Three rights make a left or "I'm going to stop and fuel up...meh, nevermind"

I do it often, mostly when the left turn lane/s is backed up and I'd have to wait twice, but not nessecarily.

Then again, I only do it if the light is still green. If it's turned red, I que up in the left turn lane.

Do you do this, and if not why not?

Or if you drive on the left side of the road, three lefts to make a right?

Chances of accidents on a left turn are the highest so there is a good argument to be made for doing this, especially in high traffic, multi lane roads.

I always make it a conscious to not get into a hurry when I'm on the road. If traffic is bad I may choose a different route, but not just to avoid sitting at a light.

In NJ there are turns where the queue of cars lined up to go left exceeds the length of the turn lane. If you get in line, you'll be sticking out in traffic.

If I find that to be the case, I go up to the next light, make a left there and double back.

I will if I determine that it there will be a sufficient reduction in risk by doing so. In other words, it depends. On the street my actions are mostly risk based, not convience or time based.

I picked the 'if I'm in a hurry' option, and here's why. When I'm in a hurry, I like to be moving. If I'm stopped at a light for a long period of time, I tend to get frustrated, and being frustrated usually results in my riding or driving faster. In an effort to avoid the situation, I've found that even though it usually takes the exact same amount of time, if I turn right a bunch of times instead of left, I spend more time moving and I don't ever get frustrated. So yeah, I do sometimes. If I'm not really in a hurry, I don't get frustrated, so it doesn't matter.

The one thing I do occasionally do, though, is you know how commercial parking lots are usually separated by a curb and maybe a 1' wide section of grass? I will strategically just ride across those to get to a more advantageous intersection. Plus its a fun reason to have a dual sport instead of a street bike.

if it's a busy intersection sometimes I'll pass it and make a u-turn at a break in the median, bikes are good for two-lane u-turns, and subsequently getting up to speed in time to get ahead of traffic and turn right.

Ok, I guess I'm confused here... I'm traveling down a street, and I want to make a left turn, presumably at an intersection? Why am I not just making a left turn? Is it due to traffic, or signal lights? Or an overwhelmingly powerful urge to cling to my guns or religion?

MV

Yes, all of the above.. Or not.


I primarily have controlled intersections with left turn lanes with left turn lights where I live.(suburbia)

Like this;



So as the light is red to turn left I see this well before nearing the intersection. I also know that it could be 2-3 minutes before it turns to green, and thats only if my bike happens to trigger the sensor.

So... I switch lanes to the far right lane, ride through the intersection and make a right into the gas station. Then scoff at the price they are advertising and make another right to head for the street I wish to be on. One more right and I've made my left, (3 rights) and not had to wait 2-3 minutes for a light that may or may not have triggered.


I believe that this may be perfectly legal, but I could be wrong.
*that's why I put the fuel reference in the title, and in the scenario above.

Thanks to the google car for the image..

*It's actually a citibank and not a gas station, but you get what I'm getting at now I'm sure.

Ok, so I'm going to assume that the oncoming traffic is heavy enough to make just running the turn arrow a poor choice? In that case, yeah, I might make the three rights.

But if traffic allowed it, I'd just make the left. If the light doesn't detect me, it's malfunctioning. When faced with a malfunctioning light, I would stop, check traffic, and proceed when safe to do so.

MV

Like everyone else saie, it depends on traffic. Sometimes I'll just go a couple blocks to the nearest light and do a u-turn, other times I'll do the three right thing. Whatever...