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xkcd #2932: Driving PSA
(imgs.xkcd.com)
Alt text:
This PSA brought to you by several would-be assassins who tried to wave me in front of speeding cars in the last month and who will have to try harder next time.
Not every side street is worthy of building out a whole intersection for, or slowing down traffic for. Maybe if there actually is that much traffic turning left, but I suspect if that were the case it's likely at very specific times of day. And what, are you going to restrict cars off the side street to turning right and then making a u-turn? That's not better, especially if it's a long way to the next intersection.
This is just a common as dirt configuration, especially in rural areas. I don't find it remarkable at all.
Yes. If there is not enough traffic for a better treatment, and the intersection cannot be made safer intersection, then left turns should be prohibited.
Multilane thru traffic with turn lanes is not a typical rural configuration, at all.
Rural areas shouldn't be this busy. This design is fine as long as it's quiet, but it would take 1 more car waiting to turn left to back up the whole upbound road.