We’ve all seen it happen on Pinellas County roadways on a regular basis. You’re turning left in your green Beetle at the light, it’s green to travel east and west, traffic is heavy and the guy in the blue Mustang front of you is waiting for a break in the line to make his turn. He’s impatient so he starts inching up. He then spots a break in the traffic coming, there’s a red Toyota soon to enter the intersection but he too is turning, making a right. Now the Mustang has nearly begun his left turn before the Toyota makes his right, planning on timing it just right to slide in behind the Toyota. However, the driver of this import doesn’t understand timing. He for some reason believes the Mustang is about to collide with his precious Camry so what does he do? He stops.

Now the Mustang and Toyota are looking at each-other trying to decide who will go. If the light turns red, the Mustang has the right of way. In the meantime a very dangerous game is playing out. The Mustang has had enough and makes the turn.

All is well, but due to the combination of the Mustang drivers impatience and the Toyota’s overcautiousness there’s no longer time for you to make your left turn. Thus you await an entire light cycle to carry on your way.

Outsmart bad drivers

How to outsmart the overcautiousness driver

If you happen to be one of those impatient drivers like the Mustang and like to advance as far as possible prior making your turn, this tip’s for you;

Stop inching up so far and wait until the traffic has cleared BEFORE you begin your turn. The driver of the Toyota would have had no hesitation in making his right turn had you simply had a little more patience. Plus, virtually no time would have been wasted, nor anyone been put in danger (you and more approaching traffic as you sit in the intersection playing ‘who goes first?’).

So please, for the sake of the all the drivers riding around on Pinellas County’s already dangerous roadways… stop inching up! And certainly do not begin your turn until the traffic in front of you with the right of way has cleared.

Are you inching into the turn early because your car is too slow to quickly make the gap? Then wait longer! OR, sell us your slow old car and buy a new one.