The trouble with turning left
I live in a left-driving country.
I was fuming the other day because I noticed that some drivers would waste time when turning left. Left turns are textbook, right? Safety checks, indicate, slow down and turn. Multi-tasking.
I notice that a lot of people tend to indicate just as they decide to turn into the parking lot of an establishment such as the mall, supermarket or restaurant. I see the car swerve towards the pavement, to prevent bikers from sneaking past in the open space. Then the brakes go on suddenly, and everyone else has to stop while this person decides when to turn. Imagine going from 60 kph to zero at a moment's notice. Then imagine that you're behind me. What the hell is going on?
This person's stalling may last 5 seconds or less, but when someone fails to do their safety check before turning, it makes everyone else uncertain. Should we pass this person, or wait. Has the car stalled, or will it stop here? These decisions take more time. Going back to 60 kph from a stop also takes a few seconds, but it's okay if you're directly behind the left-turning time waster. What's worse is, you speed up, and then the traffic light goes red. Bleeding buggery hell!!!
It is especially annoying when there are no pedestrians on the pavement, and no cars leaving the parking lot, but this time wasting left turner is stopped at an odd angle in the lane of oncoming traffic. It's a main road people! You aren't the only ones with things to do!
Is it okay to inconvenience others just because we are inefficient?
Maybe they're wasting time, or maybe I'm impatient. Maybe I live in a country with closed-minded people who don't care about the people who they influence with their actions.
Fact is, safety checks should come first so that when you turn left, you can turn decisively and with confidence.
I was fuming the other day because I noticed that some drivers would waste time when turning left. Left turns are textbook, right? Safety checks, indicate, slow down and turn. Multi-tasking.
I notice that a lot of people tend to indicate just as they decide to turn into the parking lot of an establishment such as the mall, supermarket or restaurant. I see the car swerve towards the pavement, to prevent bikers from sneaking past in the open space. Then the brakes go on suddenly, and everyone else has to stop while this person decides when to turn. Imagine going from 60 kph to zero at a moment's notice. Then imagine that you're behind me. What the hell is going on?
This person's stalling may last 5 seconds or less, but when someone fails to do their safety check before turning, it makes everyone else uncertain. Should we pass this person, or wait. Has the car stalled, or will it stop here? These decisions take more time. Going back to 60 kph from a stop also takes a few seconds, but it's okay if you're directly behind the left-turning time waster. What's worse is, you speed up, and then the traffic light goes red. Bleeding buggery hell!!!
It is especially annoying when there are no pedestrians on the pavement, and no cars leaving the parking lot, but this time wasting left turner is stopped at an odd angle in the lane of oncoming traffic. It's a main road people! You aren't the only ones with things to do!
Is it okay to inconvenience others just because we are inefficient?
Maybe they're wasting time, or maybe I'm impatient. Maybe I live in a country with closed-minded people who don't care about the people who they influence with their actions.
Fact is, safety checks should come first so that when you turn left, you can turn decisively and with confidence.
Blogged by Shaggy's girl at 12:02
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