In East boton if the light has been red for less than 20 seconds it is still considered a green light

 

This isn’t a law but more of a driving custom. People here watch for the yellow light of side traffic. You are expected to already be in gear, and pressing the gas when your traffic light turns green. Everyone starts to move as soon as the light turns green, if you delay moving by ½ a second people start beeping at you for not being ready for the light and making everyone hit the brake again. In Europe they make it easier and just give you a pre green yellow light instead of making you watch side traffics light. I have had many out of region people comment on how unforgiving people are here when it comes to traffic lights.

So what are some “weird” traffic laws or customs you people have come across, or people where you live seem to have?

People with more than 0.200 RT for a green light get honked at by me and pretty much everyone else. What I hate are the soccer moms that are 3 cars back from the light trying to restrain her kids and holding up traffic 20 seconds after the light turns green, and when she finally realizes the honking is at HER, the light is yellow, but she blasts it anyways, totally blowing a red light, damn near takes the front end off some car that's got the legal right to be in the intersection, and 30 cars behind her are still left at the red light.

Also around here, about 5 seconds without a car and the traffic lights change, so there are some dillweeds that make sure to follow too far from the car in front of them in broad daylight and good weather. I'm almost certain that these people do it just to ****block other drivers while they stroll 100% legally through a fresh yellow light.

One wierd traffic law out here is that right turns on red are always legal UNLESS the turn is more than 90 degrees. If it's the slightest bit more, they put a no-turn-on-red sign up. Otherwise things are pretty normal out here.

IF you want me to rant about other stupid things people do here in Kansas I could go on forever. (Yay for stopping in the middle of the road to make a left turn when there's a left turn lane! Yay for damn near running me off the road going from the inside turn lane to the outside lane that I'm in! Etc...)

 

Re: “Weird” traffic laws and customs of other states

In East boton if the light has been red for less than 20 seconds it is still considered a green light

apprently here in FL too. but there are only 2 types of people in florida that were born here. the white trash inbread idiots and the hispanic no taste inbread douche bags. it's fantastic driving on the road here. no wait, that's right. i've got to sometimes drive on the sidewalk to get anywhere.

 

in Michigan, mostly in the Detroit area, areas were fully suburbanized before the Interstate system.

As such, main roads tend to be boulevard style, with as many as 8-10 lanes.

There are no left turns to or from these roads, we do a "michgan left" instead. Depending on the exact configuration, this means either going past the intersection and making a U-turn through the median (there is a lane for this) and then turning right at the intersection...OR...turning right at the intersection, and then making the U-turn on that road.

It's a pain in the ass when you're trying to get somewhere on the other side of the road, but it really prioritizes thru traffic and gets rid of left turns.

I've also noticed similar setups with boulevards in southern Florida, which coincidentally has a large amount of relocated Michiganders...hehe

 

Just something weird I noticed when I moved to LA from San Diego. In LA, you really do not get left turn lights, instead, you have to wait for traffic coming the other way to clear before you turn. In San Diego, there is almost always a green turn light telling you when to go, and when not to go.
Not exactly rocket science, but I got honked at a couple times before I caught on.

 

in Michigan, mostly in the Detroit area, areas were fully suburbanized before the Interstate system.

As such, main roads tend to be boulevard style, with as many as 8-10 lanes.

There are no left turns to or from these roads, we do a "michgan left" instead. Depending on the exact configuration, this means either going past the intersection and making a U-turn through the median (there is a lane for this) and then turning right at the intersection...OR...turning right at the intersection, and then making the U-turn on that road.

It's a pain in the ass when you're trying to get somewhere on the other side of the road, but it really prioritizes thru traffic and gets rid of left turns.

I've also noticed similar setups with boulevards in southern Florida, which coincidentally has a large amount of relocated Michiganders...hehe

Yeah, the "Michigan left" is everywhere in SE Michigan. There are actually quite a few in East Lansing too, especially on the MSU campus.

 

Then there are those weird laws about slower traffice keep right or left lane for passing only and requiring use of turn signals.

 

In Detroit, you don't have to obey stop lights or any other street sign for that matter. Or at least that is what I have observed every time I go there :lol:.

 

In East boton if the light has been red for less than 20 seconds it is still considered a green light

See here you have to be VERY careful if you run a light, because it is more common for people to JUMP the light. In NYC if you have a green light, and it turns yellow everyone SLAMES on there brakes because there is already cars entering the intersection form the side streets!

