In several months, I’ve been sideswiped, hit from behind while stopped at a red light, honked at from behind and, more recently, up close and personal, yelled at by a driver behind me to turn left against traffic on a flashing yellow light. The latter first aimed some sort of flashing light at me and, finally, walked up to my car and knocked on my window to yell at me to go on a flashing yellow light. I reminded him that I would go when I could be sure there was no oncoming traffic. He muttered something about going fast and reentered his car.
We often transport our grandson to and from school and soccer practice. Out of extreme caution on his behalf, and ours, I’ve adopted a standard: “I’m not proceeding through this intersection unless I can see a road free of drivers coming toward me.”
Example: Attempting to turn left from Lake Otis Parkway onto O’Malley Road, heading west, there is a green left-turn light followed by a flashing yellow, then full yellow, then red. The challenge with that intersection is that, from the left-turn lane, a turning driver cannot see southbound Lake Otis Boulevard cars, traveling at 40 to 45 mph, as they climb the small rise until they have almost entered the intersection. Again, I will not chance moving into the intersection until I can see no southbound cars.
There are several such intersections in town. Another “blind” left turn is Independence Drive, southbound, turning left onto Abbott Road. One cannot see oncoming traffic due to the opposite turn lane’s line of cars.
I understand the rationale for the advent of the flashing yellow lights — to move traffic along and reduce exhaust from idling cars waiting to turn when there is no oncoming traffic. An unintended consequence yields impatient drivers, risking turns with less than clear vision. That Lake Otis Boulevard speeds are far too high for the high rate of cross traffic is another matter.
I ask, “Am I yelled at because of my gray hair or because so many drivers are the VIPs who cannot wait for safety?” Either way, please take a breath, wait your turn and make the roads a bit safer for everyone.
— Jan Gehler, Anchorage
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