Tag: yield

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The Proper Way to Turn Left

Q: I was recently told by a friend that the proper way to make a left hand turn at a stop light was to proceed into the intersection when the light turns green, then wait until oncoming traffic has cleared and make your left turn, even if the light has turned red. (He kept saying “Read your Driver Manual” but I could not find the answer.) I was taught to wait until you are certain you will be able to turn left before it turns red. Have I been doing it wrong all these years?

A: If your friend took his own advice (to read the driver guide), he might be inclined to retract his statement. I’ve checked with reliable sources, including the Revised Code of Washington, the Washington Driver Guide, driving instructors, and police officers. None of them support your friend’s position. If you squint, you could conclude that it might not be illegal, but that’s certainly not the same as “the proper way.”

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On The Verge Of A Merge

Q: Recently I was merging onto the freeway, and as I got up to freeway speed on the onramp I found myself next to a car already on the freeway going about the same speed as me. I slowed down to merge behind the car, but that driver slowed down to be kind and let me merge in front. Of course, that doesn’t work well, but it got me wondering who is supposed to do what in that situation.

A: This isn’t the only question about freeway merging that I’ve received. But it’s the nicest. Others blamed poor merging on millennials, political correctness, hostility, and incompetence. I like that you’ve attributed the problem (at least in this case) to kindness.

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New Stop Sign Law for Cyclists – Part Three

Q: Now that bike riders are allowed to treat stop signs as yield signs, what should a driver at a four-way stop do if they’ve stopped and are ready to go and see a cyclist coming? Do you have to yield to the cyclist?

A: Before I address this question, I need to clarify something from last week’s article about tire chains and snow socks. If I left you wondering if maybe the law required you to carry chains in addition to snow socks, even if the chains don’t fit your car, the answer is a firm “no.” And that’s not just my interpretation of the law; it’s confirmed by Sgt. Wright with the Washington State Patrol. The State Patrol does not expect you to carry equipment that is of no use to you.

Now, to your question. Nearly all the discussion about the change to the stop-as-yield law has focused on what cyclists can do, but we haven’t spent much time talking about changes for drivers (if any). This law changes how cyclists ride, but will it change how you drive? Probably not. To explain why, we may need an in-depth analysis of what it means to yield. How many readers did that last sentence just turn away? “In-depth traffic law? I can hardly wait,” said nobody ever (well, I might have said it). Okay, maybe we’ll just go a reasonable depth into yielding.

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New Stop Sign Law for Cyclists – Part Two

Last week I announced the upcoming change to the law that allows cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs. It took two parts to give it proper consideration, so if you haven’t already read part one, do that now. It’s okay, I’ll wait. I’m in no hurry.

Now that you’re all caught up on the history and data we covered part one, part two looks at how this law works in the real world and why you might like it, even if you don’t ride a bike.

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New Stop Sign Law For Cyclists – Part One

There’s a new law I want to tell you about (or, more accurately, a change to a current law), but before I do, I’m asking you to have an open mind. And be patient; to give this change of law the attention it deserves I’m going to split this into two parts. Sometimes the safest strategies seem, on the surface, to be counterintuitive, and I think this is one of those situations.

Okay, ready? As of October 1st, cyclists in Washington will be allowed to treat stop signs as yield signs. I’ll let that sink in for a minute.  Already I can hear the voices of cyclists and drivers in my head pushing back against this crazy idea.

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Does a Fancy Car Make You a Jerk?

There are a lot of jokes about BMW drivers, and most of them depend on the premise that if you’re rich enough to drive a BMW, your wealth somehow entitles you to a greater portion of the road or less responsibility in how you use it. For example, if you ever feel like your job is meaningless, just think about the workers in Munich who install turn signals in BMWs. Or, if light travels faster than sound, why can I hear the horn of the BMW behind me before the light turns green?

Of course, if you drive a BMW, feel free to substitute the name of another premium automotive brand. The point isn’t about BMWs; it’s the stereotype that drivers of expensive cars are more likely to, well, be jerks on the road. And while in the past that may have been a presumption, a study recently confirmed it.

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Yielding at an Alley

Q: I know you’re supposed to yield to pedestrians crossing the street at an intersection, but does an alley count as an intersection?

A: An alley does not count as an intersection, but I don’t think that gets to the heart of your question. If I can take the liberty to interpret what you’re asking, I’d guess that what we’re getting at is, “Who yields to who (or is it whom?) where an alley meets a street?” And yes, it’s whom. I just checked.

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Mixed Signals – Who Should Yield?

Q: I have a question regarding the traffic rules of a particular intersection in Bellingham. The intersection of Alabama and Woburn has a right turn lane with a yield sign (for drivers traveling south on Woburn towards Alabama). My question is, if the light is green for Woburn traffic going both directions, does the northbound Woburn traffic making a left-hand turn onto Alabama yield to the southbound traffic making a right-hand turn on Alabama or is it the other way around? A wager of one coffee is riding on the outcome of your answer, so we’re eager to learn the actual rule here.

A: I don’t often tackle a question that applies to a single location, but in this case the intersection at Alabama and Woburn makes a great stand-in for the problem of apparently conflicting traffic control devices. Plus, I always like to weigh in on a wager. In the case of this intersection (and a few others I’ve driven through in the region) we have the bulk of the intersection controlled by traffic lights, and one small right turn lane controlled by a yield sign.

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