Driving Etiquette? (Lincoln, Ogden: zoned, price, moving)

[soulful]

fyi. Police have been running sting operations to catch drivers who don't stop for pedestrians in crosswalks (even if there is not a stop sign).

[emathias]

Originally Posted by s0nginmyheart

So, I've been here a year (moved from Los Angeles), and still have questions about driving here in the city...

1) I've seen signs posted at various lights "no turn 7a-7p". Do people still turn on red? I've been honked at a few times because I was waiting to turn at a red light, but I have also seen other drivers turn on red anyway. Do cops ticket you for this? Also, even when a sign isn't posted, I've seen people wait for green to turn. What's the norm? (fyi, back home no-turn signs are only from 7a-9a and 5p-7p, and cops are pretty vigilante about ticketing you if you do)

You can be ticketed for turning if a cop sees you turn against a sign. If there is no sign, you are free to (encouraged to, even) turn right on red as long as traffic allows it. I'm an aggressive city driver, but I never violate posted turn rules and would never advise you to.

On the other hand, I've had people on the South Side honk at me for not treating a solid red light as a stop sign (they seemed to think it was perfectly fine to stop and then go). I think that sort of "cultural difference" is part of why some North Siders rag on the South Side so much (I actually like much of the South Side myself, though I don't condone ignoring red lights).

Originally Posted by s0nginmyheart

2) Three-way streets... or whatever they are called... with a street running diagonally... I still can't figure out how to read the street sign when it lists two street names... which street is which?

SIgns are posted parallel to the street they're naming, as long as they're properly aligned (usually are, but I've seen a few skewed incorrectly).

Originally Posted by s0nginmyheart

3) I've heard you can't make U-turns on any street, is this true? Do you get ticketed for it? But I have seen this happen, particularly when a parking spot is the reason.

I've never heard of anyone getting ticketed for doing a U-turn in Chicago unless they were really acting reckless with it or blocking traffic while completing it. Others have pointed out it is illegal, but I'd say you can use it prudently without fear.

Originally Posted by s0nginmyheart

4) "no parking zone" and "fire hydrant" zones... I've heard that your car can kinda stick out into these zones so long as it isn't more than half the length of your car... is this true? I have seen some cars try and squeeze into a parking spot and stick out a little... I think I have only seen one car get ticketed for this (or at least, I could only assume it was for this reason)...

I'd stay totally out of them if I were you, although I have - on occasion - let the part of my car between the wheel and the bumper infringe. I would NEVER allow half my car to overhang - that would be a sure-fire ticket (and rightfully so, in my opinion).

Originally Posted by s0nginmyheart

Are there any other driving "tips" I should be aware of? I learned about honking while exiting an alley...

When you're turning right, move your car completely to the right-most paved lane. Do NOT stay half-in the center, non-turn lanes. I've seen this so often and it drives me nuts because it is SO inconsiderate of the drivers who do it.

If you're not good at parallel parking, don't try to park on a busy street. Both you and the drivers behind you will end up pissed.

Don't honk unless it's an actual emergency. Even downtown, there are a lot of residential units and excess honking hurts everyone's quality of life.

If cars are passing you on the right, for the love of god move out of the left lane.

Originally Posted by s0nginmyheart

Also, my biggest concern (or gripe, rather) is that people in the city don't really care about their car nor your car. My car has been dented/scraped from random parking encounters... do city driver's just not care?

In urban big cities, most cars are treated as tools and not as platforms for personal expression, and like with other tools, owners expect a few dings here and there. If you drive a nice car and don't want it to get dings, always park in a garage. And when parallel parking, actually hitting bumpers to get into a tight spot is perfectly acceptable.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by long101

Wow I never knew this. So chicago has their own traffic law that differs from the rest of the state? Thats dumb

Why is that dumb? The biggest, most dense city in the state has to do a LOT of things differently from small towns.

[snoylekim]

one other thing I witness being close to downtown and in downtown ... There are very few 'one way' or 'do not enter' signs on city streets .. you're expected to know .. hint..if you see cars parked on both sides of the street , and they're facing you , you're probably going the wrong way .. I actually saw a driver heading South on Franklin ..getting yelled at , and proceeded to recover by turning west onto a street that was one way east ... secondary recovery was a quick ( and technically illegal) u-turn ... welcome to Chicago !!

[long101]

Originally Posted by emathias

Why is that dumb? The biggest, most dense city in the state has to do a LOT of things differently from small towns.

if you pass your driving test in a suburb and move to the city your unaware of this. Why cant chicago just put up no uturn signs where you cant make a uturn

[chirack]

Originally Posted by long101

if you pass your driving test in a suburb and move to the city your unaware of this. Why cant chicago just put up no uturn signs where you cant make a uturn

Becuase it would be required on every street in chicago. That's a lot of signs. U turns in general are risky manuvers that can block traffic in one lane and need a clear space in the other. Not the sort of thing you want to do on a busy main street in a large city.

[coldwine]

Driving etiquette? In Chicago? I think that boils down to one rule only: "Get the hell out of my way".

Possibly also "The actual speed limit on the highway is that posted plus thirty".

[Chi-town Native]

the rule is technically "s*** or get of the pot"

[chet everett]

Don't forget the Scott's Law thing too -- apparently quite a lot of Cook Co sheriff's police are running that 'sting' too -- passing a stopped emergancy vehicle you MUST leave sufficent room...

[jcarlilesiu]

Originally Posted by s0nginmyheart

So, I've been here a year (moved from Los Angeles), and still have questions about driving here in the city...

1) I've seen signs posted at various lights "no turn 7a-7p". Do people still turn on red? I've been honked at a few times because I was waiting to turn at a red light, but I have also seen other drivers turn on red anyway. Do cops ticket you for this? Also, even when a sign isn't posted, I've seen people wait for green to turn. What's the norm? (fyi, back home no-turn signs are only from 7a-9a and 5p-7p, and cops are pretty vigilante about ticketing you if you do)

People that honk probabley don't see the sign. I don't turn on red if the sign is posted.

Originally Posted by s0nginmyheart

2) Three-way streets... or whatever they are called... with a street running diagonally... I still can't figure out how to read the street sign when it lists two street names... which street is which?

Not sure. I can tell you though, that when giving directions at these intersections, refer to a left or a right turn as a "soft" and "hard turn". Hard meaning the first street in the direction of travel and the soft meaning the far one.

Originally Posted by s0nginmyheart

3) I've heard you can't make U-turns on any street, is this true? Do you get ticketed for it? But I have seen this happen, particularly when a parking spot is the reason.

U turns are illegal. I have been stopped before while trying to get a parking space, but the cop gave me a warning.

Originally Posted by s0nginmyheart

4) "no parking zone" and "fire hydrant" zones... I've heard that your car can kinda stick out into these zones so long as it isn't more than half the length of your car... is this true? I have seen some cars try and squeeze into a parking spot and stick out a little... I think I have only seen one car get ticketed for this (or at least, I could only assume it was for this reason)...

15 feet in either direction from a hydrant. No portion of the car can be infront of a yellow curb

Originally Posted by s0nginmyheart

Also, my biggest concern (or gripe, rather) is that people in the city don't really care about their car nor your car. My car has been dented/scraped from random parking encounters... do city driver's just not care?

Yeah, thats the city. There are things you can do to avoid damage. Park at the begining or end of a strip of spaces. Turn your drivers side mirror in. Park close to the curb. Dont box people in too tightly.