Hook turn

A hook turn (Australian English) or two-stage turn (British English), also known as a Copenhagen Left (in reference to cyclists specifically and in countries with right-handed traffic), is a road cycling manoeuvre or a motor vehicle traffic-control mechanism in which vehicles that would normally turn from the innermost lane of an intersection instead turn from the outermost lane, across all other lanes of traffic. Hook turns are commonly used by cyclists as a safer alternative to merging with motor vehicles, or having to cross multiple lanes of traffic to reach a turning lane. The legal use of hook turns by motor vehicles is relatively rare, but has been implemented in some jurisdictions (notably Melbourne, Australia) to keep the centre of a road free from congestion for use by light rail transit such as trams or other dedicated road services.

A hook turn (Australian English) or two-stage turn (British English), also known as a Copenhagen Left (in reference to cyclists specifically and in countries with right-handed traffic), is a road cycling manoeuvre or a motor vehicle traffic-control mechanism in which vehicles that would normally turn from the innermost lane of an intersection instead turn from the outermost lane, across all other lanes of traffic. Hook turns are commonly used by cyclists as a safer alternative to merging with motor vehicles, or having to cross multiple lanes of traffic to reach a turning lane. The legal use of hook turns by motor vehicles is relatively rare, but has been implemented in some jurisdictions (notably Melbourne, Australia) to keep the centre of a road free from congestion for use by light rail transit such as trams or other dedicated road services.

History

Hook turns were originally the standard right turn in Australia. Various jurisdictions phased them out at different times. Sydney and Newcastle changed to centre turns in 1939. South Australia discontinued the hook turn on 30 November 1950. Victoria changed to centre turns in 1954 for all right turns except at some intersections in the Melbourne CBD, where hook turns were retained to maintain a clearway in the centre of the road for the city's trams. Requiring vehicles to turn from the far lane, rather than the middle of the road, avoided conflicts between vehicles and trams without the need for extra traffic lanes or altered signals.

Method

To perform a two-stage turn, cyclists should enter the junction when given a green signal (simultaneous with motor traffic, though nearside turning traffic may be held at a red light). The farside-turning cyclist should pull into the nearside in front of the pedestrian crossing (in a marked waiting area, if available). When the side road is given a green signal, cyclists should proceed first by going straight ahead, completing their turn.

Usage by country

Hook turns have been implemented in a number of jurisdictions, including Australia, China, Denmark, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Taiwan, and the United States. File:Bicycle hook turn.jpg|perimeter-style turn for bicycles in Toronto, Canada File:Montreal bicycle hook turn.jpg|Bicycle perimeter-style turn in Montreal File:Scene at the intersection of Huizhong Rd. and Taiwan Blvd.jpg|Hook turn sign in Taichung, Taiwan. Note the motorcycles at the end of the intersection File:Scooters performing a hook turn in Kaohsiung.jpg|Scooters waiting for the traffic signal within a dedicated hook turn zone marked as a white rectangle, in Kaohsiung File:Taiwan (ROC) road sign A4-2.1.svg|Motorcycle two-stage left turn exemption sign in the Reference Guidelines for the Establishment of Road Traffic Signs, Markings, and Signals published by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications File:Taiwan (ROC) road sign A4-2.2.svg|Common bilingual (Chinese and English) motorcycle two-stage left turn exemption sign in Taipei City "Performing a Hook Turn" (VicRoads Guide)

Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1367907272 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.