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Pittsburgh Left: How to bring more awareness to ELIMINATE it

Having lived in Pittsburgh only 4 years now, the Pittsburgh left has proved itself to be a dangerous and life-threatening phenomenon for myself as a mostly pedestrian and commuting cyclist. Example: Yesterday, I walked through the crosswalk during a green light to almost be rammed into by a car turning left (I had to run to get out of his way!). This is not a busy intersection (Hobart and Wightman St. in Squirrel Hill). There is no reason to quickly take a left on a green when there is very little oncoming traffic. Taking a quick left to avoid waiting for three cars is absurd. Additionally, the driver was on his cellphone, which is a whole problem unto itself that I am not addressing at this moment. Now I am just complaining, but I feel this is a serious problem. I have experienced situations like these multiple times and think it needs to be discussed, starting here in this forum. How can we, as members of BikePgh work to make the danger of this move more apparent to the drivers of Pittsburgh? Alternatively, how can we advocate for change in traffic signals to better accommodate pedestrians and vehicles? I have some ideas (whether they can be executed or not is another question) 1. Cameras at all intersections -to discourage from taking that left *after the light has turned red* (which is illegal) -to capture incidents of dangerous left turns when the light is green 2. Left turn only signals at (more) appropriate intersections to avoid collisions 3. Give pedestrian lights a 3-5 second head start at appropriate intersections so that playing chicken with turning cars doesn't become a life and death game (examples: Highland and Centre in East Liberty, Penn Ave and Penn Circle in East Liberty) 4. A sobering marketing campaign, graphically showing what happens when a hasty left turn is taken without checking the bike lane or cross walk.... Please note, I am writing about my experiences, in the neighborhoods I bike and walk through every day. Your experience may be different. Please share! I'd love to hear others thoughts and concerns about this.
krominsk
2015-03-27 09:12:35
https://twitter.com/nataliarudiak/status/580065829041152001 I'm torn on red light cameras and speed cameras myself. Automated enforcement can be good, but only if the parameters for automatic enforcement are setup in a way that addresses safety and not revenue generation.
benzo
2015-03-27 09:26:43
I do think things like pedestrian headstart (I would love to see a cyclist headstart at signals on the bikeways downtown / oakland) as well as adding left turn signals at intersections where the pittsburgh left is used frequently in combination with high levels of pedestrian traffic. I would 100% support a distracted driving law that required use of hands free devices if you're going to use a phone in your vehicle.
benzo
2015-03-27 09:29:15
I would like to see law enforcement for motorists.
mick
2015-03-27 11:06:16
Mick you always just nail it. :)
edmonds59
2015-03-27 13:33:38
In the meantime, be wary of intersections where the *only* way to make a left in a car involves either the Pittsburgh left or entering the intersection and making a left on red. Likewise if you see the vehicle next to you offering a Pittsburgh left to the vehicle across the way, let the turner go. Better intersection design is the answer but for now, we require impromptu cooperation.
andyc
2015-03-27 14:14:56
I think that when automated self-driving cars arrive in Pittsburgh, they will have an area specific software download to allow the cars to continue this practice. It's a tradition that will not die.
marko82
2015-03-27 18:42:48
The more I think about, the more I can see that there is nothing necessarily wrong with the Pittsburgh left and we don't need to eliminate it. The danger level is simply a matter of whether or not everyone at the intersection expects it to happen and is aware of the situation. Obviously, if a driver is oblivious to what's happening in the crosswalks that can create a dangerous situation for people in said crosswalk, but that clueless-driver scenario is just as likely to happen when a motorist decides to turn right, make a protected (green arrowed) left, or turn left on red to clear an intersection. It's not exclusive to the Pittsburgh left so there's no reason to target that one custom. What should be done is what Mick said: more enforcement of all the traffic laws in order to protect pedestrian safety, especially in dense traffic areas.
jaysherman5000
2015-03-28 12:24:16
Good luck with telling a Mill hunky how to drive Anat
cowchip
2015-03-28 16:51:57
Any time I see a person indicate that he or she is going to make a Pittsburgh left, I am assertive, I am in the saddle and entering the intersection as soon as the light turns green (as long as cross traffic is done) so that a Pittsburgh left cannot happen. It isn't possible always though. I would like to see police give tickets instead of it just being this normal, illegal, dangerous thing that just happens without consequence. Maybe redesign intersections so that people don't feel that they need to do this.
stefb
2015-03-28 20:08:41
The danger level is simply a matter of whether or not everyone at the intersection expects it to happen and is aware of the situation. One problem: While it's not completely exclusive to Pittsburgh, drivers (and pedestrians and cyclists) from many other places won't know what's going on. Somebody signaling to make a Pittsburgh left can watch to see if the opposite driver signals acquiescence, but they might not be the only party who needs to know. And people may be especially unlikely to anticipate it since it's illegal. Familiarizing yourself with local driving laws by reading the state's driving manual will not help here. Also, drivers seem to execute Pittsburgh lefts very quickly and aggressively, to ensure the opposing driver doesn't change his mind. So they have less time to notice any pedestrian or cyclist in their way. Maybe if it became legal, and reasonably common nationwide, and taught in driving classes, we could eventually start to assume that everyone at an intersection would (or should) be aware. Not now though.
