The in basket: Ann Sevaaetasi e-mailed me to say, “I was turning left from Lund onto Jackson (in South Kitsap) and in the left-hand turn lane. The left-turn arrow turned yellow blinking.
“I understand that it is legal to make a left, after checking traffic. My problem was that the straight away signal turned red, (but) I still had a blinking yellow turn arrow. I felt very uncomfortable turning left with the yellow arrow while the traffic signal was red.
“This is the first I had ever seen the light turn red with a left yellow arrow. Should I have made the left turn?”
The out basket: Ann was lawfully able to make the turn through the blinking yellow after yielding to other traffic. The signals next to yellow flashing left turns will display red for through traffic when a car using the opposing left turn light got there in time to get a green arrow, providing a protected opportunity to turn.That protection is provided by holding oncoming through traffic at a red light.
Ann evidently didn’t arrive in her left turn lane in time to get a protected turn with a green arrow, so got a flashing yellow signal and had to yield to oncoming traffic, which would have had a green light.
To the jackwagon soccer moom, yes moom as in moo moo, who almost killed my entire family on Kitsap Mall Blvd. this past Thursday afternoon. JUST STOP AT ALL FUTURE FLASHING LIGHTS YOU ARE TOO STOOPID TO INTERPRET TRAFFIC SIGNALS!!!
The signal protected you from the hazard called “yellow trap” by doing this.
Yellow trap occurs when the signals turn yellow for one direction, but leave the opposite direction green. The flashing yellow arrow keeps flashing until the oncoming signal changes from green to yellow, keeping you from being trapped in the intersection.
On this subject; when we were stopped in the right lane for a red light at Greaves way and Kitsap Blvd. on Monday 2/18, right before the turnoff to go south, TWO cars in the left lane beside me went barreling through the red light at high speed one right after the other. Just had to mention this. “Chill”, people; de-stress!
I approached an extremely busy intersection with 4 lights for the left turning lane. As I entered the intersection it was green as I was crossing over the crosswalk it turned to a flashing yellow arrow. I proceeded to yield to oncoming traffic then it turned a solid yellow arrow. The oncoming traffic was still thick and there were no gaps for me to complete my left turn. When I finally got my chance to turn my light turned red and the person to the left of me was at a red stop light waiting to make her turn when her light turned green and she took off right away and gunned it. As I was completing my let turn and was almost entering the crosswalk to turn in my lane she smashed into me. Now it’s a big mess. My car was totaled and my son and have serious neck injuries. Her insurance company is trying to say that we are both at fault 50/50… I know that the rules of the road are that just cause your light turned green doesn’t mean you can go. You must make sure the intersection is clear of any traffic, pedestrians, emergency vehicles or hazards. I think these lights are ridicules and maybe set that was intentionally to cause these accident so the city can make money. There has gotta be a better way!