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Chapter 10

Negotiating Intersections

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Uncontrolled Intersections

  • Look for clues
    • Street signs and street lights
    • Parked cars on cross streets
    • Rows of fences and mailboxes
    • Tree or shrub plantings
    • Power lines (phone lines)

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Uncontrolled Intersections

  • No signs or signals to regulate traffic
  • Approaching:
  • Look left first, WHY?
  • Look right first, WHEN?
  • Drive slowly
  • Who will yield?- never assume
  • Yield to pedestrians

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How to Negotiate Uncontrolled Intersections

  • IPDE process
  • At different intervals

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Controlled Intersections

  • When approaching controlled intersections
  • IPDE process
    • Right on red
    • Scanning
  • Pretend you are invisible
  • Pedestrians

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Signals at Controlled Intersections

  • Use IPDE process to handle signals
  • Warning signs- brake lights
  • Stale green light
  • Fresh green light
    • Vehicle capabilities
    • Running the red light

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Signals at Controlled Intersections

  • Yellow Lights
  • Point of “No Return”- must proceed
  • If before the Point-
    • Check rear
    • Road, vehicle conditions
  • Left turn, watch oncoming traffic
    • Wait until traffic stops before proceeding

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Unprotected Left Turns

  • 1. Wait until light turns green, move to center of the intersection
  • 2. Keep wheels straight
  • 3. Stay close to center line
  • 4. Wait until traffic is clear
    • Left into left

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Protected Left Turn

  • Can occur before or after oncoming traffic
  • May be prohibited when arrow ends
  • Green Arrow: may just turn off- now unprotected, may have yellow arrow
  • Delayed green light, What?

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Shared Left Turn Lane

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Right Turn Conflicts

  • Pedestrian Conflicts
    • Check crosswalks
  • Conflicts to the Rear:
    • Check rearview mirror
    • Tap brake pedal
  • Conflicts with Oncoming Left-turning Vehicles: Swing wide, both directions

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Turns on Red

  • Right on Red:
  • Full stop!
  • Move to see clearly
  • Look left, right, left
  • Must yield right of way to any vehicle or pedestrian

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Turns on Red

  • Left on Red
  • Some states permit
  • One-way to another one way
  • ONLY!

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Controlled Intersections with Signs

  • Full stop at a stop sign, then move
  • Blocked view with stop sign
  • Crossing traffic, left & right turns
  • Look through windows of cars to check

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Signs and Signals

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Traffic Circles

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Judging Time & Distance

  • Very important skills- uncontrolled and semi-controlled intersections
  • Need to be able to judge gaps between vehicles
  • Need to know how long it takes to pass through or enter intersecting traffic lanes

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Judging the Size of a Gap

  • Need different size gaps
  • Crossing a two lane road: 4-5 seconds
  • Turning right and accelerating to 30 mph: 6 seconds
  • Turning left and accelerating to 30 mph: 7 seconds
  • Driver inexperience and reduced traction