steven
2015-03-29 00:38:19
@cowchip: "Good luck with telling a Mill hunky how to drive Anat" So, when all else fails, make fun of the locals with out-dated analogies? C'mon, it's 2015, Google and Tech employ more people around here that steel. You're worse than network news sprinkling their stories involving Pittsburgh with stock footage of blast furnaces. And by the way, in Los Angeles, they call the maneuver the "LA Left", but I can't recall if they have had any luck teaching those suntanned valley girls how to drive.
atleastmykidsloveme
2015-03-30 12:02:43
At a lot of intersections, there is only one travel lane in each direction and lots of cars in line each way. A Pittsburgh left, if properly* executed, can mean the difference between traffic flowing for an entire cycle, or cars stuck behind a left turner until that car makes a left at the end of the yellow light. So Pittsburgh lefts can help keep traffic moving and prevent gridlock. Properly executed means: - Turning vehicle should use blinker/arm to indicate intent - Turning vehicle should make sure no pedestrians are waiting to cross path - T.V. should ensure that the intersection is a reasonable shape: ideally, the TV's path through the intersection will be much shorter than the vehicle proceeding straight. With PGH's oddly shaped intersections, this is important. - T.V. should start rolling once all lights turn red to indicate intent - T.V. should make sure opposing driver is aware of T.V's intent - T.V. should move without hesitation, but not at an unsafe speed. I've been both the turning and the opposing vehicles, on both bikes and in cars. It can be done well and safely. Doing a Pittsburgh Left on a bike is actually easier, I think, because I can accelerate much more quickly than a car from a dead stop. It's also good because this prevents cars trying to "squeeze" past me as I'm waiting to turn left. And unlike Stef, I never prevent anyone from doing a PL when I am the opposing vehicle/bike.
ted
2015-04-06 15:04:15
"A Pittsburgh left, if properly* executed, can mean the difference between traffic flowing for an entire cycle, or cars stuck behind a left turner until that car makes a left at the end of the yellow light." Exactly. There is actually no need to eliminate the Pittsburgh left, but there is probably a need to better control it. That could be done via traffic signals, signage, or some other means, but to eliminate it altogether would show a lack of understanding of its benefits. A well-executed Pittsburgh left can keep a lot of motor vehicles from sitting idle, and therefore could actually help reduce emissions. Why would anyone want to ban a traffic maneuver that can actually help improve our air quality by eliminating gridlocked, idling engines from our streets?
jaysherman5000
2015-04-06 17:59:24
Eh, no matter what you do people are going to push the boundaries. Light signalization along Grant St is actually pretty decent all things considered IF everyone follows the rules. For instance, drivers have a left turn signal and no one crosses until they get the walk sign. However, people cross or 3 cars fly through the intersection after their left turn light is gone and then force their way through the remaining space of walls of pedestrians. I'm not sure that the Pittsburgh left being signalized would do anything to reduce emissions considering you hold up the opposing traffic and, if no one is turning left, people sit longer at the light.
mjacobpgh
2015-04-06 18:35:34
When I moved here five years ago, the first advice I got from local friends was to be aware of the Pittsburgh Left. Frankly, as a lot of people have already noted, it's a necessity given the cramped infrastructure and if I were In Charge, I wouldn't get rid of it - I would just try to ensure everyone was aware of it. For me, that means being aware of and executing the Pittsburgh Left when I am using either my car or my bike. It's a little more work on the bike - you have to make eye contact, indicate you're taking the Left, and not push it if the opposing driver looks like he's not going to let you.
michaelcycle
2015-04-08 10:04:30
One thing to consider when moving at intersections is that car drivers can sometimes misunderstand the cyclist's intentions. So when you stop pedaling and start to coast they can misinterpret that as you are preparing to stop. This is why I try to pedal going downhill if there are cross streets or driveways (even if pedaling is just moving my feet) so that drivers view this as 'I'm not stopping.' But I also cover my brake levers just in case a car moves into my path. So with the Pgh-left, it helps if you stand up to pedal the first few revolutions - whether you are the one turning or the one going straight. Drivers understand this to mean that you are moving NOW much better than if you pedal from a seated position.
marko82
2015-04-08 10:24:31
Although it's a very cool thing about Pittsburgh, how so many people have lived here all their life, many people don't and many people who drive here don't live here at all but are just visitors. Having some special way of driving just for this city, that people need to be educated about just for this city or else accidents happen, seems like a recipe for disaster. I think it makes more sense for traffic lights and signs to clarify how the driver should handle the light change in a standard way (meaning across-the-US-standard).
lori
2015-04-13 07:49:43
I've always felt like patience, awareness, and rationality would smooth most interactions in life, but I've given up on any significant percentage of the population possessing those qualities.
edmonds59
2015-04-13 08:12:13
The way I see it, being aggressive and sticking myself out in the intersection where people then start HONKING at me, at least gives me the peace of mind that they SEE ME. I could care less what people in cars think when I'm on a bike anymore. But being timid is a quicker way to get run over than by being a "dick" (according to the drivers anyway).
adam
2015-04-13 12:17:59