Don’t be the guy who stops when there’s no need

Today is Driver’s Ed day, thanks to a Concerned Reader and Frustrated Driver named Judy.

Those of us blessed enough to work and/or live downtown will be familiar with the scenario that frustrates Judy.

“Hi, Mike...”

Hi Judy.

“When some drivers travel on Broadway or First Avenue, they don't seem to know the correct procedure after they make a turn onto any of the streets from Ninth Street north to 14th Street.

“The dilemma is presented by the median dividing the roadways and making one-way streets. Suppose you are driving north on First Avenue, and make a left turn at 13th Street. The traffic light controlling traffic on 13th is red. But if you stop in the median, chances are that traffic will back up on First.

“I've always thought that you are supposed to proceed (with caution, looking out for cars traveling south on First Avenue) onto 13th, and that this rule is the same for all of those intersections on Broad and First.

“What is the official ruling? If you can get the answer to this, it will help ‘fix’ my frustration when I'm driving in Uptown!

“Thanks! I always enjoy your Inquirer columns.

“Judy.”

Thanks, Judy.

Common sense would dictate that the city does not expect left turners to stop at the red light that’s intended for the east-west traffic, even if you are about to become one of those east-west travelers. If everyone stopped at those lights (and some days it seems they do) only one or two people would get to turn left per green light, regardless of whether there is oncoming traffic.

If you think rush hour at Broadway and 13^th Street is bad now, start telling folks to stop at red lights not meant for them.

I encounter it more often at Broadway and Ninth, where someone will invariably stop and I will (with great caution, as Judy reminds us) drive around them and often make observations about the halted driver that my priest would certainly not approve of.

I’ve never understood why those intersections need double sets of lights. It seems like the first set of red lights would be sufficient. I mean, if someone stops at the first set, they’re likely to stay stopped. The second set adds nothing but confusion to the equation. And expense. Those traffic signals cost a bundle.

Maybe they could rig them so that when the first set of east-west lights turns red, the second set would turn yellow, reminding the left turners to proceed with caution. Or they could just do away with the second set of lights altogether.

But that’s common sense, which doesn’t always align perfectly with the law.

Just to make sure, I asked the city’s public safety director, Mayor Teresa Tomlinson, for her interpretation of the law. Tomlinson said Judy is right. Proceed with caution and yield to oncoming traffic, of course. But the red light is not intended for you, even if you’re driving right (or left) under it.

Now that we know the law, I still think setting the second set of lights to yellow makes sense. But that would probably require an ordinance change.

Judy, contact your city councilor and see what he or she can do about that.

This story was originally published May 30, 2016 at 1:13 PM with the headline "Don’t be the guy who stops when there’s no need."