Those Flashing Yellow Arrows Are Confusing Lawton Drivers

As Mayor Booker delivers Lawton's new roads as promised, there are some other changes hitting the Lawton streets and I'm not sure how the learning curve is going just yet.

The new thing? The flashing yellow turn signals.

TSM: Kaley Dorsey

Some intersections out on the West Side have had these in place for a while now. A few years maybe? 53rd and Gore by Eisenhower. And they've been great when you're behind drivers who know how to use them.

As they go up at other major intersections around town, confusion behind the wheel seems to be a trend, as well as the slightest tip of road rage for some drivers who are familiar.

They're new. It's going to take some time to get used to them. Ultimately, it should speed up travel time to wherever you're going... If the city can remember to reset the light timing.

Been waiting on them to come fix the triple traffic lights on Cache between 52nd and the old Texas Roadhouse for a few years now. Even after emailing the councilor of that particular Lawton ward, there's been silence from City Hall. The rest of us continue to drag race that stretch of Cache just to hit all three green lights. A necessity.

Back to the yield-turn lights, this may be a radically new thing for Lawton, but other parts of the country are in tune with it already. I think these were put up in my own hometown some 25 years ago to help with turning traffic off the highway that cut through town.

How Flashing Yellow Arrows Work

Here's how it is supposed to work.

When you have the green turn light, you turn.

When it turns yellow, you either speed up or stop, depending on how close you are to turning.

The oncoming lanes get their green light and come across the intersection as normal.

At this point, if you need to turn, you creep out to the middle of the intersection to wait for your opportunity. At least, that's how it works everywhere else.

When you can complete your turn, do. If the light goes red, you're already there, so turn when the oncoming traffic stops.

Easy-peasy.

Official Flashing Yellow Turn Signal Rules

Of course, I'm sure there's a different "official" method of using these signals... The official Oklahoma traffic guide says the proper way is to stay behind the crosswalk in your lane to wait for your clearing. Specifically, not to enter the intersection if the oncoming traffic is continuous, but to the victor go the spoils.

Whether you pull out there or sit and wait likely depends on the situation surrounding you. If there's a massive amount of traffic, I can see pulling out into the intersection being a jerk move to other motorists. And you certainly wouldn't want to skirt the limits of acceptability of that one ticket-happy motorcycle cop.

Until Lawton and those visiting get used to these radical new traffic signals, there are going to be moments in need of chill pills. Give it time, we can master this.