It's hard to put into words... you know, when someone turning left onto a street doesn't wait for traffic to clear in both directions, and instead turns left into the center turning lane, then merges right?

Is this legal?

I hate it when they pull straight out towards you, then merge right beside you-- you have no idea if they see you or not, and you have to swerve or break just in case.

Wait your turn, or turn right and make a U-turn!

6/10/2007 10:49:09 PM

Yeah!! That is obnoxious!!! But I don't know about its legality...

And a slightly different traffic related question...isn't illegal to turn right on red if the turn has an "arrow light" at a stoplight and the light is red?

6/10/2007 10:52:35 PM

Quote :

"isn't illegal to turn right on red if the turn has an "arrow light" at a stoplight and the light is red?"

I never found a good answer to that when I looked through the DMV's website.

So I still do it.

6/10/2007 10:55:35 PM

^^^its illegal

[Edited on June 10, 2007 at 10:57 PM. Reason : a]

6/10/2007 10:55:40 PM

Its supposed to be an implied no turn on red.

I don't see why it would be illegal to make a left into a turn lane meant for both directions.
Sometimes you just can't get a spot between both directions of traffic, they always seem to overlap.

With the rush of Americans nowadays, you can't really expect them to turn right and make a U-turn. Whatever is fastest.

Surprisingly, the same ones in a rush are the ones that stop at a Yield sign because they don't know what the word means.

6/10/2007 10:55:57 PM

it is, i did that in stop and go traffic and somebody came flying down the turn lane and hit me

they said it was my fault b/c it is illegal to do that

6/10/2007 10:57:51 PM

Was it a two way turn lane?

Why were they flying down the turn lane?

6/10/2007 10:59:15 PM

ha i do that all the time as long as no one else is in the turning lane

6/10/2007 11:00:06 PM

basically they claimed they were going to turn left just past where i was entering hte lane

it was bullshit b/c if they were planning to turn right there, they would not have been going fast enough to hit me

but anyway, it was my word against theirs and the insurance people said the reason we couldn't fight it is b/c it is illegal to do what i was doing

[Edited on June 10, 2007 at 11:02 PM. Reason : i mean i still do it too, but....]

6/10/2007 11:02:20 PM

^^

^^^^


[Edited on June 10, 2007 at 11:06 PM. Reason : .]

6/10/2007 11:03:32 PM

sounds pretty lame.

sounds like the guy speeding down the lane was passing in the turn lane.

6/10/2007 11:04:31 PM

I always thought the arrow on stoplights just indicated you were in a turn lane(ie traveling straight is prohibited). So there's no problem turning right on red, correct? They have those white signs they put up when there's No Right on Red.

6/10/2007 11:05:03 PM

it was lame but that wasn't it

i think he was going to turn at the stop light farther up and just got into the turn lane way too early


hard to explain w/out drawing it out

besides the main reason i knew he was lying is b/c he wasn't white and daddy and movies always say you cant believe narry a word from them colored boys

[Edited on June 10, 2007 at 11:06 PM. Reason : racism is funny]

6/10/2007 11:06:37 PM

^That situation happens to me at least twice a week.

I live in an apartment complex just beyond an exit to a development. People coming out of the development do this all the freaking time as I'm trying to turn left into my place.

I either have to 1) gun it, pass them, then slam on my breaks to get back in the lane and make my turn, or 2) slam on my breaks and get stuck behind the douche that just merged into the turning lane, wait for them to merge right, then make my turn.

You were in the wrong. Don't do it again.

6/10/2007 11:08:25 PM

Quote :

"I always thought the arrow on stoplights just indicated you were in a turn lane(ie traveling straight is prohibited). So there's no problem turning right on red, correct? They have those white signs they put up when there's No Right on Red."

I believe the fact that they put in the arrow is to imply the no turn on red arrow.
You can't do it when its a left arrow. Otherwise they just put a green light and you can turn when you feel its safe.

[Edited on June 10, 2007 at 11:09 PM. Reason : re-reading this i'm not even sure if it makes sense the way i phrased it]

6/10/2007 11:08:35 PM

maybe you should cry some more and that would help

if you had any balls you would just hit the person and make them fix your car

^no they put the arrow there b/c there are times when you can turn right w/out stopping while the straight lane has to stop.

[Edited on June 10, 2007 at 11:10 PM. Reason : a]

[Edited on June 10, 2007 at 11:11 PM. Reason : ^^and besides, i told your dumbass that it was wrong, you had to ask]

6/10/2007 11:09:53 PM

unless there is a sign that says "No turn on red" then why wouldn't it be ok to turn just because the arrow is red? it's ok to turn when there isnt a turning lane and the regular light is red...

