Leading or lagging? Like the age-old "Pepsi/Coke" dilemma, leading or lagging left-turn arrows have their own fans and foes, as well as the ambivalent third party who can't really tell the difference.
Though the difference between lagging left turn lights and leading left turn lights is seemingly insignificant, driving between Scottsdale and the rest of the Valley, one can quickly feel a difference. The lagging turn signals that allow drivers to turn left after the green light, instead of before the green light, put cities like Tucson, Scottsdale and now Gilbert into one category, and places like Tempe and Phoenix in another.
Earlier this month, the state Senate preliminarily approved a bill mandating a statewide switch to lagging lights. In addition to consistency, the change would help drivers avoid possibly dangerous environments.
Tuesday, however, in a 9-20 vote, they turned down the bill in favor of individual cities and planners making the decision. It's a decision that ignores the need for consistency as well as the more pressing issue of safety.
While the pluses of a leading light system may include money saved by not converting existing signals, we should, instead, look towards Gilbert as a role model.
Placing a lagging turn signal on Guadalupe Road last summer, the city not only took a look at its options, but it did an experiment.
The Gilbert Town Council voted 6-1 on March 2 to make the switch, although it will cost an estimated $60,000 to convert all of Gilbert's signals. In doing so, the city is one step closer to attaining safer streets.
Whether you're simply not used to them or considering the fact that lagging lights don't change the number of cars on Valley streets, realize that the Arizona state driver's license test allows the most incompetent of all people on the road (i.e. individuals just like me).
I'm sure I can't be the only one out there who has come too close to an unobservant soccer mom yelling at her kids in the back, or the cell phone user engrossed in conversation. It could happen to anyone.
Let me now explain the difference between how leading and lagging left turn signals affect traffic.
You're at a leading light and as the turn signal fades, oncoming traffic begins. Normally you wait until traffic clears and then proceed carefully. However, in heavy traffic, this isn't always possible. You may end up waiting until the light turns yellow or, in the case of the overwhelming number of people who always run yellow lights, red. Knowing you can't stay in the middle of the intersection while oncoming traffic goes, you mutter the swear word of your choice and turn while the oncoming traffic signal turns green. This presents a bit of a problem. While you may be safe a majority of the time, there's that chance an oncoming vehicle won't notice you're there. Crunch.
And perhaps the vast majority of the time this isn't an issue. Drivers generally notice that the intersection isn't clear, but why take the chance when this entire situation could be avoided with lagging lights?
You drive up into the intersection. If you don't get the chance to go during the green light, you have the lagging turn light to make it across. It's easy, and more than that, it doesn't put people in harm's way.
And if this were the norm, the entire metropolitan area would be much safer. Although it's too late this time, we really should take a hint from Gilbert. A consistent lagging light just makes more sense.
Rosie Cisneros is a journalism sophomore. Reach her at rosie.cisneros@asu.edu.