question for police/former police

[teamorion22]

Approx how soon can you enter a turning lane before turning left?

In heavy traffic I see people enter the turning lane and drive pretty fast in it for 1/4 mile or so b4 turning left. This upsets me and it cannot be legal. I hope I am explaining this correct
michael

 

[skydivr]

I saw exactly same thing the other day; he went a least a half-mile in strong traffic, at speed...dangerous as hell...

 

[djsin]

i would say you can enter the turning lane when the white strip on the road goes to the left

 

[NickSully]

Are you referring to the suicide lane? The lane that allows turns from both directions of traffic at any time? If so I'm curious about this too. I see people using that lane as their own person lane all the time.

 

[Tufbusa]

I don't know either but I'd bet each state sets its own rules?

 

[DEMMYM]

Hey Michael just the other day I saw someone in that lane long before the white lint started and then somone else ( Legally ) started to pull into the lane to make the turn and suprise he was getting passed in the turn lane.

 

[Joker]

Follow the path to the turn. If you drive over the white strips by passing the turn and going for the next turn to advoid traffic, you can get a ticket.

 

[teamorion22]

i am all about expiditing the flow of traffic. the turning lane is fine is people would enter it and turn. not enter it to pass the hundred cars bumper2bumper in front of them and then turn a half mile down the road

 

[Pardini]

200 feet in CA. Reduced from 400 feet about 5 years ago.

 

[mikeu]

Its not a passing lane so I don't think you can pass cars.... but thats my guess.

 

[O Holy P]

Traffic law forbids crossing of double yellow stripes or solid white stripes = illegal/ticketable offense.

 

[racerV]

Center lane is not a travel lane.

 

[yamahor]

IIRC in VA it's 150ft, but no one pays attention to it...

 

[HAYABUSA1340]

They do

 

[PDBusa]

I believe it's 200' in NY.

 

[djsin]

ok guys no more passing in the turning lanes

 

[BlueHaya]

I hate idiots who pull out of locations and get in the center/turn lane and keep driving in the direction they need to go.

A couple of weeks ago me and a friend was riding and we were on a main street in town...4 lanes divided by a turn lane. We are turning in to a store across the other lanes. Some idiot in a F250 pulls out from a location a little further back and is driving in the turn lane. Bike 1 pulls into the turn lane to enter the store and has to hastily turn into the store due to this truck barreling down behind him. Bike 2 cannot turn into turn lane becasue the idiot has now pulled up beside him and cut him off. When he passses I pull into the turn lane and honk my horn and give the 1 finger appreciation salute and he throws his hand up in the air like I was an idiot.???

 

[teamorion22]

good info guys. this is really a pet peve of mine