These Are the Weird Local Traffic Quirks Where You Live

We have what is known around here as the ‘Intersection of Death’.

Is is a 4 way intersection 1/2 down a 12% grade.

The hill runs down, North to South.

If you are going down the hill through the intersection there is no traffic control, i.e. Stop or Yield sign.

If you are going up the hill there is a Stop sign.

If you are going from East to West there is a Stop sign.

If you are going West to East, there is a Yield sign.

There is a foundry at the bottom of the hill.

At least once a year a massively laden rig coming down the 12% grade will obliterate a car that fails to yield when entering the intersection from the West.

Last year a wreck was so bad it pushed the car in to the house on the SW corner and shoved it down the hill. Said house is now condemned.

In Minnesota, the zipper merge.

So, when there’s a lane closure, traffic is supposed to use both lanes right up until the lane closes where vehicles in both lanes take turns going into the open lane.

It works great and substantially mitigates backups if everyone follows the rules.

Of course, in spite of all the encouraging statements from the State Patrol, MNDOT, and every driver’s training class throughout the state, some people just can’t handle it.

“Oh hell no, that effing jackwad ain’t gettin’ ahead of me. I’m gonna pull out and block the lane that’s moving faster so EVERYONE has a longer wait.”

Yep, that guy and a whole lot of other folks with first cousin parents just can’t see the logic cause they think everything is a competition in their sad frustrated lives.

In Minnesota, we have “reduced conflict intersections” which are similar to Michigan Lefts, except there is no option to go straight through. If you are on the side road and want to continue across, you would take a right, then a U-turn, then another right to continue on the road you were on. These are mostly used on rural roads where traffic is light and moving at high speeds (typically 65+).

https://www.dot.state.mn.us/roadwork/rci/

I lived in the Pittsburgh Area for a year. Got used to the Pittsburgh Left.

Setup. Two way traffic. One lane in each direction. Car at lead of oncoming traffic is signalling left turn.

Action. When your light turns green, you pause for a split second before you go so the oncoming driver can take a left and the cars trapped behind him can go straight.

Only applies for that first car in line. If there are two, the second car doesn’t get a free left (typically).

Also, it’s just a pause before you go. If the guy trying to take a left is asleep at the light and doesn’t take off as soon as the light turns green, tough toenails. They will be stuck waiting for your line of traffic to clear.

It’s been something like 30 years since I lived in that area and the rules might have changed, but that was the unwritten rule of how to drive when I lived there.

I’ve always thought the Jersey Left was the practice of accelerating and turning left as quickly as possible when the light changes to green without a protected turn and just hoping to beat the oncoming traffic, thus greatly increasing the risk of a broadside crash.

In CT, Hartford, on the 84/91 interchange, traffic laws do not exist.

You want to merge last second across a divider? send it

You want to cut across 4 lanes during dead stop traffic? sure, make sure you have a big vehicle

Speeding? encouraged

Going down the break down lane? sure why not

You have a temp plate expired by over a year? hell yes. As long as you’re near this interchange, you’re invincible.

All of these, i have seen, happen in front of cops. Anyone who lives or commutes in the area can 100% attest to this.

Chicago’s “Turn lanes” (or lack thereof).

In the city of Chicago most streets don’t have turn lanes, but parallel parking is prohibited about two car lengths from the intersection. What this allows is a right and/or left turn lanes as needed.

There are no markings on the road, but every Chicago driver knows that the driving lane can go straight or become a left turn lane. When it becomes a left turn, everyone passes on the right, where parallel parking would be.

Dedicated left, right and center lanes are very rare in the city and only reserved for major stroads or 6 way intersections (another Chicago quirk).

Southern Ontario checking in. Left is right and right is left as far as the “fast” lane goes.

I know, I know, this is a trend in lots of places but I’m not exaggerating in the slightest here, PARTICULARLY if you get on our toll highway (Highway 407). It is actually comical because it’s so predictable. People will merge onto a more or less empty highway and immediately cross 6 lanes or more for the extreme left lane.

At the very real risk of extending my own travel times, do yourself a favor around these parts and just stay in the right lane on our highways. Moves steadier and faster in almost every case.

A SHORTED LIVED LOCAL RULE.

When I was a teenager, Alexandria, VA had timed traffic lights. After rush hour was over, it was well known that if you did exactly 25 mph down Route 1 through the more developed part of Alexandria (where there was a stop light at every intersection), you would never get a red light. I remember doing that at something like 9 PM. You would go 25 mph and just at the point where you would say “I should start slowing down for that red light”, it would turn green. It was amazing to watch and do.

WHY IT WAS SHORT LIVED.

Harmonics. Perfectly timed for 25 mph is also perfectly timed for 50, 75, 100, etc.

Soon after all the local high school kids started proving harmonics are real by experimental methods, the stop light timing was broken up where you had at least one red light going through that section of town.