal is wanted.
The signal controller continues to serve the signals in the predetermined order of green lights (phases). The button has no power to change the order the phases appear in.
When the signal controller gets to the phase with the pedestrian button that was pushed, it times the walking man and flashing orange hand intervals with the proper displays to let the pedestrian cross the street.
When the signal controller gets to the phase when the pedestrian button was not pushed, it does not display or time the walking man and flashing orange hand intervals. The green light can end earlier without pedestrian intervals. The pedestrian may not cross the street without the walking man and flashing orange hand because the green interval may be too short.
Afterward, the signal goes back to normal operation.
Note that, if the light was already green when the pedestrian pushbutton was pushed, too much of the green time has already passed. The pedestrian must wait until the next time the light turns green,

Some pedestrian pushbuttons give a special all-red all-way-walk phase.

WHAT THE PEDESTRIAN BUTTON DOES DO AND DOES NOT DO

The button does not bring the pedestrian signal to you earlier. The signal continues its normal cycle.
The button brings the pedestrian signal when not pushing it means it never occurs.
The button makes the green shown with the walk signal last longer, making time to cross the street.
The button might provide a special all-red all-directions-walk period.

JAYWALKING

Jaywalking is crossing the street between two signal controlled intersections.

The problem is that too many pedestrians are too lazy to walk farther to go to one of the intersections to cross.

The hazard is that drivers between two traffic signals have too many things to do at the same time. A pedestrian crossing between the signals might not be noticed.

WACKY PARKING LOT DRIVING

GOING THE WRONG WAY IN A PARKING AISLE

The driver going the wrong way will encounter a driver going the correct way, blocking traffic.

DRIVING THROUGH TO THE SECOND SPACE

The driver going through to the second space wants to avoid backing out.

With angled parking spaces, the driver who went through to the second space will exit the space going the wrong way in the parking aisle.

Often the driver going through to the second space does not stop in the right place, taking up two spaces.

TAKING UP TWO OR MORE PARKING SPACES

This is just plain selfish. Often selfish drivers do this to make more space between cars so they don't get any door dents.

HAVING A PICKUP TRUCK THAT IS TOO BIG FOR PARKING SPACES

These trucks are so long that they either occupy two parking spaces or stick out into the driving aisle between rows of parking spaces.

Also, a driver in the next space can't see around the too-long truck to be able to back out.

The page author saw three of these trucks (black vehicles in diagram) parked in a line that blocks half of a parking aisle.