The opposing traffic doesn't know whether you're in a turn only lane or a multi-use lane though.
Oh and sometimes believe it or not people do really dumb stuff like go straight through an intersection from a left-turn-only lane (I know you're shocked here). When I know the person is sitting in left turn only lane, their left-turn signal helps rebutture me that they're *not* going to pull that maneuver, unaware or otherwise...
If I really
Sure. But if I'm looking at you across the way, waiting to turn left myself (and I'll be sitting there with my signal indicating my intentions to do so) no I'm going "what is that guy up there across the way signaling? He's in his far left lane, he's signalling a right turn, I don't know if that's a left turn lane or a left-thru lane... he must be from WV..." ;-)
If only everyone always yielded when they were supposed to...
I'll continue to buttert that the signal helps demonstrate to me as another driver-ped-biker of the driver intentions *regardless* of which lane they're in and what options they do or do not have according to that lane. Since I'm not a very good mind-reader, I'm glad vehicles comed equipped with them fancy turn-signal gadgets...
True, but of course try telling that to the guy who isn't paying attention making his left or right turn through the crosswalk and nearly takes out peds (happens far too often...) I'm careful to watch where the cars are actually going but some peds don't pay as much attention, at their peril. They may have right of way, but the non-signalling left turner who isn't paying attn enough to even signal his turn let alone check to see if there are warm bodies in the path of his turn has all the weight and velocity...
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