There are no left turns to or from these roads, we do a "michgan left" instead. Depending on the exact configuration,
I've also noticed similar setups with boulevards in southern Florida, which coincidentally has a large amount of relocated Michiganders...hehe

NJ does that allot as well. I find that confusing as hell when you have to make a “right” to turn left. Usually any major roads, besides highways, tend to just be one way. That eliminates the whole issue of turning across traffic.

Just something weird I noticed when I moved to LA from San Diego. In LA, you really do not get left turn lights, instead, you have to wait for traffic coming the other way to clear before you turn. In San Diego, there is almost always a green turn light telling you when to go, and when not to go.
Not exactly rocket science, but I got honked at a couple times before I caught on.

I hate red lights JUST for turn lanes when threw traffic has a green, especially when you can see clearly ahead. That is fast becoming the norm here though for intersections with 2 way traffic. I guess I can understand it because I was hospitalized for a few weeks, and unable to walk for a few months when some women in a minivan decided a green light meant you can just turn across oncoming traffic.

Then there are those weird laws about slower traffice keep right or left lane for passing only and requiring use of turn signals.

The one thing I like about CT is they DO sometimes enforce those laws here. I do know people that have been ticketed for driving in the left hand lane. It IS also illegal to pass on the right in CT.

In Detroit, you don't have to obey stop lights or any other street sign for that matter. Or at least that is what I have observed every time I go there :lol:.

Oh that reminds me of a few other things people get bugged out about here. NO street signs at intersections, uncontrolled intersections. Noone has a stop, and people from the right have the right away. Then there are intersections with just yield signs, where you only stop if there is traffic in your way.

There are also intersections with priority roads, where traffic making a left hand turn does not have to stop, but traffic from the other direction going straight have to stop and wait for traffic to clear first. Oh and then there are roundabouts, rotaries, and traffic circles. People out of state seem to get stumped by all these intersections and locals are often beeping at people for going, or not going when they should. 4 way stops though seem to stump people here because people are used to SOME direction having priority over anyone else, if all directions are equal that is what roundabouts are for. I know there is a few intersections where there are plans to replace the all way stop with roundabouts, because the 4 way stop clogs up traffic and just confuses everyone. For the most part there seams to be a move to eliminate any 4 way stops because they are dangerous and confusing.

 

In venezuela, you can have 4 cars driving next to each other on a 3 lane road with motorcyclists zooming in between your cars. At stoplights, everyone gets to enjoy some random kids playing with fire in order to get some money from you before the light turns green.

 

in Michigan, mostly in the Detroit area, areas were fully suburbanized before the Interstate system.

As such, main roads tend to be boulevard style, with as many as 8-10 lanes.

There are no left turns to or from these roads, we do a "michgan left" instead. Depending on the exact configuration, this means either going past the intersection and making a U-turn through the median (there is a lane for this) and then turning right at the intersection...OR...turning right at the intersection, and then making the U-turn on that road.

It's a pain in the ass when you're trying to get somewhere on the other side of the road, but it really prioritizes thru traffic and gets rid of left turns.

I've also noticed similar setups with boulevards in southern Florida, which coincidentally has a large amount of relocated Michiganders...hehe

I was just going to post on this! "michigan lefts"......weird stuff.

 

In Detroit, you don't have to obey stop lights or any other street sign for that matter. Or at least that is what I have observed every time I go there :lol:.

No cop..............no stop!

 

I have never in my life known anyone else so concerned with traffic and driving regulations etc.

arty:

 

When I was in Italy, driving is easy going. If your a fast paced driver, then you simply pass the other driver when ever you want. If you are too faster than the driver in front of you, then standard practice is that the slower car continue its speed and pulls to the right to allow passing cars. Rarely a traffic light, most intersections between 2 roads are traffic circles. There are stop signs and yeaild signs and red lights, but more often you find open roads and traffic circles with everywhere to pass. USA drivers are asses. Over in Italy when on the Autoban or AutoStrada, everydriver is in the right lane unless passing someone, if they are passing and have a faster driver behind them, then they will speed up and get outta the way. I loved it over there.

 

Rumor has it in Nevada, if you're travelling at least 125mph, the highway patrol has no jurisdiction and must report you to the FAA for prosecution. Meaning instead of just a felony, time in jail, and a huge ticket from the state, you also have to deal with the feds and their own set of rules for low flying objects. No private pilots license, no lisense for your aircraft, no proof of recent inspection, and everything that goes along with flight regulations.

