A Blind Curve - just about anywhere

The classic case of a blind curve is when you're traveling on a winding mountain road and you're on an "outside" curve - a portion of the road that wraps around the back of the mountainside, to your left or right, such that you can't see oncoming traffic until they are right on top of you. The edge of the mountain blocks your view.

Another classic example is a road that winds through a dense forest. The thick trees alongside of the road prevent you from seeing what is headed your way on the winding road.

A road doesn't have to be winding for it to contain something very similar. Nearly every intersection holds the potential to be just like a blind curve. All you need is a large truck sitting in the left turn lane on the other side of the intersection facing you while you make a left turn, and a little curvature to the road that places most of the oncoming traffic behind that big truck.

As long as the truck "screens" the traffic, you're taking a chance as to whether you can safely make the left turn. Much of the safety or hazard involved is associated with just how fast the traffic on that road is moving. Higher speeds means you have less time to make the turn.

The safe thing to do is wait until the truck makes it's left turn so you can see the traffic that it might be hiding. Such intersections should have protected left turn signals, but many of them don't. Unfortunately, it sometimes takes many accidents before someone realizes that it would be worthwhile to install a protected left turn.

It's really a simple matter of don't turn or pass unless you can clearly see to do so. There are exceptions, but in general, if you can't see where you're going or the traffic around you, that's a good time to stop until you can.

Passing on a blind curve is foolish, although I've seen it done many times in foreign countries where they don't drive with near the adherence to lines on the road that we do here in the United States. In Colombia, the double yellow line on a blind curve is treated more like a suggestion than a safety rule to follow.

Making the left turn when you can't see the oncoming traffic can be accomplished if you are on the far left edge of your lane and the truck on the opposing side of the intersection is also on the far left edge of his/her lane. However, in America we're known for swinging right to turn left, so this isn't likely.

Again, the safe thing to do is wait to make the left turn. Otherwise you're playing a game where there are only two types of drivers, the quick and the dead.

Done with Blind Curve, take me back to Safe Driving