Stale Green, Phone-Distracted Left-Turner, and a Pedestrian
You are riding north on a two-lane street approaching a four-way intersection controlled by traffic lights. Your light has been green for a long time - a stale green. A large SUV is stopped in the oncoming southbound lane with its left turn signal on, waiting to turn left; the driver is looking down at a phone. A pedestrian is standing on the curb to your right, not yet in the crosswalk, but facing the intersection. You want to turn left at this intersection. The road has one lane in each direction plus a dedicated left-turn lane. The pavement markings are faded. It is 3:15 p.m. on a school day, and there are children on the sidewalk. A car behind you is close.
1. The light is stale green. Should you enter the intersection to turn left? Walk through the decision.
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Do not commit just because the light is green. A stale green means the light could change before you clear the intersection. The decision depends on your distance to the stop line, your speed, and whether you can stop safely.
Decision process:
- Check your mirrors and the car behind you. If you brake suddenly for a changing light, the close car may hit you, so brake early and progressively.
- If you can stop comfortably before the line, stop. Entering on a stale green to “beat” the light is a classic intersection crash setup.
- If you are too close to stop safely, proceed only if you can clear the intersection without blocking it.
- Before turning, confirm the oncoming SUV is actually yielding. The driver is looking at a phone, so do not assume they see you. The SUV may turn left across your path or drift into your lane.
- Watch the pedestrian and the children. A green light does not override a pedestrian in the crosswalk.
Judgment: The safest choice is to slow, cover the brakes, and prepare to stop. If the light changes while you are already legally in the intersection, complete the turn; otherwise, do not enter on a stale green with a distracted oncoming driver and a pedestrian nearby.
2. What is the correct lane position and scan sequence for this left turn?
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Lane position: Move into the dedicated left-turn lane and position yourself slightly left of the lane center. That improves your view of oncoming traffic and makes you more visible to the SUV driver. Do not hug the right side of the turn lane, where you may be hidden behind the SUV's A-pillar or the faded markings.
Scan sequence:
- Mirror check and head check before entering the turn lane.
- Signal early and confirm the signal is on.
- Scan the intersection left-to-right: oncoming SUV, crosswalk, pedestrian, children on the sidewalk, and any cross traffic.
- Recheck the SUV driver's wheels and front body movement - a phone-distracted driver may creep forward.
- Check the traffic light and the rearview mirror before committing.
Judgment: Do not fixate on the light or the SUV. Keep scanning because the pedestrian may step off the curb and the children may move unpredictably. Your turn is not complete until you have cleared the crosswalk and the oncoming lane.
3. How should the pedestrian on the curb and the children on the sidewalk affect your speed and commitment to the turn?
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Slow down and cover the brakes. A pedestrian facing the intersection may step off the curb even if they are not yet in the crosswalk. Children on the sidewalk are unpredictable and may run into the street. You must yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk, and you should be prepared to yield even before they enter it.
Commitment: Do not commit to the turn until you have made eye contact or confirmed the pedestrian is waiting. If the pedestrian steps off the curb, stop and let them cross. Do not try to turn behind them or squeeze past. The children raise the risk further, so reduce speed early and keep your scan wide.
Judgment: The green light gives you permission to proceed only when the path is clear. A pedestrian near the crosswalk and children nearby are reasons to delay the turn, not reasons to hurry through it.