Right Hand Turn, In City, With Traffic In Opposite Lane

This keeps being my nightmare scenario: I am driving in the city. I come to an intersection, stop at the red light, and need to turn right. Let's say I am on a north-south street and am wanting to turn right (east) onto the east-west street. The problem is that west bound cars are all the way up to the intersection markings so that I cannot swing into them to complete the turn. There is no way to make the turn without going into these lanes. There is a traffic control pole near the corner of the intersection, so if I jump the curb with the tandems , I'll take down the pole.

What do you do? Do you pull ahead, block the lanes, and wait for traffic to more forward and around you (westbound)? It does not seem practical that the cars would be able to back up and allow you in. Instead of turning right, do you go straight and circle the block (go one block north, turn east one block, then turn south one block, and then turn east (left turn)) to get on the road you need to be on?

Just trying to imagine this scenario in any number of big cities.

... The problem is that west bound cars are all the way up to the intersection markings so that I cannot swing into them to complete the turn. There is no way to make the turn without going into these lanes. There is a traffic control pole near the corner of the intersection, so if I jump the curb with the tandems , I'll take down the pole.

What do you do?

How about small towns? Here's an entry from my Road Training experience*:

Rolled into the old part of town - OH NO! a right turn from a really narrow 2-lane street onto another narrow 2-lane street! With a light pole right on the corner! And I have 63 feet of trailer!

In traffic, no room to slide left, no room to pull farther into oncoming traffic after the turn. That light pole moving closer to the curb (I thought). I put a big smile on my face and looked at the lady wanting to turn left in front of me. Pointing to my right turn path and indicatiing her car was in the way, she backed up! She must have seen this before. Yes, even the driver behind her backed up! I hope the backing up is a local tradition.

Pulling around the corner, I watched that light pole get closer to my tandems. I could still see daylight between, so I carefully pulled forward (Thank You, driver lady!), brushed the curb with my tire, and escaped.

Whew! I continued through the town, breathing again - no damage done! Oh. Left turn now. A tight one, on narrow old-town streets! Left turns are a bit easier - more room to maneuver, a bit more wiggle room to pull out and start the turn, some well used space along that right curb. Those local car drivers knew. Escape #2.

Not done yet: one more old-town right turn. Tight as the first, including the traditional corner pole. Cars this time stopped early to give me room. Trailer - pole space seemed paper thin, but space is space here. Made it.

*about half way down. Do a page search for "St Martinville".

Sometimes you just have to put the blinker on and wait for the opening.

Phil

Most of the time they will back up or move to the straight lane to get out of your way and then there will be times you will have to sit through a green light for a opening...

Yeah, that is one of those scenarios that you have to figure out your best move once you encounter it because there are so many solutions depending on the actual situation. I know that sounds vague, but there is no right or wrong answer. I will say, however, that Google Maps is your friend. I always pull up Google Maps when I'm going into a new customer that I've never been to and search each turn into that customer. If I see a problem intersection, I always look for alternate ways in there. If I don't find any, then at least I know how to approach that intersection when the time comes. Most, and I stress the word most, people are pretty understanding of what is required of them for you to make a turn like that and you might just have to do your button-hook turn as far as you can and then leave it up to them to clear the way for you. One more thing I ALWAYS, ALWAYS do once people start maneuvering out of my way is to make eye contact and give them a wave to let them know I appreciate them helping me out. I like to think that if you give the wave then people are a little more eager to help out the next guy they encounter in the same situation. Maybe that works, or maybe it doesn't, but I like to think it does.

I have my permit and had this happen twice. I waited through a green and honked so that the new people approaching saw me....they gave me room. The second time they just backed up. Ull be fine

Agree with Rayzor, always give the thumbs up and mouth "thank you"!! Interestingly, I have observed that the most-likely-to-be-helpful vehicles are guys in pick up trucks. Least likely to help seem to be young women in small sedans; I think they're oblivious.

Agree with Rayzor, always give the thumbs up and mouth "thank you"!! Interestingly, I have observed that the most-likely-to-be-helpful vehicles are guys in pick up trucks. Least likely to help seem to be young women in small sedans; I think they're oblivious.

Interestingly enough, when I worked for a big insurance company a few years back, one of their studies found that women in their 20s are the most likely group to demonstrate road rage. I always thought that was odd - until my daughter hit her 20s.

I enjoyed reading this post, as I think a lot of if not all new drivers have this same reoccurring nightmare, including me! I think the key is common sense. Start the maneuver and if people can't move throw on your parking brakes, and put your feet on the steering wheel until they move😁

Agree with Rayzor, always give the thumbs up and mouth "thank you"!! Interestingly, I have observed that the most-likely-to-be-helpful vehicles are guys in pick up trucks. Least likely to help seem to be young women in small sedans; I think they're oblivious.

Interestingly enough, when I worked for a big insurance company a few years back, one of their studies found that women in their 20s are the most likely group to demonstrate road rage. I always thought that was odd - until my daughter hit her 20s.

In my experience they learn that behavior from their mothers LOL

Phil