Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Intersection 'avoidance'

When I am in the truck, I've found myself trying to 'get around' the many 4-way intersections by using my avoidance methods because I HATE sitting at traffic lights!!

To explain, most of you are familiar with the typical city intersection, right? The ones where there are clearly delineated turn lanes and straight through lanes all controlled by traffic signals. So here's what I do.

If I need to turn left and the light has just turned red:
I turn right and do a U-turn at the first convenient spot and wait for that light

If I need to go straight and the light has just turned red:
I turn right and do a U-turn at the first convenient spot and then turn right

Barring large amounts of oncoming traffic that prevents a U-turn, these methods work about 95% of the time and have saved me unknown amounts of time. I also know of some intersections where the first convenient spot is so far down that it negates any time savings. I sit at the light and wait.



I hate living in the city.....

Done these manuevers a few times myself, Phil. But I always feel a little guilty doin' 'em for some reason. Don't know why, other than maybe I feel like I'm "cheatin'" or somethin'.

I don't know if the following is illegal in FL, but for years I had always thought that making a right turn through a corner gas station was illegal in CA. Turns out it's not. So, whenever I'm not on a M/C, I sometimes do that too if I'm stuck behind a number of cars in the right lane and want to turn right at that coming intersection. There's another time-saver for ya.

You are going to find your technique difficult when pulling your TRAILER!

Getting fidgety huh?

Quote:

---

making a right turn through a corner gas station was illegal in CA.

---

In Vermont we call that a "Boston Right".

It used to be illegal in Florida (no need to ask me how I know) and it probably still is. The gas station operators hate it and so do those pumping ethyl - especially when one of those young punks screams past the island in their rice racer.

I could not be a law enforcement officer, I no longer possess enough self control.

I've used this one for years. I think it makes a boring intersection kinda fun. But then I like riding in (medium heavy) traffic. We don't have any curvy roads (well... there is one), so traffic is like the biggest excitement.

Sometimes our bikes don 't have the metallic mass to trigger the buried indicator strip that cycles the light , and so we sit and sit and sit and then get frustrulatered and run the light .

Get a magnet from a hard drive and stick it under your frame. I've seldom had tripping problems since. If that's not strong enough, find a friend who works in an industrial plant and get a magnet from a "mag-drive" pump - they'll trigger the light at the next intersection. I tell you this, because 'I love my brother as I love myself'.

You are your brother's keeper.

Skillet,
That is a great idea...I actually thought the bike was heavy enough to trigger the signal but having a magnet sure removes any doubt. I have gotta find one of those magnets before I get my bike. By the way, I will be taking my daughter down to Tuscaloosa this August for her freshman year at University of Alabama. I should have an opportunity next spring to take my bike down there after I get it...only a 7 1/2 ride...what do you think?

It's a fine technique, assuming the U-turn isn't illegal. Don't know about other states, but in Texas, cutting through a parking lot or gas station is illegal. It's called crossing private property or some such. In other words, you're not being ticketed for avoiding the intersection. You're being ticketed for using the parking lot like a road. A fine distinction, but the fine is the same.

Quote:

---

...only a 7 1/2 ride...what do you think?

---

It's 7.5 hours, unless you do the 7 states ride, then it's a bit longer. Depending on which way you go, you can hit Illinois,Missouri,Kentucky,Arkansas,Tennessee,Mississippi and Alabama in one day. You could even meet up with Yota on the way down - never mind, you mentioned a daughter.
The seven states in a day is a loop we've made with friends. We go up to near Cairo and work out way back south.
Let me know!

I just sling a 600 Amp electromagnet under my frame from the local railyard (like used to pick up scrapmetal). The county kind of gets mad at me when I pull the Signal Sensor out of the ground, as well as some of the reinforcing rebar under the pavement, but...