Hook turn
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A hook turn is a traffic-control mechanism where cars that would normally have to turn across oncoming traffic are made to turn across all lanes of traffic instead.
Hook turns are relatively rare, but can be used to improve the flow of through-traffic or to keep the middle of the road free for trams or other special uses. For automobile traffic, intersections that permit hook turns generally require them, although the situation may be different for other vehicles (see below).
Contents |
[edit] The procedure
We list and illustrate the procedure as used in Melbourne, where cars drive on the left. In a country where cars drive on the left, it is the right-turning cars making the hook turns; elsewhere, it is the left-turning cars making the hook turns. The general procedure is as follows:
- Through traffic and left turns proceed first, while the right turns queue up as to not impede through traffic. (In a country where cars drive on the right, through and right turning traffic proceeds, while the left turning traffic queues separately)
- After the through traffic stops, the queued cars make their turns.
- Finally, the cross traffic proceeds as usual.
Details vary by location. In Melbourne, the hook turn lane is just another lane, cars queue while the light is green, and then proceed when the light turns red (and the cross traffic gets a green light). In northeastern Illinois, the hook turn lanes are separated from the through traffic by a concrete median, and have their own separate cycle of the traffic lights. Other arrangements are possible.
 |  |  |
[edit] Prevalence
Melbourne's Central Business District contains thirteen hook turn intersections, with others scattered throughout the inner city area.
In northeastern Illinois, Palatine Road is a surface road that carries a great deal of traffic, and all turns (both cross streets and driveways) are taken from outside lanes with their own traffic signal cycle.
Some intersections in Beijing require all turns to proceed from outside lanes.
[edit] Reasons for use
In Melbourne, the hook turn allows both the clear passage of trams (which are common in Melbourne) and prevents right-turning drivers from having to wait or check that there are no trams crossing the driver's path. In the central city, cars are generally not allowed to travel on tram lanes (although it is allowed in the suburbs), so dedicated right-turn lanes are not possible.
The manoeuvre also allows the passage of traffic wishing to continue straight ahead unobstructed. Assuming there is no tram line and the hook turn is not used, drivers who wish to travel straight ahead at an intersection must enter the left-turning lane and continue straight past the right-turning traffic (and may need to merge back into the right lane if the intersection leads to a road which has one lane partially reserved for parking). Inconsistently such a rule is not found, for example, in other cites with trams, such as, Toronto, Canada, where they simply halt left turning cars (note that in Canada motorists drive on the right) to allow the passage of streetcars (trams), even though cities in Canada have a wide and well planned street layout, as does Melbourne.
[edit] Melbourne usage details
In Melbourne, cars must wait and check for hazards when the through-traffic light changes to yellow. The "wait" rule has changed numerous times. Motorists used to be permitted to conduct the hookturn as soon as the signal changed to amber, and it was safe to turn. The current revision of Victoria's road rules demand that the motorist wait until the "traffic lights on the road they are entering into turn green". The City of Melbourne website - and other publications - contain obsolete information indicating that it is permissible to execute the turn on amber or red. The interpretation of the law is that, the queue of cars which has entered the intersection and stopped in the left lane has joined onto the front of the queue for the street into which they are turning. They now obey the rules of driving forward through an intersection, and as such turn only once the lights have gone green.
At intersections where the "Right Turn from Left Lane only" sign is present, motorists are not allowed to make a traditional right-turn. Motorists intending to turn right must instead follow the hook turn procedure described below. At intersections without the sign, hook turns are disallowed.
[edit] Other vehicles
Image:TW-Art065.1.gif In many jurisdictions, lightweight vehicles such as bicycles and mopeds may make hook turns even at regular intersections. Bicycles are permitted to use a hook turn at any intersection in Victoria for example, while motor vehicles are only permitted to use a hook turn at the designated intersections in Melbourne. Note that this is true not only of Victoria and Illinois<ref>Illinois bicycle rules of the road</ref>, which have some hook-turn only intersections, but also in some areas where the hook turn is otherwise unknown, such as Rhode Island<ref>RI legal code 31-19-15 concerning bicycle left turns</ref>.
In Taiwan, there are some intersections where a hook turn is signed as required, but only for motorcyclists and non-motorized vehicles (like bicycles); automobile traffic proceeds as usual.
In certain busy locations and intersections, buses are given special permission to make hook turns during peak times (the intersection of Hoddle St/Victoria Pde in Abbotsford is a notable example). In these cases, it is recognised that a bus could not possibly pick up passengers from the sidewalk, then fight from the outside lane to the inside lane in order to make their turn.
[edit] Controversy
Hook turns do not require drivers to judge a gap between cars coming the other direction, however, drivers do need to watch for traffic from all directions (including pedestrian and emergency traffic), some of which have absolute right-of-way. Some judge this to be more difficult or confusing; Australian band TISM wrote the song Get Thee In My Behind, Satan lambasting it.
In 2003, it was announced that all intersections in Clarendon St, South Melbourne would become hook turn intersections, the first time that there were hook turns outside of the CBD. Residents and business owners in the area protested vigorously, claiming that motorists found hook turns confusing, and they would hence lose business. One year after their introduction, residents and business owners continued to complain about the hook turns.
[edit] References
<references />
[edit] External links
- VicRoads: Information for tourists about Victoria's road rules (See "Hook Turns" section)
- Driving in the City (Melbourne)
- Animation of the hook turn manoeuvre
- The Clarendon St Campaign - Site opposing hook turns in the context of a tram project
| Types of road junctions | |
| Interchanges (grade separated) | Cloverleaf - Diamond - Directional T - Diverging diamond Parclo - Trumpet - SPUI - Stack - Three-level diamond |
| Intersections (at-grade) | Box junction - Continuous flow - Crossroads - Hook turn - Jughandle - Michigan left Quadrant roadway - Roundabout - Superstreet - 3-way junction - Traffic circle |
