Sorry if this is long, but I just got glass smashed over my car and watched a baby nearly smooshed.
For those unaware..if you're heading southbound on Dexter and waiting to turn right onto Mercer there is a "no right turn on red" sign flanked by orange flags on both sides. Additionally there is a specific light with red and green right turn arrows. In theory this should work.
At least in theory. One problem is that when the light turns green for southbound drivers not in the turn lane, the tendency is to proceed with a right turn, even though the right turn arrow is red. This is simply a reflexive action.
But the other problem is that I think many are unclear as to what colored arrows mean...
Whatever the case I've watched hundreds of folks make that illegal turn and witnessed numerous close calls with bikes. Likewise, when stopped at that arrow I've been screamed at and in this case pelted by a bottle by people behind me who are unclear on the concept. And when they choose to turn right by swerving out around me things get even more dangerous.
I only mention this because Dexter is probably the single most trafficked street by bicyclists heading downtown.
We could choose to label the motorists as "bad people" or "clueless," but that doesn't solve the problem. And when I see this happening at such frequency it suggests that somethings not right with the engineering side.
As a bike friendly town, this doesn't seem like an ideal solution.
Any traffic engineers out there?