March 8, 2007
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There's a reason it's called a "turn lane."
Y'all are doubtless familiar with them....those dedicated middle lanes with arrows painted on them, indicating they are there so the through-traffic lanes aren't impeded by cars desiring to make a left turn. When I'm driving on Montgomery and want to turn left, I move over to the turn lane first.
If everyone will use it properly, it's a real boon to keeping traffic moving briskly along.
What it is not, however, is a merge lane. I'm tired to death of being startled and unnerved by a car - or truck...it's really common for pick-up truck drivers to pull this stunt - that wants to make a left turn onto a busy street suddenly pulling out and heading toward the lane I'm in, only it stops in the turn lane to wait for an opening in the traffic stream.
There's no way to tell until it does stop whether this is someone planning to use the turn lane as a merge lane, or someone who doesn't see I'm there, meaning evasive action on my part is required to avoid a collision.
I'm not a mind reader, y'know.
Please use turn lanes to turn, not merge.
I'm askin' nice here.
Comments (5)
They do the same thing here. Makes me crazy (and look just like your little icon there)
What's worse is when someone uses it for a passing lane... I have a friend who did that twice within half an hour. She's a terror to ride with!
Okay, that I haven't seen here yet! =8^o
And it's to be hoped this hasn't jinxed us.
Where we turn out of our subdivision, from a suburban avenue to a main artery highway, the middle "lane" is for merging, but people will get in it and drive THREE BLOCKS!!! to the light to turn left!
and then, there's the intersection near Katie's TKD classes, where there's a major intersection, a little driveway, and a bit down a bigger driveway. Turning into the little driveway means getting into the ONCOMING left turn lane for the lght! and my husband does it that way EVERY time! ack! I always go down a bit to the bigger driveway where it is a free middle lane.
Try turning onto Cooper WITHOUT using the turn lane to wait until you can merge! Everybody does it - you have to be made of sterner stuff to drive on Cooper St. (especially near the mall). What's scary to me is when I get into the turn lane (to turn into Target) and someone going the opposite way pulls into the lane and all of a sudden we're playing "chicken". THAT's scary!
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