6 ms·

I am from Michigan. I hate the Michigan left. It basically puts something between you and the other side of the street. I wonder how much gas I've wasted going

by balanon 16y ago

I am from Michigan. I hate the Michigan left. It basically puts something between you and the other side of the street. I wonder how much gas I've wasted going right for 1/8 of a mile just to go left.

maukdaddy 16y ago
Probably not much since you'd otherwise waste a lot of gas idling at a red light trying to make a left.
- colomon 16y ago
  It's not like the "Michigan Left" (I hate that name, "Metro Detroit Left" would be much more accurate) does away with making a left turn at a light. Instead, you make a right turn at light at the intersection, and then a left turn at the extra stoplight they added for the Michigan left. The only time it's really a win is when there's no traffic on the road you're crossing, so you can turn right on red and then left on red. And of course, in that case it would be easy to turn left on green if it were a normal intersection...
  - mdiep 16y ago
    These aren't unique to Metro Detroit. Portions of the East Beltline (M-44) in Grand Rapids, one of the busiest streets in the area, make use of the Michigan Left.
- evilduck 16y ago
  Depends on how busy the intersection is. Worst case scenario: Miss the first light to cross straight through the intersection. Idle. Queue into the non-intersection left turn lane to cross two lanes of oncoming traffic. Idle. Wait for a right turn red light and idle, or wait for an opportunity to merge into two lanes of oncoming traffic and idle. The best case scenario is light traffic and hitting both lights green, but you're still going further and taking longer to accomplish a left turn signal's best case scenario. A double left turn lane with signal is almost always faster in my experience.
javanscala 16y ago
As a former Michigander, I would disagree. I miss the Michigan left, I find it's much faster in heavy traffic and makes traffic flow more efficiently.
- mbreese 16y ago
  I'm from Indiana, and I've always found the Michigan left to be much more efficient on busy roads. I alway liked the way they worked while driving in Detroit. For some reason, to me, they made a lot of sense.
- stevederico 16y ago
  Former Michigander here as well. I miss the Michigan Left because it's great for keeping traffic moving with a right on red. However, I am starting to enjoy the ability to U-Turn in most California intersections.

by balanon 16y ago

maukdaddy 16y ago

Probably not much since you'd otherwise waste a lot of gas idling at a red light trying to make a left.

colomon 16y ago
It's not like the "Michigan Left" (I hate that name, "Metro Detroit Left" would be much more accurate) does away with making a left turn at a light. Instead, you make a right turn at light at the intersection, and then a left turn at the extra stoplight they added for the Michigan left. The only time it's really a win is when there's no traffic on the road you're crossing, so you can turn right on red and then left on red. And of course, in that case it would be easy to turn left on green if it were a normal intersection...
- mdiep 16y ago
  These aren't unique to Metro Detroit. Portions of the East Beltline (M-44) in Grand Rapids, one of the busiest streets in the area, make use of the Michigan Left.
evilduck 16y ago
Depends on how busy the intersection is. Worst case scenario: Miss the first light to cross straight through the intersection. Idle. Queue into the non-intersection left turn lane to cross two lanes of oncoming traffic. Idle. Wait for a right turn red light and idle, or wait for an opportunity to merge into two lanes of oncoming traffic and idle. The best case scenario is light traffic and hitting both lights green, but you're still going further and taking longer to accomplish a left turn signal's best case scenario. A double left turn lane with signal is almost always faster in my experience.

javanscala 16y ago

As a former Michigander, I would disagree. I miss the Michigan left, I find it's much faster in heavy traffic and makes traffic flow more efficiently.

mbreese 16y ago
I'm from Indiana, and I've always found the Michigan left to be much more efficient on busy roads. I alway liked the way they worked while driving in Detroit. For some reason, to me, they made a lot of sense.
stevederico 16y ago
Former Michigander here as well. I miss the Michigan Left because it's great for keeping traffic moving with a right on red. However, I am starting to enjoy the ability to U-Turn in most California intersections.