Compared to Maskachusetts, Florida is the land of the divided thoroughfare, dedicated left turn lane, and legal U-turn. It’s a little tough for people making a right turn on red on the cross street, though, to determine if a driver is making a left turn (no conflict) or a U-turn (conflict).
Now that all of the exterior lights of a car are LED, why not a mechanism for signaling a U-turn to other drivers? The rear left turn signal could add an extra color and a “U” symbol that lights up in between flashes (there’s already an array of LEDs that make up the “taillight”, right?) The front turn signal, seen by the right-turning driver (above), could add the same standard extra color.
Perhaps the toughest part is the gesture to activate the U-turn signal. The stalk is already heavily overloaded with user interface (pull back for temporary bright headlights; push forward for persistent bright headlights). Maybe a steering wheel button?
I think U have a good idea! The regulations around this space move very slowly. Perhaps a separate color would not be necessary.
Just change the flashing pattern – left turn signals flash normally. Other turn signals (on side opposite the turn) flash in a fast warning pattern. As for activation: many cars already do a three flash land change signal for a single momentary stalk push. Do two quick momentary pushes to activate u-turn signaling.
Is down and pull an option? Sort of like those old automatic transmission shifters near the steering stalk.
(Surely one of your readers is a mechanical engineer….)
Down (left turn) and pull (going backwards) is perfect! Much better than my idea!
In your illustration it’s pretty obvious that the green car is doing a u-turn, not turning left.
My biggest complaint is that many drivers don’t use a turn signal at all, so adding another unused option probably won’t help much.
My favorite driving move in my truck is to power-rotate the rear around so I can complete the u-turn without having to us a 3-point turn because of the length. The signal for that is the sound of squealing tires, but that only works when it’s dry.
Would be amusing if the windshield had an LED facial expression facing out. The facial expression indicated turns & rage. Of course, the internet says all cars are going to be autonomous, someday.
I don’t think adding a semaphore system to cars is a good idea. Humans cannot process too much information quickly.
People in Florida don’t know about any signal lights! Don’t think cars in Florida come equipped with them. As a Snow bird, I get used to 6 months without turn signals every year.
In traffic, like in politics, no amount of regulation can replace lack of morality or common sense in the society. There is something called driver’s tolerance. In your picture green car is behaving like a double idiot: for one, because he bumped into another car, for second, because cars which turn right have right of way before cars that turn left (at least it is so in Europe). If you change your picture a little, so that red car is bumping into green car, then red car is just a single idiot: even if he has the right of way (right turning before left turning), he bumped into another car in difficult, slow driving situation, where he must have seen another car early enough to be able to stop.
mata: The Internet helpfully has two answers for who has the right of way in the illustrated situation in Florida. Answer A: the car doing the right turn on red. Answer B: the car doing the U-turn.
@mata, I think we can assume that the green car is NOT running a red light, therefore, the red car is making a “Right on Red.” But a red light is a pretty clear signal that you do NOT have the right of way and must yield.
The concern is how difficult it will be for the red car to recognize that the green car is making a U turn rather than a left turn.
Traffic rules vary state by state but I have not seen any states when car allowed to turn by crossing into next lane to adjacent lane. So while red car may or may not be at fault (some locales do not allow right turn on red or there may be no turn on red sign), the green car is for sure at fault.
I forgot that there is “Turn on Red” rule in North America, which does not exist in Europe (funny 2 minutes take on this by Finnish comedian living in LA). In Europe, sometimes there are extra green lights for right or left turn (green arrow as a traffic light). This morning I was turning right on such a traffic light (green arrow for turning right), and I almost bumped into someone who was making U turn. Karma is a bitch, as they say.
Great idea, but… (1) In combat driving training in Boston, didn’t we learn to yield to the most dented car? (2) Many drivers don’t use already available signals. (3) When they do, whether accidentally or intentionally, they don’t always turn as signaled. Stay frosty out there!
How about a way to signal an intent for going straight? Many people don’t use their turn signals, so a lack of a signal currently means the other driver may or may not be going straight. A straight indicator signals a clear intent to go straight and lack of signaling at an intersection could then be made an infraction.
I really don’t think we need one more thing on the stalk to twist or push in error.
Here in Texas the rule seems to be: ” If you are doing a U turn wait until there are no other cars in the way. In other words it is like sliding through the red light at 4 am after stopping: “You have the right to act but no right-of-way”.