Transcript Chapter 9 - Turningx

Chapter 9
» Protected Turn
˃ Made from a turn lane posted with signs, road marked with arrows,
and a traffic signal arrow
˃ A green arrow allows you to turn while traffic from the oncoming lane
is stopped at a red light
» Fully Protected Turn
˃ If the signals allows you to make a turn only when you have a green
arrow, it is a fully protected turn
» Semiprotected Turn
˃ Made from a turn lane but not accompanied by a special traffic signal
that directs you your turn with a green arrow or special green light
˃ Turn when you have a solid green or when there is no light but a
sufficient gap in traffic
» Unprotected Turn
˃ Made from a turn lane at an intersection where there are no arrows
» Preparing for a Turn
˃ Scan the Roadway
+ Positioning your vehicle in the proper lane should begin approx. 300
feet before you reach the intersection.
+ Scan the roadway in front, to the sides, and to your rear
+ Look out for pedestrians and vehicles
+ Check to see if there are any signs with restrictions
˃ Select and move to the correct lane
+ Sharper the turn, the slower you should be driving
˃ Signal
+ At least 100 feet before the turn
+ Good rule of thumb – 200 feet before an intersection in an urban
setting, 300 feet in a rural setting
+ Don’t signal too soon
– Don’t want to confuse the other drivers into thinking you are
going to make a turn when you aren’t
» Things to consider
˃ Speed
˃ Width of traffic lanes
˃ Turning radius of the car
˃ Presence of obstacles, such as center dividers and parked cars
» Can be one of the most hazardous maneuvers a
driver will perform
» Judging when to cross in front of oncoming
traffic is the toughest part
˃ View can be blocked
» If you can’t see oncoming traffic in front of you
clearly, don’t make the turn
˃ Wait until the light turns red and the intersection clears
» If you don’t think you can make it, don’t go –
wait until you are comfortable with the gap
» Always prepare for a driver ahead of you to
change their mind
˃ If they are in the turn lane, they may switch and decide to go straight
˃ If they are traveling straight, they may decide to turn at the last
second
˃ Keep your SPACE CUSHION!
» Types of Left Turns
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One way to one way
One way to two way
Two way to one way
Two way to two way
Multi-lane to one lane
One lane to multi-lane
» Making a Left Turn
˃ Wait for a gap
˃ Move into the intersection about 10 feet from the center
˃ Give right of way to pedestrians first, then cross-traffic in the
intersection
+ Keep wheels straight so that if you get hit from behind, you will
not be pushed into oncoming traffic
˃ Scan the roadway you are turning onto and visualize the turn before it
happens, then begin your turn
+ Turn into the lane nearest to you (far left)
˃ Finish the turn and straighten out your wheel
+ Make sure your signal shuts off
» Left Turn Lanes
˃ Usually painted in the center of the roadway
+ Has entry points
˃ Always look in your mirrors and turn your head to make sure it is safe
to enter the left turn lane
˃ Do not enter the turn lane too early or too late
+ Recipe for disaster
» Center Turn Lanes
˃ Vehicles traveling in both directions can enter and use at any time
˃ Can be used to make a left turn from a driveway or side street
+ Turn into the center turn lane, wait for traffic already in the road
to pass, and then enter
» “Stealing” Left Turns
˃ When drivers move into the intersection and turn behind a vehicle
when the light has already turned red
˃ Illegal and dangerous
˃ Holds up traffic
» Making right turns is less complicated than left
turns
» A right turn always begins in the far right lane,
or the lane closest to the curb
» Tap your brakes to alert drivers you are
preparing to slow down
» Signal in advance to let other drivers know your
intentions
» Steps for Making a Right Turn
˃ Ensure that the intersection is clear of pedestrians and find a gap in
cross-traffic
˃ Align tires with the curve of the curb
+ Pre-set your turn
+ Scan intersection again for peds
˃ Begin your turn if the path is clear
˃ Turn into the lane nearest to the curb (far right), straighten wheel out
and continue driving forward
» Danger on your Right Side
˃ As you move to the far right lane to prepare for a right turn
+ Look for any bicyclists riding on the side of the road
+ Be aware of any motorcyclists that may be in our blind spot
+ Pedestrians could appear at any time
˃ Signal to move to the right, check your blind spot, then move over
» Danger on your Left Side
˃ Keep the turn tight/don’t make the turn wide
˃ If you have to make a wide turn, do so when the oncoming lane is
clear
˃ If your vehicle makes wide turns, turn your hazards on to warn other
drivers
» Danger Ahead
˃ Make sure that you stop at the stop line or before the crosswalk
before making your right turn
˃ Be aware of pedestrians crossing from your side of the street, the
opposite side of the street, or even popping out in front of you
˃ Watch out for oncoming traffic wanting to turn left
+ Both of you should be able to perform your turns without
interfering with each other
+ If turning into one lane, give right-of-way to the driver turning left
» Right Turn on a Red Light
˃ This is a completely legal maneuver unless it is posted otherwise
˃ Make sure you come to a stop first, and check if there are any
pedestrians, bicyclists, or an vehicles that may be crossing the
intersection on their green signal
˃ Remember that pedestrians and vehicles approaching the intersection
or in the intersection have the right-of-way
˃ Just because it is legal, doesn’t mean you have to do it
» Sometimes it is necessary to reverse direction
that you are traveling
˃ Missing a street while driving and there is no way to go around the
block
˃ This can be a dangerous maneuver because you will have to cross or
back into one or more lanes of traffic
˃ Also known as a Turn About
» Ways to reverse your direction (Turn About)
˃ Two-Point Turn
+ Turning into a driveway either on your side of the roadway or the
opposite side of the roadway
– Reverse then forward
– Forward then reverse
˃ U-Turns
+ Dangerous and often illegal, so avoid at all costs
» How to perform a U-Turn
˃ Check to make sure there are no signs posted
˃ Check to see where you are
+ In some cases it depends where you are located
+ i.e., business districts, school zones, fire stations
+ You have to know whether it is legal or not
˃ Allow 400 feet of visibility in both directions
+ Make sure nothing is blocking your view
+ Consider the turning radius of your vehicle-you may need more
room to maneuver
» Three-Point Turn
˃ No driveways are available and you can’t do a U-turn
˃ Make sure no traffic is approaching from either direction
˃ Signal a left turn, turn the steering wheel all the way to the left and
move forward until you can’t go any further
˃ Stop the car, turn the wheel all the way to the right, and begin to back
up
˃ Come to a complete stop, straighten wheel, and drive forward
» Other ways to Reverse
Direction
˃ Drive around the block
+ Easiest and safest
˃ Turn around in a parking lot
+ Make sure to watch out for people
getting in and out of cars