6/10/2007 11:11:25 PM

Quote :

"I either have to 1) gun it, pass them, then slam on my breaks to get back in the lane and make my turn, or 2) slam on my breaks and get stuck behind the douche that just merged into the turning lane, wait for them to merge right, then make my turn."

If it keeps happening just let them in, slow down a little. It probably can't slow you down more than 1-2 minutes.

Quote :

"unless there is a sign that says "No turn on red" then why wouldn't it be ok to turn just because the arrow is red? it's ok to turn when there isnt a turning lane and the regular light is red..."

It makes sense that you should be able to turn. I know I've seen enough people make the turn. I prefer not to, though people get angsty and upset behind me typically. Again its only a matter of a few minutes, and while it typically occured closer to State I'm now in N Raleigh and free from that problem.

6/10/2007 11:14:16 PM

my favorite thing to do is turn right out of the middle lane on avent ferry going towards campus

[Edited on June 10, 2007 at 11:15 PM. Reason : on red of course]

6/10/2007 11:15:40 PM

yeah, turning in that second turn lane screws everyone up as they try and figure out if they need to speed up or slow down to get into the turn lane.

best thing to do is just speed up and slow down to match their speed exactly.

6/10/2007 11:17:07 PM

^^^You're not getting the scenario-- They merge right where I need to turn. The only way around them is gunning it to pass them, slamming on my breaks, then swerving around them into my apt complex, or slamming on my breaks to try and get behind them.

Either way, they're doing something illegal that's causing me to make a dangerous maneuver to make my turn without hitting them.

6/10/2007 11:19:10 PM

no i meant turning right on red from the straight/right turn lane on avent ferry

that really freaks people out

6/10/2007 11:19:33 PM

Quote :

"unless there is a sign that says "No turn on red" then why wouldn't it be ok to turn just because the arrow is red? it's ok to turn when there isnt a turning lane and the regular light is red..."

right turn is always legal on red (after stopping of course) unless there is a sign specifically saying "No Right Turn on Red" like there are all over campus. Those arrows are to give you the right of way in some situations like when the perpendicular road has its left arrow on. In this case a person making a "U-Turn" must yield since you have the green arrow while they have a "turn left" arrow.

Those middle lanes always scare me too. I have always had the fear I am going to merge into the shared turning lane to make a turn, right when someone else decided to do the same from the other direction of traffic thus side swiping.

[Edited on June 10, 2007 at 11:31 PM. Reason : l]

6/10/2007 11:30:07 PM

Quote :

" Wait your turn, or turn right and make a U-turn! "

this is known as a Michigan left. check it out:
http://www.michiganhighways.org/indepth/michigan_left.html

6/10/2007 11:30:48 PM

The real question is...can you turn LEFT ON RED onto a one-way street (going left of course).

6/10/2007 11:33:50 PM

now that i think about it making a left onto Glenwood from Hillsbourgh requires a "Michigan Left"

^ i have heard this too not sure what the actual law is though

[Edited on June 10, 2007 at 11:35 PM. Reason : l]

6/10/2007 11:34:53 PM

^^ not legally in NC http://www.ncleg.net/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_20/GS_20-158.html

Lots of other states, yes if they're both one way streets

6/10/2007 11:46:51 PM

Quote :

"he real question is...can you turn LEFT ON RED onto a one-way street (going left of course)."

in some states you can. in some states you can't. (turn left on red from a one-way street to another one-way street from the leftmost lane)

I started driving in a midwestern state where you could so i got used to it.

when i moved back to NC, i kept doing it for a while, every time i was downtown. I noticed all the other drivers looking at me like I was insane. so i asked about it, and was told that it is not legal in NC.

6/11/2007 1:27:14 AM

^^ they tried to legalize it in NC a few years back, but a bunch of organizations and groups didnt want it, said it would be confusing to kids and blinds if you got the right of way to walk and a car turns left on the red

and I too hate the people who stop on yield signs

[Edited on June 11, 2007 at 1:28 AM. Reason : ^]

6/11/2007 1:28:05 AM

Quote :

"when someone turning left onto a street doesn't wait for traffic to clear in both directions, and instead turns left into the center turning lane, then merges right?"

It's even worse when they use the center lane to build up speed so they can merge into traffic without having to stop the second time.

I'm also seeing many more instances of people that go ahead and turn right on red when it is clearly not safe to do so because of oncoming traffic. Their solution is to use the paved shoulder of the road as a merging lane.

