Traffic Signals
 

The traffic lights at 466A and Buena Vista Blvd. have been fixed.
The left turn signals now turn RED after the turn light finishes.

I cannot tell you how relieved I am because it became such a dangerous intersection.
A young man was killed on his scooter by someone making a left in front of him.

So thank you to the people in charge!!

That was a tough left turn. Of course, thousands of drivers a day navigated it successfully for many years. Nevertheless, I have no great objection to a dedicated left turn arrow there. On the other hand, look at the idiotic left turn arrow from southbound Morse onto 44 eastbound. You have a clear view of oncoming northbound traffic for about 3/4 mile, yet some moron decided to make that arrow turn red. Most times you just sit there while not a single car comes from the opposite direction. So, on that one a big NO THANK YOU to the "people in charge"

did they get rid of the blinking yellow arrow? I find that confounding as the oncoming traffic has a solid green.

Yes, at certain intersections they replaced the blinking yellow arrow (meaning you may turn with caution) with a solid red arrow(meaning sit there and twiddle your thumbs even when there is no oncoming traffic). Some intersections are more dangerous than others, especially considering the low level of driving skills exhibited by many Villagers (usually the ones that can't see over the steering wheel, drive at 20 mph, and get on TOTV and clammer for more police and more tickets). In all fairness, SOME of the intersections that now have a solid red arrow had multiple accidents. However, there are some intersections where the replacement was idiotic, as described in post #2. Also, I am offering a "prize" for the first person to post the trite, worn out and essentially vapid "we're retired, what's the hurry" (usually by those with the driving skills mentioned above)

I very much agree. I'm glad it's done, and was long overdue.

Maybe by Christmas they'll open the new turn lanes 466a to Buena Vista.

Anyone notice that you cannot drive along 466a in either direction without stopping for almost every traffic light?

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Yes. I don't see why they won't coordinate those lights.
And Buena Vista to Powell Rd, the lights are looooooooong reds. I drive that route every day to the Wildwood Dog Park on Powell Rd & Huey.

I've found that, coming back from the park, if I turn right onto the road behind Walgreens (that Winn-Dixie is on), then right onto Pinellas and follow that to Buena Vista, you miss all the lights except 466A/Buena Vista. I've tried it going to the park, and it doesn't seem to save much time. You still have the light at 466A & Powell and a 50/50 chance to hit the light at Pinellas & 466A red. If I'm coming back from Brownwood, I do the same.

I don't have as much of a hassle going the other way, Buena Vista down 466A to 441. I don't always hit every light red.

Another good thing about the turn signal is drivers used to be in the intersections causing delays when the light changed.

I just witnessed, before the change, a car in the intersection, light turned red and ( thank God) they hesitated.
A pickup truck barreled through the clearly red light.

There is a lot of traffic coming from Trailwinds so you really cannot see the other lanes of traffic to go safely previously.

That light change has been a huge sigh of relief!!

turn
 

In Texas almost all turn signals blink yellow I like it you just have to pay attention to oncoming traffic

Turning the left turn arrow to a solid red is a big improvement for safety. However I wonder how far cars will be backed up at that light when all the snowbirds are back. Last year they were backed up filling the whole turn lane and onto the travel lane of 466a. Someone mentioned new turn lanes being added there. Hopefully that will help. With all the developments on and around 466a the traffic is only going to get worse.

For some reason Villagers don't tighten up, at lights. They leave a car length or two between themselves and the car in front of them which leaves the last cars sitting out in the traffic lane. If they would tighten up, they wouldn't be leaving people in the traffic lane. It's really scary on 301, turning left onto 462.

No More Lethal Left Turns
 

The obstructed vision of making a left turn prior to this change was often frightening.

I would much prefer to have to wait until I have the right-of-way, than to have to peek to see if it is safe to proceed in completing the left turn.

The East & West bound traffic run the light on that intersection many times a day.

I would much prefer to wait.

If you can see oncoming traffic
 

If your vision is obstructed by opposing traffic turning left, many times you are unable to see oncoming traffic.

Then don’t turn while the view is obstructed. Is there something difficult about that concept?

The problem is you are in the car that sits low and has very limited visibility of the oncoming traffic due to the large SUV in the opposite left turn lane , then the large SUV behind you who can see gets impatient.......

I would simply modify your post to add "at SOME intersections". Then I would agree 100% with you

Sure, the impatient driver behind is a problem but if you have to choose, I would make someone impatient before getting myself hit.

To me, the bigger problem are those that blow through the red light. I’ve had close calls with those a couple of times.

Based on the level of driving experience here inside the villages, All of those left turn lanes at the major intersections should have a red light instead of a blinking yellow. We have the worst drivers we have ever encountered in all of the places we have lived. Just like the other poster said, you can fit a car in the gaps left by each driver at a stop light so the line gets backed up a long way. You don’t need a gap unless you are stopping on a hill and the car in front of you rolls backward for a few feet while taking off. Then you have people that sit at a green light for 5 or more seconds so if you are the 6th car you miss the green light. People get mad when somebody sounds the horn at them after 5 seconds, I think if they haven’t moved after 2 seconds, blow the horn.
The majority of the people here don’t understand how to drive thru the roundabouts. Roundabouts navigated correctly should be fast and safe to go thru, far from it here. You have people coming to a complete stop coming into a roundabout when you can see that there are no cars around. This is plain stupid and dangerous. You can tell a block away from the roundabout if anybody is coming into the roundabout from the left. Me, I go 20 mph without breaking if no cars are coming. Then you have the same people driving in the inside lane and making the 1st right or in the outside lane wanting to go to the 3rd exit: both are wrong and will cause an accident. If somebody hits me for not driving correctly in the roundabout, they better have good insurance.
Then you have the pokers, the drivers that go 10mph slower than the speed limit in the fast (left) lane, and they won’t move over.
I’m tired of hearing from people that there is no hurry, take your time, we need more cops giving tickets, etc…
I would agree, we need cops to give tickets for anyone that can’t navigate the roundabout, for every car that doesn’t go the speed limit in the left lane that doesn’t pull over, and for every person who decides to stop when entering a roundabout when no cars are coming.

Great post, with the exception that not EVERY intersection needs a red arrow----there are some with a clear unobstructed view of oncoming traffic for 1/2 mile or more---such as Morse and 44. The red arrow there is just a nuisance, and anyone who thinks it was a good idea should have their license revoked.

As far as the slow pokes in the left lane go, you would have steam coming out of your ears about 4-5 years ago. At that time, someone on TOTV posted that he ALWAYS drives 30 mph in the left lane of 466 where the posted limit is 45 because HE thinks that is fast enough. Another candidate to have his license revoked so he can stop being a menace on the roads.

You’re still whining about this?

Apparently so. Do you have any good cheese to go with my whine??? :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Would you like to sit behind this pathetic excuse for a driver for miles and miles

[QUOTE=Stu from NYC;2263743]Would you like to sit behind this pathetic excuse for a driver for miles and miles[/QUOTe

I have no idea what you’re talking about?

I cannot tell you how relieved I am because it became such a dangerous intersection.
A young man was killed on his scooter by someone making a left in front of him.

Is that the same young man that was killed on his MOTORCYCLE while going 100 mph?

Nope. They’re open now.