The Michigan Left

I got to experience a whole new phenomena during my time in Michigan - the Michigan left. For those of you who have never had the pleasure of driving in and around Detroit let me explain. First you drive towards the place you want to go to. Pretty simple so far right? Then you drive straight past your target (be it street, mall, any location) go a little further, do a u-turn (may or may not be regulated with a traffic light) then go back towards where you really want to be.

If we didn't have the fabulous directions as provided by our friends Mer and Adam we would have been screwed. You really get very little notice that if you want to turn left, you first need to turn right so that you can do the u -turn and then go in the direction you really wanted. Interesting system.

I can see how it would stop large backup's in turning lanes but in all reality, when you regulate a u-turn with a traffic light you really haven't gained much.

Just as a side note the suburbs of Detroit (Bloomfield, Farmington Hills etc) are absolutely beautiful. Beautiful homes, leafy, lakes galore... I could so see myself living in a place like that...but hang on, if I did odds are I'd be fighting my insurance provider for the surgery I need. Hmmm, maybe I'll just stay put for a while :)