6/11/2007 7:14:52 AM

Quote :

"isn't illegal to turn right on red if the turn has an "arrow light" at a stoplight and the light is red"

No.

Quote :

"Its supposed to be an implied no turn on red."

Nope.

Quote :

"I always thought the arrow on stoplights just indicated you were in a turn lane(ie traveling straight is prohibited). So there's no problem turning right on red, correct? They have those white signs they put up when there's No Right on Red."

Correct.

Quote :

"You can't do it when its a left arrow."

You can't ever turn left on red, either…..*

Quote :

"no they put the arrow there b/c there are times when you can turn right w/out stopping while the straight lane has to stop"

Ding! Ding! Ding! We haaaaaave a wiener!

Quote :

"unless there is a sign that says "No turn on red" then why wouldn't it be ok to turn just because the arrow is red? it's ok to turn when there isnt a turning lane and the regular light is red..."

Exactly.

Quote :

"I prefer not to, though people get angsty and upset behind me typically"

YEAH MAN, THAT'S ME! YOU'RE HOLDING UP TRAFFIC!

Quote :

"right turn is always legal on red (after stopping of course) unless there is a sign specifically saying "No Right Turn on Red"......Those arrows are to give you the right of way in some situations like when the perpendicular road has its left arrow on. In this case a person making a "U-Turn" must yield since you have the green arrow while they have a "turn left" arrow"

well put.

*

Quote :

"The real question is...can you turn LEFT ON RED onto a one-way street"

Nope. Not in this state, at least….unless they changed the law recently. A friend of mine once had a cop behind him and tried it anyway. He got pulled, fought it in court, and lost. Sucks..... it seems like you should be able to.....



I've seen people turn right on red from the leftmost of two right-turn-only lanes, when the car in the rightmost right-turn-only lane isn't turning for some reason, (perhaps because its grimx…. ) Of course, in those situations, they often put a "No Right Turn on Red" sign on just the leftmost right-turn-only lane.

I've also seen right-turn-only lanes with green arrows that never turn off, next to a sign that reads, "Do Not Stop".

6/11/2007 9:44:45 AM

I choose not to turn right on red, even when it is legal. I feel it is too dangerous and it doesn't take long to wait for the green light.

6/11/2007 10:07:47 AM

are you kidding??? so if you are on gorman turning a right onto western. Let's say its 2 am and you got a red, the two cars on western go thru the light and there is no other traffic until way up the road. You would rather just sit there and wait 2 minutes for the light instead of just going??

6/11/2007 10:29:38 AM

Quote :

"It's hard to put into words... you know, when someone turning left onto a street doesn't wait for traffic to clear in both directions, and instead turns left into the center turning lane, then merges right?"

try making a left onto six forks at rush hour, you get used to it real quick.

6/11/2007 10:30:25 AM

^^it's just 2 minutes. no big deal.

6/11/2007 10:33:02 AM

^^^

he's trolling...

6/11/2007 10:34:21 AM

lol

6/11/2007 10:38:45 AM

not trolling really, just playing the part of one of those drivers i can't stand.

6/11/2007 10:42:17 AM

20-153 (b) Left Turns. – The driver of a vehicle intending to turn left at any intersection shall approach the intersection in the extreme left-hand lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the direction of travel of that vehicle, and, after entering the intersection, the left turn shall be made so as to leave the intersection in a lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the direction upon the roadway being entered.

the turn lane isn't lawfully available for traffic that isn't turning, so you can't turn into that lane legally.

6/11/2007 1:32:13 PM

Quote :

"try making a left onto six forks at rush hour, you get used to it real quick."

Quote :

"Wait your turn, or turn right and make a U-turn! "

6/11/2007 1:47:39 PM

Quote :

"any intersection "

6/11/2007 1:50:14 PM

yeah, well, you guys think you got it bad...

my wife likes to drive the speed limit in the leftmost lane on the freeway.

6/12/2007 3:03:44 AM

one thing that pisses me off is when I'm making a left turn onto a three lane road (one way)

oncoming traffic that wants to make a right turn at the same time acts outraged that I would turn left simultaneously with their right turn.

well, for fucks sake, there are THREE goddamn lanes of traffic to choose from, and I pull a tight enough left turn that I don't even encroach on the center lane. if they can't make a right turn without using all three lanes, then fuck 'em. north carolina drivers, man.... i tell you what

[Edited on June 12, 2007 at 7:00 AM. Reason : s]

[Edited on June 12, 2007 at 7:01 AM. Reason : s]

6/12/2007 6:59:58 AM

Quote :

"when someone turning left onto a street doesn't wait for traffic to clear in both directions, and instead turns left into the center turning lane, then merges right?"