 

I have never in my life known anyone else so concerned with traffic and driving regulations etc.

arty:

Seriously - we need to get him into the Public Works Dept as a Traffic Engineer. :thumbup:

>8^)
ER

 

Rumor has it in Nevada, if you're travelling at least 125mph, the highway patrol has no jurisdiction and must report you to the FAA for prosecution. Meaning instead of just a felony, time in jail, and a huge ticket from the state, you also have to deal with the feds and their own set of rules for low flying objects. No private pilots license, no lisense for your aircraft, no proof of recent inspection, and everything that goes along with flight regulations.

I think you're confusing that "law" with a bumper sticker or license plate frame :lol:

 

Seriously - we need to get him into the Public Works Dept as a Traffic Engineer. :thumbup:

>8^)
ER

:lol: Yea probably. I can’t be a normal person and just drive through an intersection, I have to analyze it and come up with what is wrong with it.

When I get un lazy ill post my driving regulation concepts up here on day (probably after the holidays)

 

Here in Wisconsin, the Amish people are allowed to ride their bicycles on a 65mph limited access highway. In the dark. In a snowstorm.

 

Here in Wisconsin, the Amish people are allowed to ride their bicycles on a 65mph limited access highway. In the dark. In a snowstorm.

Here in CA we call them 10 points

 

Where I live, in Prescott, AZ there are a lot of old people. A lot of old people = you better keep your eyes on the road for lane wandering drivers. THESE PEOPLE DON'T F'ING PAY ATTENTION! This town has the worst drivers bar-none in the US.

I have been to Chile, Argentina and Ecuador. Driving there is completely offensive. At first you think "this would rule to drive in, especially in a 206 cc" then you are there for another couple of days and realize that you have an 99% chance of having an accident everyday that you go out and drive. Oh yeah, and you better get used to honking horns at all hours of the night, and god forbid their national soccer team wins.

 

“School speed limits” are in effect 24/7 around a school. I remember reading on here someone getting a ticket in a “school zone” in the middle of the night.:what:

in ca it says under all of them, 'when children are present'

wrongggggggggggggggg

same lame smilies as last board :thumbdown

 

In venezuela, you can have 4 cars driving next to each other on a 3 lane road with motorcyclists zooming in between your cars.

To a degree people do that in CT as well. If a road is only marked as having 1 lane in each direction, but everyone is driving a car, people will make it 2 lanes. Allot of times the cities here ban on street parking during rush hour to take over the parking as a second traffic lane. If cases where they don’t want you to drive as if its 2 lanes, they put up a sign “keep single lane.” It’s perfectly fine to do as long as you follow traffic laws (keep right, pass left, and no crossing the double yellow line into oncoming traffic) The only thing is no one tends to signal when changing between unmarked lanes here, everyone just kind of drifts from one side of the road to the other.

in ca it says under all of them, 'when children are present'

wrongggggggggggggggg

I did not specify cali for that one, cuz I can’t remember what state it happened in.

 

Here in sarasota on siesta key, its only a 78 dollar fine for hitting a pedestrian. So u know if you so happen to hit the gas when some one you hate is crossing the road, hey it was only 78 dollars for the satifaction of making them suffer!

Lets see, Florida hmmmmmmmmm. Well saraosta I know they realize we have the most amount of old people ever and sence they cant see at all if a light changed colors, all of our red lights have a flashing strobe light to make people pay attention and stop.

Oh yah if there isnt an accident on the instersate its an odd day. WTF damn old people!

 

Here in sarasota on siesta key, its only a 78 dollar fine for hitting a pedestrian. So u know if you so happen to hit the gas when some one you hate is crossing the road, hey it was only 78 dollars for the satifaction of making them suffer!

Lets see, Florida hmmmmmmmmm. Well saraosta I know they realize we have the most amount of old people ever and sence they cant see at all if a light changed colors, all of our red lights have a flashing strobe light to make people pay attention and stop.

Oh yah if there isnt an accident on the instersate its an odd day. WTF damn old people!

That’s ok, if a person was j walking and ran in front of your car causing you to hit them, you can sue THEM for the damage to your car… :lol: At a crosswalk though they always have the right of way.

Those strobe light things they have here. They are suppose to be used on lights that can have allot of glair during certain times of the day. CT actually mentions them in there driver handbook, but I have NEVER seen one in use in CT. The only ones I have ever seen were in NY State. I would think Florida needs ALLOT of those due to being flat, and sunny.