Flashing Yellow Arrow and a Tempting Gap at a DC Intersection
At 8:10 a.m. you are westbound on a four-lane avenue in DC, in the dedicated left-turn lane at a signalized intersection. The left-turn signal displays a flashing yellow arrow. Oncoming eastbound traffic has a green circular signal and is moving at about 30 mph. A pedestrian is in the crosswalk on your left, walking slowly, and a cyclist is waiting in a bike lane on the street you want to enter. The left-turn lane has a stop line set back from the crosswalk. You estimate a four-second gap in the oncoming traffic, but a car in the oncoming left lane is accelerating. The signal for through traffic is green. A driver behind you honks as you wait. After a few seconds, the flashing yellow arrow changes to a steady yellow arrow while your front bumper is still behind the stop line.
1. What does a flashing yellow arrow mean, and what must you yield to before turning? How is it different from a green arrow?
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A flashing yellow arrow is a permissive left-turn signal. You may turn without stopping if the path is clear, but you must yield to oncoming vehicles, pedestrians in the crosswalk, and cyclists. It does not give you a protected right of way. A green arrow is a protected turn: oncoming traffic is stopped, and you may proceed, though you still watch for pedestrians and cyclists who may be in the intersection. The honking driver behind you does not change the meaning of the signal and does not create a safe gap.
2. The arrow changes to steady yellow while you are still behind the stop line. Can you complete the turn? What if you had already entered the intersection?
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A steady yellow arrow means the permissive left-turn phase is ending. If you are still behind the stop line and can stop safely, stop; do not enter the intersection on yellow to beat the red. If you had already entered the intersection before the change, you are committed and should complete the turn when it is safe and clear, rather than stopping in the middle of the intersection. A red arrow means do not enter. The key distinction is whether you have already crossed the stop line and are legally within the intersection.
3. The four-second gap is tempting, but the oncoming car is accelerating and the pedestrian is still in the crosswalk. What is the correct decision, and how should you handle the honking driver?
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Do not turn. The pedestrian is still in the crosswalk and has the right of way, and the accelerating oncoming car makes the gap unreliable. At 30 mph, four seconds is roughly 176 feet, but that estimate assumes a steady speed; an accelerating car closes the gap faster and may have to brake for you. Wait for a clear gap or a protected green arrow. Ignore the horn. If the driver behind you continues to pressure you, remain stopped and do not gesture or argue. Turning into an unsafe gap to satisfy another driver is exactly the kind of decision that causes left-turn crashes.