FINALLY - a cop when you need one...

[Catwoman2965]

Not really relating to SCs, but bad drivers...but they DID screw up traffic for everyone else.

On my way to work today, and I was waiting at a light, to turn left onto a county highway (otherwise known as Route 10.) For those of you not familiar to NJ; on these highways, and other roads, you cannot simply make a left turn, you have to take what is known as a jughandle, which means you turn off of the road, and go around, then cross over the road you were just on, and get on it going in the other direction. They confuse many an out-of-stater...as most other states have a separate lane for left turns.

So i'm waiting to turn left onto 10, from the side road, and I hear horns honking. Some idiot decided he wanted to turn left OFF Route 10, at the intersection, which is a no no. He;s blocking a lane, waiting for god know's what (probably traffic in the other direction to die down, which isn't going to happen).

From behind me, i see a huge SUV come up, and get in the lane of traffic in the other direction, and its the county sheriff! hahahaha - he saw the idiot, and was waiting for him. So the light turns, sheriff puts his lights on, idiot makes a U-TURN onto Route 10 in the other direction, and is promtply pulled over.. I laughed my butt off...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA - that SO made my day!

[Becks]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay for a timely cop.

I know the situation you described. Can't escape them.

Hey, how many people have you seen go into the "u turn" lane (if you will) to make a right so they don't have to sit at a red light? If it's a silver/gray Dodge Intrepid doing that, I'll bet you it's my fiance.

[Gurndigarn]

For those of you not familiar to NJ; on these highways, and other roads, you cannot simply make a left turn, you have to take what is known as a jughandle, which means you turn off of the road, and go around, then cross over the road you were just on, and get on it going in the other direction. They confuse many an out-of-stater...as most other states have a separate lane for left turns.

I assume they have "no left turn" signs posted as well? Otherwise, that's going to do more than confuse out-of-staters.

[Catwoman2965]

I assume they have "no left turn" signs posted as well? Otherwise, that's going to do more than confuse out-of-staters.

You know, I don't know. A lot of intersections do, but some don't...just they way NJ does things! I don't think they were from out of state though...

[BookstoreEscapee]

I assume they have "no left turn" signs posted as well? Otherwise, that's going to do more than confuse out-of-staters.

Generally they will post a no left turn sign, and/or "all turns from right lane" though some are more or less visible than others...

[Gurndigarn]

I assume they have "no left turn" signs posted as well? Otherwise, that's going to do more than confuse out-of-staters.

You know, I don't know. A lot of intersections do, but some don't...just they way NJ does things! I don't think they were from out of state though...

Well, OK, but based on all the traffic laws I ever heard of, if there's no sign posted prohibiting a left turn, then it's a legal thing to do.

[bigjimaz]

The one we have here in the town I live has a sign that is probably 8 X 8 feet. It sits about a ¼ mile before the jug handle. I believe the wording on it says, "Left turn onto Main Street must exit right ¼ mile" in about 16 inch tall reflective lettering. Then there are signs suspended above each lane where the exit lane peels off the 2 traffic lanes that say THRU LANE and MAIN STREET above the exit lane. There is also a sign hanging from each of the traffic signals that say NO LEFT TURN.

And yes, I have seen people ignore ALL of them.

[Catwoman2965]

And it continues! Honestly, this must be the week for sucky drivers! Today I didn't even make it out of my apt complex...waiting to turn right out of the complex, and someone comes up on my left, which generally means they are turning LEFT out...nope, this a#$%hole cuts over in front of me, just as I'm about to go, and turns RIGHT!

I leaned on the horn, and he just ignored me.

[BookstoreEscapee]

And it continues! Honestly, this must be the week for sucky drivers! Today I didn't even make it out of my apt complex...waiting to turn right out of the complex, and someone comes up on my left, which generally means they are turning LEFT out...nope, this a#$%hole cuts over in front of me, just as I'm about to go, and turns RIGHT!

I leaned on the horn, and he just ignored me.

I had someone do that to me in the jughandle getting into my local mall. There are 2 lanes in the jughandle, both go straight across or you can turn left in the left lane. So I'm in the left lane, going straight, and the large pickup truck in the right lane decides he's going to turn left in front of me.

[Catwoman2965]

I had someone do that to me in the jughandle getting into my local mall. There are 2 lanes in the jughandle, both go straight across or you can turn left in the left lane. So I'm in the left lane, going straight, and the large pickup truck in the right lane decides he's going to turn left in front of me.

I hate that! What I also hate is when you are taking the jughandle to get to the other side, and BOTH lanes go left. The right hand lane will always have more people, as they are all trying to then turn into whatever mall, store, etc. they want to go to. There is ALWAYS some butthead who feels they shouldn't have to wait behind all the other cars, gets in the left lane, and when the light changes, and both lines of cars are turning, cut over to the right lane, in front of everyone else.

[BookstoreEscapee]

The mall near me has 2 separate areas of stores in front of the mall itself, and one of them used to contain Sam's Club, which moved about a year ago further down the road. If you are coming from the mall it's on your left and you have to take a jughandle, which is also the entrance to a hotel (it branches off once you get into it) and actually goes around another building. I stopped at one of the other stores near the mall and a couple came into the parking lot and stopped to ask me where Sam's Club was. I told them where and that they had to take a jughandle to get there...I hope they didn't get too confused, because the first time I did it I was confused.... They're also putting in a "roundabout" elsewhere, that used to be just a normal intersection, because they say it will improve traffic flow. My father is quite skeptical on that...

[thegiraffe]

Wait....you have to turn right to turn left? That's not only dumb, but it's an incredible waste of time, too. And if it's a 4-way intersection, don't you wind up making a (normal) left turn anyhow? Confusing....


(Yeah, I live in Florida....where people drive like idiots, but at least our roads are normal!)

[myswtghst]

It can be similar in MI, as well. A MI left, in my book, means driving past the street you want to turn left on, pulling a U-turn further up, then returning to turn right onto the street you passed.

[Catwoman2965]

Wait....you have to turn right to turn left? That's not only dumb, but it's an incredible waste of time, too. And if it's a 4-way intersection, don't you wind up making a (normal) left turn anyhow? Confusing....


(Yeah, I live in Florida....where people drive like idiots, but at least our roads are normal!)

You do, makes very little sense, but I'm so used to it, having lived in NJ most of my life, and all of my driving life! I get confused visiting the folks in VA, where they have the lanes in the center where the traffic in BOTH directions gets into to turn left. I'm always in the wrong lane!

It's a Jersey thing, what more can i say? hahahaha

[BookstoreEscapee]

Wait....you have to turn right to turn left? That's not only dumb, but it's an incredible waste of time, too. And if it's a 4-way intersection, don't you wind up making a (normal) left turn anyhow? Confusing....


(Yeah, I live in Florida....where people drive like idiots, but at least our roads are normal!)

Yeah, welcome to New Jersey...

A. some roads, you have to go past the road you want to turn left onto, get off and go around in a circle, but then you are turning (or merging) right into the road you are turning onto, and then you cross over the road you were just on... (see crude drawings below)

B. other roads, you get off before the street you are turning onto, and then you are still making a left out of the jughandle, just not into the middle of the intersection. If you are lucky, the light is timed correctly and traffic is light enough so that you don't get stuck in the jughandle.

given a choice, I prefer option A because it's just easier.

(you'll have to excuse my terrible paint skills...)