When making a left turn from a two-lane road, if no oncoming traffic, I’ll cross the double yellow line into the opposing lane andecelerate and turn left from there.
This allows traffic behind me to continue without my slowing them down. Semi drivers especially have appreciated it.
Any other such tricks?
I thought the double yellow line meant no passing ! That’s potentially hazardous if someone to your left, looks only left and does not anticipate someone breaking the law driving in the left lane when they pull out of a side street or drive and turn right into you…
That’s one “trick” I’ll pass on. Sorry.
Cars have brakes and we accept these inconveniences on two lane roads. An example of braking the law to make those behind you happy should be reconsidered and I feel such activities should be ticketed.
BTW, I still feel you may be a “click and clack” plant to see how many of the forum participants are poor drivers and have enough time on their hands to admit it.
I failed to mention that no one is turning right - looking to their left for approaching traffic. Good point!
(A semi driver wave thanks as he passed on my right.)
Well I think Green Driving means things like carpooling, offering rides to people to combine trips and things like that. Most cars during the commuting hours have just one passenger – a big hunk of metal and engine and resources to transport just one person.
What's Green?Mr Meehan, “Green” has come to mean “pro-environment, pro-ecology, sustainable” etc
Getting into the oncoming lane in prepartion for a left turn seems unsafe to me under any circumstances. IMHO safety should never be compromised for the sake of conservation. No disrespect meant, but this in not an idea I’ll pass on as a recommendation.
In NH where I drive oncoming traffic usually doesn’t appear until the last moments. We’re all hills, curves, and trees here. When I was in North Dakota (3 years) I discovered that there you can usually see oncoming traffic from 10 miles away (16 miles if your eyes are good), but in most other areas that’s not the case.
Some “Green” actions don’t make a lot of sense. Our local electric utility a few years back advised its customers to let all hot foods cool down to room temperature before putting it in the fridge. A number of sane and but angry wives, as well as home economsts publicly rediculed this potentially dangerous practice.
The utility also suggested getting rid of you second fridge. A second fridge, called a “beer fridge” here, uses about half the electricity that is spelled out on the Energuide label, mainly because it is not opened very often and located mostly in a cool basement. The extra kw hours would come to 275 kwhrs per year in our case at 12 cents or $33 per year. We spend $8500 on food each year and without a second fridge would spend more because we could not bulk buy and would also have more waste.
Hyper-miling and taking the car out of gear going downhill and the very dangerous practice of sitting in the oncomimg lane are all examples of not thinking through the “unintended consequences” that such knee-jerk behavior brings.
I will nudge over the line slightly to turn left on to my home street to let cars go by on the right while waiting to turn left. My situation is more unique than most as there is one lane for oncoming traffic that becomes 2 lanes, a parking lane and a driving lane. I may be a tad over but there is 1.5 lanes for oncoming traffic and people can pass me on the right. As far as the left lane takeover, only in rare circumstances will I jeopardize my liability for someone elses convenience. The green is a minimal factor, courtesy is a greater factor. One place I lived it was the rage to turn on the left turn signal if the car in front of you was turning left, even though you had no intention of turning. I think Darwin may have eliminated those drivers. The traffic laws are there, and in spite of you trying to be a nice guy, you are liable for being in the wrong lane at the wrong time should something happen.
I, too, wouldn’t call it ‘green’ driving but it is nice and courteous to the drivers behind you.
We use it a lot out here in the four corners reservation area, I don’t think you’re being wierd or dangerous because we who do it PROVE the traffic situation before engaging the practice ( but you know that, Robert, you do it. )
What gripes my but is those who come to a near stop IN THE DRIVING LANE with no apparent reason, only to switch on the turn signal AFTER they’re already turning.
It’s turn signal first,
Then change lanes if possible,
Then slow and turn.
doc, yes some “green” ideas don’t make a lot of sense, but neither do any of the non-green options that are polluting the planet. I mean, how much sense and how much sanity is there in the long-term big-picture view of having every single urban commuter in their own individual car going back and forth every day? None at all (except maybe to the owners of oil companies). In fact, we might someday look back on it as insane and immoral as such practices as child labor or above-ground testing of nuclear bombs.
Let’s focus on the things that work.
I’m all in favor of being courteous to fellow drivers, but what you suggest will get you a traffic ticket where I live. Double yellow means DO NOT CROSS. There are no exceptions.
You drive a Ford Expedition at 100 mph, and you’d like to go faster, if possible. There’s nothing “green” about that, Robert, and allowing someone behind you to save 0.01 gallons of gas by your suggested (and illegal) actions isn’t going to make up for it.
Stay in your designated lane of travel. It may save your life or the life of someone else. You can’t deliver that blood (at 100 mph) if you’re killed in a head-on collision.
“ONE semi driver waved.”
Are you sure he wasn’t signaling “WTF?”
We don’t have many left turns where you can see the down that road far enough to know that no traffic is approaching to turn right - and right into you.
Instead of pulling into the oncoming lane, why not just use your turn signal at least a quarter mile before your left turn to indicate to the person behind you that you are about to make a left turn. That way, I can lift my foot off the gas and drop back far enough so that I don’t have to hit my brakes while waiting for you to turn left. By the time I reach you, you will be clear and I can simply keep going without touching my brakes.
Remember, the purpose of turn signals is to inform other drivers what you intend to do in the near future. What you are doing right now is obvious to everyone around you.
9 out of 10 times, no problem. 1 out of 10 times something unexpected will happen, and guess what? It’s YOUR FAULT!
I give 10 seconds of signal to let others know that I will begin to slow.
Then slow and turn.
Still, when there is a line of semis and vehicles behind, my making the opposing lane the turn lane allows them to continue unaffected by my deceleration.
Tex, you don’t do this IF something could happen.
You look first to see that there is no traffic which will be adversely affected.
Can’t do this if insufficient visibility.
I have no opinion on this because it wouldn’t make a bit of differenc to the OP. Anyway, I will be sure to keep an eye out for Expeditions or Camrys doing 110 mph in my lane.
Ed B.
You could also pull off to the right and wait for that long line of vehicles to go by and then make your left turn without anyone behind you, if the road has a big enough shoulder.
Also, if long lines of semis, school buses, bicycles, Amish horsebuggys, farm tractors, etc. trapped behind you is a recurring problem, maybe you are driving a little too slowly.