ADS-L Digest - 18 Sep 2005 to 19 Sep 2005 (#2005-263)

[Dave Wilton]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf
> Of Mullins, Bill
> Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2005 11:45 PM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: ADS-L Digest - 18 Sep 2005 to 19 Sep 2005 (#2005-263)
>
>
> >I'm told that this turn originated in New Jersey (no authority given),
> >where it is called a 'jug handle turn'
> I thought a "jug handle turn" was where, if you wanted to turn
> left, you first
> got into the rightmost lane, and then exited into a small-radius pull-off
> that directed you directly leftward to your original direction, usually
> with a traffic light or other signal.  This way, you crossed at a
> right angle
> to your original direction of travel, and once across your
> lane(s), you could
> proceed straight ahead (making what would have been a left turn), or could
> turn left from there (making what would have been a U-turn).
>
> I've seen these in Massachusetts, and maybe NJ.

Yes, this is a "jug handle" turn, not as previously described. And a "jug
handle" is the is the paved pull-off you use to execute the turn. An
intersection with jug handles is a clover leaf without the overpasses.

DARE says it is "esp. NJ" and has a date from 1961. This accords to my
experience growing up in Jersey.

--Dave Wilton
  dave at wilton.net
  http://www.wilton.net