The Left Turn Across Two Lanes
You are stopped at a red light in the left-turn lane of a busy four-lane road, waiting to turn left onto a cross street. The light turns green - a solid green circle, not a green arrow. Across the intersection, oncoming traffic includes a steady stream of cars. You can see a gap that looks like it might fit your car, but a pedestrian is stepping into the crosswalk on the far side of the intersection, walking parallel to your intended path. A car behind you honks. Your view of the far-left oncoming lane is partly blocked by a large SUV waiting to turn left in the opposite direction.
1. What does the solid green circle permit, and what must you yield to?
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A solid green circle means you may proceed, but a left turn on a solid green is a permissive turn: you must yield to oncoming traffic that is close enough to be a hazard, and to pedestrians in the crosswalk.
So the green light does not give you the right of way to turn. You may enter the intersection to wait for a gap, but you must not turn until oncoming traffic has cleared and the pedestrian has finished crossing your path. The honk behind you creates no obligation to turn unsafely.
2. How does the pedestrian affect your turn?
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The pedestrian is in the crosswalk on the far side, walking parallel to your path. Even if they are not directly in front of you, you must not turn in a way that forces them to stop, slow, or dodge - pedestrians in a crosswalk have the right of way.
You should wait until the pedestrian has cleared the portion of the crosswalk your turn will cross. Turning 'behind' them can still be a conflict if your path and their path converge, so confirm they are clear of your turning path before proceeding.
3. How does the SUV in the opposite left-turn lane change your decision?
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The SUV blocks your view of the far-left oncoming lane. That means you cannot be certain the gap you see is actually clear - a vehicle could be approaching in that lane hidden behind the SUV.
When your view is obstructed, you must not commit to the turn on an assumption. Wait until you can see that the lane is clear, or until the SUV's position changes so your sight line opens up. Turning into a lane you cannot see is a classic cause of left-turn collisions. The blocked view, combined with the pedestrian and oncoming traffic, means you hold and wait for a genuinely clear, fully visible gap.