I've always held the position that it's a turn lane, not a merge lane. I hate it when people do this and I never let them in.

6/12/2007 7:56:31 AM

Quote :

"my wife likes to drive the speed limit in the leftmost lane on the freeway"

That is not only stupid and reckless, but illegal. By law, slower traffic must stay to the right.

You should really say something to her. (Is she just not paying attention, does she just not care, or is she doing it on purpose?)

Many states have even passed "left lane laws" that are strictly enforced. In such states, when a cop sees a motorist driving too closely to the car in front of them in the left [passing] lane, the cop pulls over the front car and tickets them for driving too slowly in the left lane and obstructing the flow of traffic---EVEN IF THEY WERE SPEEDING.

The other driver, (the one driving closely behind the illegal left-lane-hog,) usually gets off--not even pulled. This driver is very often incorrectly labeled an "aggressive driver" and is considered to be a danger; (i.e. here in NC.)

The fact is, this driver is merely an "assertive driver", asserting their right to pass in the left lane, traffic permitting. The left-lane-hog is the real "aggressive driver" if any, (passive-aggressive in this case,) or perhaps is simply not paying attention----which isn't a valid excuse.

6/12/2007 8:32:08 AM

im pretty sure that the law does not encourage speeding even in the left hand passing lane.

6/12/2007 8:43:13 AM

It is my understanding that the turn lane is not a travel lane...period.

This allows using the turn lane to merge as long as you STOP and wait for traffic to clear before merging right...not drive down the turn lane and merge into the right lane.

6/12/2007 9:27:31 AM

^I think that's right


^^right, it doesn't..... what makes you think it does?
(Are you implying that a law prohibiting traffic obstruction encourages speeding? That's like saying that a law prohibiting censorship encourages vulgarity, or that a law prohibiting school prayer encourages atheism. I think you've got your cart in front of your horse, or something…..)

The law encourages road safety, and believe it or not, speeding isn't necessarily unsafe---cops do it.

The law reflects the fact that car clusters are more dangerous than speeding in general.

99% of drivers are speeding, about 5 to 15 over the limit.

What's important is that you allow them to drive freely.

When one slow car forces a cluster, faster drivers don't and won't all of a sudden decide to drive more slowly.

Instead, they will pass on the right, often weaving in and around other slower-moving cars, and gunning it to get back into the left lane.

THIS IS FUCKING DANGEROUS.

When slower moving cars stay out of the passing lane like they're supposed to, the dangerous clusters and the natural passing-on-the-right response are avoided in the first place.

It's pretty simple, really:

Absolute speed isn't as much of a highway safety concern as relative speed. Duh.

Speeders won't slow down for you. If traffic/weather is light enough such that all cars can freely drive and pass other cars, then why should speeders slow down for you?

Assuming light to medium traffic, and good weather,
There are 3 options:

1) the safe driver moves out of the left lane, traffic permitting; traffic flows freely; everyone is safe. Once the speeders have passed, the safe driver may decide to move back into the left lane.

2) the left-lane-hog stays put thereby creating a cluster of cars; speeders pass wherever they can by weaving in and out of lanes while traveling at much faster speeds, cutting people off, and generally creating a hazard to all other cars on the road.

3) the speeder behind the left-lane-hog decides to not speed anymore, and all of the other speeders also decide not to speed anymore. They all slow down and pull over, hold hands and sing "Kumbaya".

6/12/2007 9:40:34 AM

Quote :

"Many states have even passed "left lane laws" that are strictly enforced. In such states, when a cop sees a motorist driving too closely to the car in front of them in the left [passing] lane, the cop pulls over the front car and tickets them for driving too slowly in the left lane and obstructing the flow of traffic---EVEN IF THEY WERE SPEEDING. "

Reads like, "I dont care that you were going 75 in a 65, but get out of the left lane unless you are passing." May not encourage speeding per se, but certainly doesn't discourage it, and I would say that for most people, a ticket is really the only deterrant keeping them from going over the limit.

6/12/2007 9:45:32 AM

Using the center lane as a merging point makes sense to me. You have to do it sometimes; 8 lanes worth of traffic doesnt really leave you many gaps. Unless you feel like waiting an hour or more for rush hours to clear, etc. I have never had a problem with slamming on BRAKES, accelerating past people, etc when they're trying to merge from the center lane. Perhaps you should slow/calm down a little and be aware of what's happening around you.

Once in a while, I pull up to center islands and wait for a clearing in traffic to merge in, though I prefer not to (feels way too dangerous).

6/12/2007 10:25:56 AM