Left turn nightmare

[Seadub2]

You ever see those goofy cagers wave someone to turn left in front of them in heavy traffic?

You ever seen what can result from this stupid stunt?

Picture this in your mind - You're traveling in the right-hand lane of a three-lane highway in heavy traffic. The lanes to your left are clogged with cars, but for some reason, both lanes are stopped. You keep on traveling, then all of the sudden, some jackass is turning left in front of you, and you couldn't have anticipated it 'cause your view of traffic to your left is blocked by all the cars. You grab a handful of brakes to prevent being roadkill.

I've witnessed three crashes (all cages, thank GOD) where morons wave left turning traffic to turn in front of them, being oblivious to the traffic to their right. BAMM!! The cars in the right-hand lanes T-bone the left turning car.

Ticket? The left-turner gets it for failing to yield. However, in both cases where I was a documented witness, the cop asked me if I got the tag of the waver.

Why?

Waving traffic to turn in front of you is DIRECTING TRAFFIC, according to the man with the badge/gun. Only the police can legally direct traffic.

Bottom line - if you are in the right lane and traffic in the left has stopped, slow down and anticipate some idiot to turn in front of you!!

C.W.

[tireater]

I like crosswalks...a van will stop a wave people off a curb. Approaching cars don't see the people until they step out in front of them...

[FXR2]

Originally Posted by Seadub2

You ever see those goofy cagers wave someone to turn left in front of them in heavy traffic?

You ever seen what can result from this stupid stunt?

I hope a lot of people read the complete post. I've been a victim of a "waver" motioning for me to turn left in front of him.....and into the path of an oncoming car in the outside lane He was leaning over looking in his right-side rear view mirror and waving me across. Like "It's all clear".... Yeah, right. I guess it's a good thing I was in my car at the time and not on a bike. After the impact, he drove off, and I was charged with failure to yield right of way. I still wonder to this day if he did it on purpose or really didn't see the oncoming car. I mean he was looking right in his rear-view mirror.

Anyway, I never take traffic favors anymore. Some folks get exasperated but I shake my head "no" and refuse to go until I, myself, can see that the path is clear.

Years later I was doing the exact thing on my bike that Seadub describes when a full-size van appears from nowhere turning left right in front of me. Six-lane road, both lanes to my left had stopped, my lane was clear. Then the van driver saw me and panic stopped--totally blocking my path--and stared at my headlight. They would have been better off to have gunned it and gotten out of the way, but they slammed on the brakes and placed the van directly in my path. Cars to my left, the van straight in front and a high concrete curb to the right. I had only recently completed my MSF course and got some real-world practice of a panic stop and managed to halt the bike before hitting the van. Thanks, John (MSF Instructor).

[holobach]

Along those lines was in the left hand turn lane some lady already was forcing herself in front of me to do a left and head the opposite direction. I wouldnt wave her through figured she better look wellllll she starts to roll out from behind the dump truck in front of me and I see a bike rounding the corner.

I jump on the horn and start waving at her to stop she stops to FLIP ME OFF!!! but the bike made it past so I did my job to protect one of our own.

[shaman]

Originally Posted by Seadub2

You ever see those goofy cagers wave someone to turn left in front of them in heavy traffic?

You ever seen what can result from this stupid stunt?

Picture this in your mind - You're traveling in the right-hand lane of a three-lane highway in heavy traffic. The lanes to your left are clogged with cars, but for some reason, both lanes are stopped. You keep on traveling, then all of the sudden, some jackass is turning left in front of you, and you couldn't have anticipated it 'cause your view of traffic to your left is blocked by all the cars. You grab a handful of brakes to prevent being roadkill.

I've witnessed three crashes (all cages, thank GOD) where morons wave left turning traffic to turn in front of them, being oblivious to the traffic to their right. BAMM!! The cars in the right-hand lanes T-bone the left turning car.

Ticket? The left-turner gets it for failing to yield. However, in both cases where I was a documented witness, the cop asked me if I got the tag of the waver.

Why?

Waving traffic to turn in front of you is DIRECTING TRAFFIC, according to the man with the badge/gun. Only the police can legally direct traffic.

Bottom line - if you are in the right lane and traffic in the left has stopped, slow down and anticipate some idiot to turn in front of you!!

C.W.

About twenty-five years ago I was one of those morons who was waved on and turned left . Was hit and destroyed a new (the maker was "Datsun" at the time) Z-car and ruined someone elses day in the process. Nobody was hurt, fortunately. The other moron, the one who waved me on, just drove away like nothing had happened Yes I got the ticket etc. etc. Since then I have had the same opportunity many times over with people waving me to turn left. Some even impatient and angry because I hang there and wait for them to clear so I can actually see and be seen before turning. I'll never make that mistake again.

[fatboy1985]

this is the exact reason that I no longer have my fast slammed '62 bug (what can I say, air cooled is the way to go!) I was in the right lane when a guy turned left into me. the guy that turned said that the big 15passenger van waved him on. WAY TO GO!

[davukmer]

At that accident scene...the waver is responsible for causing the accident in the first place.

I would suggest getting THAT person's ( The Waver's) plate/ license info for the cops and insurance company.

[1969K10]

This is one of those touchy subjects. I've always pulled out infront of the person waving my to turn left, and then stop and check the traffic before continuing on. Not saying its correct, just what I do.

[RKJ]

Originally Posted by 1969K10

This is one of those touchy subjects. I've always pulled out infront of the person waving my to turn left, and then stop and check the traffic before continuing on. Not saying its correct, just what I do.

Me too, I would rather piss osmeone off by delaying them 5 seconds than cause an accident. But I learned this the hard way. It seems that the "waver" doesn't always look (or is a ass), either way I stop, look, and listen.

[BOUTYM]

The daughter of a guy I work with got the ass end of her car taken off just yesterday like this. She was waiting to turn left across two lanes. Someone waved her on and being young and stupid, she made the left. Another equally young and stupid girl was running too fast in the right oncoming lane and hit her.

The same daughter was pulled over about 6 months ago doing 80 on the interstate. Swore to her dad and the trooper in court that she'd never do it again. Fast forward to a week ago.

She had bought a nifty new GPS navigator for her car and went on a trip for the weekend. Came back and was showing dear old dad how cool the things was and how you can replay your trip. What she didn't realize was it also shows top speed. 98 mph.

Personally, she wouldn't have been in the car to make the left turn in the first place if it was my daughter.

[jnvultraclassic]

I had a crash back in the early 90s that happened becuase of someone impersonating a police officer and waving them on. I hit the station wagon in the right rear window (I was driving a Nissan King Cab 4x4 with a lift kit and a chrome brush guard). I spun the station wagon around. Thank God, my wife, son, and I were not hurt.

Here's the good part. All 3 of us stopped (me, the wagon, and the waver). After explaining the incident with the officer, he cited the lady in the wagon (failure to yield) and also the lady who waved here on (reckless endangerment).