[tomschlick]

That is actually a pretty decent explanation of the practice and the reasoning behind it.

Thankfully, the PGH left is starting to die off as they install newer traffic light systems with dedicated turning lights/lanes.

[meddlepal]

Still very common elsewhere. As noted by the article this is a widespread phenomenon in the Northeast... I see it all the time in Boston and Worcester.

[haikuginger]

Huge in the Boston metro.

[tomschlick]

TIL, I haven't seen it outside of the greater PGH area.

[rrdharan]

People do it in Brooklyn all the time. Sometimes not even from the leftmost lane :).

[astura]

Extremely common all over New York. I didn't know it had a name though.

[n4s33r]

Definitely not dying here in Toronto