Diary of a Wedding Guest: Part 12 - To Make a Left, Turn Right: Another Michigan Anomally

When we are young, our parents spend a great deal of time teaching us right between right and wrong, up and down, black and white, and left from right. As parents, we are likely to spend a similar amount of time teaching our own kids the same things. And just when we think we have it down, along comes Michigan to screw things up.

If you have ever driven in Michigan, you know what I am talking about. The "Michigan Left Turn". Making a left turn in Michigan is quite different than making a left turn in any other state - at least the ones I have been in. Although it is not the case in every instance, major intersections in Michigan require a driver making a left turn, to turn right. Yes, that is correct. The driver then must make a U-turn to complete his left turn. I have no idea why Michigan has to be so backwards about this. Do they think it reduces accidents? Maybe it helps the flow of traffic because you can turn right on red, make the U-turn and then proceed through the intersection without any lost time. I really don't know what the rationale is, but what I do know is that if you aren't familar with the process, YOU will be the one to cause an accident. Why can't Michigan be like everyone else?

I had forgotten about this little inconvenience until we were driving back to the hotel from trying to find the Best Buy. As I approached the intersection of Newburgh and Six Mile Roads (in Livonia), I was reminded of this fact. I was in the left lane, anticipating a left turn onto Six Mile Road. I see the sign mapping out the right turn, U-turn process but it did not click. I though the sign was indicating to proceed half-way through the stoplight and turn left after the median. Then as I was about to make the left turn, I see the NO LEFT TURN sign. Lucky for me I had out-of-state plates on the rental car, so no one really paid attention to me. As the law abiding citizen that I am, I did not make the left turn but proceeded completely through the interection. I then turned into a shopping center on the left, whipped around the parking lot and back out onto Newburgh Road in the opposite direction. I completed my left turn by turning right onto Six Mile Road and managed to get back to the hotel at 12:00 noon. This was not boding well because we still had to iron our outfits, get dressed and leave for the church by 12:15 PM. NOT HAPPENING!

Now, I really truly don't see the difference between having a left turn lane and turn light and having to make a right turn and then a U-turn. They both accomplish the same feat, one just does it with less confusion. It would be different if EVERY left turn in Michigan were this way, but they aren't. A few minutes earlier and a few blocks south of the intersection at Newburgh and Six Mile Roads, I made a left turn out of a left turn lane with a left turn signal. So what's the difference? Why make it more confusing to everyone?

Oh, and by the way, the left turn from the left turn lane with the left turn signal, wasn't normal either. When this situation occurs in Michigan, the left turn signal flashes red while the regualr stoplight is green. In some cases, the left turn signal never turns green and the driver sits through the entire light. This is because, once the driver has stopped, if the traffic from the on-coming direction is clear, he may proceed. At least I hope so, because that is what I did and as a law -abiding citizen, I would never have done that if I weren't allowed to. Because sitting through two stoplights waiting for the left turn signal to turn green just isn't acceptable.

Oh, and another thing. Had I had the GPS with us, I am sure that it would have told me to turn right and then make a U-turn. On a drive later that evening, the GPS properly instructed me to do just that.