Commuting - The Urban Rider's Glossary - Andretti

Andretti - a racing-style left turn made by motorists on surface streets ... particularly in residential areas.

Instead of making a squared-off turn - more like a right angle - the motorist takes a flatter line and briefly sweeps through the opposing lane of the cross street.

Super Andretti - an even deeper, flatter andretti: where the motorist almost clips the curb with his driver's side tire - thus saving something like .15 seconds when the "super" is compared to a safer, more conservative turn.

A classic Urban Rider response to the andretti is to loudly call out "ANDRETTI!": giving the motorist the impression that someone is swearing at him in Italian.

Another classic Rider response to a motorist cutting a corner, and missing by inches: "OLE!"

Hey--I did an Andretti last week, on a mostly deserted road behind my building. Nearly got clipped!:o

I'll stay away from future Andretti's. Just glad to know what I did--thanks for the info!:D

Which Andretti?

We're so old school my wife refers to them as Parnellis

But, they are a good / great reason for a front blinky - many the time I've been in the center of the left lane waiting for a light and watch a driver from the right making a left turn suddenly swerve on discovering there is a vehicle obstructing their Andretti.

Funny, Mario Andretti won Daytona by driving an unorthodox high line.

I don't think you're going to fool people into thinking you're swearing in Italian at them by yelling "Andretti". Especially people who are going for the apex of the turn, as they're the sort who might actually know who Mario Andretti is.

That's a pretty standard Shanghai Left... usually, the drivers try to begin their left turn as far in advance as possible, to maximise blocking of oncoming traffic. I think they get 10 extra points for ever metre they drive in the wrong lane.

More on Chinese left turns (http://soimgoingtochina.blogspot.com/2007/06/beijing-traffic-lesson-left-turn.html).

I don't think you're going to fool people into thinking you're swearing in Italian at them by yelling "Andretti". Especially people who are going for the apex of the turn, as they're the sort who might actually know who Mario Andretti is.

Yeah, but say it nice and derogatory like they do when they yell out 'Nice job Lance!'

I'm old enough to call them a "Petty"!

I ride through the CNE grounds in Toronto very regularly. It's pretty hard not to get into the spirit when the apex is already painted in red and white bars.