Making a left turn on a busy road

[zendari]

Scenario:

Weekday morning on a very very busy road. The road is relatively wide. Bigass minivan in front of me decides to try and make a left turn. Stupid b*tch driver however doesn't move over to the left side of the lane (right on top of the yellow lines) so we can pass on our right side. Instead, she parks her car almost precisely in the middle of the lane, with about a 4-5 foot margin on each side of her car. Traffic is backed up for almost 4 mins, most of which I spent cursing off.

I hate drivers like this.

So question: Are there any road rules regarding making a left turn and backing up traffic? I know when I am making a left I do my best to allow people to pass.

 

[lancestorm]

As far as I know, passing on the shoulder is against the law in my state. Maybe it is not in your case. But I think she was being a SAFER driver by not doing as you had said. She risks colliding with another car if she is sitting on the median. Do you realize that your mirrors would be sticking out into opposing traffic. Shutup, n00b.

 

[labgeek]

Originally posted by: lancestorm
As far as I know, passing on the shoulder is against the law in my state. .

It is here and they will ticket for it... Just happened to a co-worker a few weeks(?) ago.

 

[fbrdphreak]

I hate that crap, but technically she was following the law. Now what I really hate is when you're sitting waiting to leave a parking lot or something and it is a wide entrance/exit with room for 1 car to turn in, 1 car to exit left, and 1 car to exit right but the dumbass leaving sits in the space for the exit left & exit right. jackoffs

 

[zendari]

I don't mean crossing the median with any part of the car. But if she moved a couple feet towards it, then traffic could have continued.

So I guess its ok to hold up a busy road for 4 mins?

 

[StageLeft]

I hate it too. I honk or swerve around such people.

 

[Banana]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
... .Now what I really hate is when you're sitting waiting to leave a parking lot or something and it is a wide entrance/exit with room for 1 car to turn in, 1 car to exit left, and 1 car to exit right but the dumbass leaving sits in the space for the exit left & exit right. jackoffs

I used to leave enough room for another vehicle to squeeze by, but dumbass SUV and minivan drivers pull up aside me and block my view so now I cover the entire lane.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: zendari
I don't mean crossing the median with any part of the car. But if she moved a couple feet towards it, then traffic could have continued.

So I guess its ok to hold up a busy road for 4 mins?

see, there's the law, then there's common courtesy...

She was following the law.

It's sort of like people who sit at a red light for a while, and then AFTER it turns green they put on their left turn signal and sit there waiting for an opening...GRRR...kill...

 

[lancestorm]

Originally posted by: zendari
I don't mean crossing the median with any part of the car. But if she moved a couple feet towards it, then traffic could have continued.

So I guess its ok to hold up a busy road for 4 mins?

IT IS NOT HER FAULT THAT THE ROAD IS SO BUSY IN THE OPPOSING DIRECTION. She is following the laws and making a legal left turn. You and how many others behind you are a-holes for having no patience for this person and wanting to break the law. The last time I checked you did not own the road.
/thread

 

[Banana]

Originally posted by: zendari
I don't mean crossing the median with any part of the car. But if she moved a couple feet towards it, then traffic could have continued.

So I guess its ok to hold up a busy road for 4 mins?

You should have gotten out of your car and motioned for the oncoming traffic to stop and let her turn . . ..

 

[mcvickj]

Your life is that important that you can't wait 4 minutes? Leave earlier or seek an alternate route. She was in the right.

 

[Argo]

I think it's common courtesy to pull as close to the line as possible. The only thing worse are people coming in the opposite direction who see the van blocking everybody and not letting it pass.

 

[PingSpike]

That law is retarded anyway, not that she would even be breaking the law by allowing others the opportunity to break it. (glad we don't have it around here, along with the double yellow lines law) If you aren't a jerk, you move over so people can get around you. Thats all there is to it. And if you're a super jerk, you swerve over to the right side of the road so your car is stopped at an angle so you can completely block everyone.

With the exception of banana's situation, which I agree with in some situations, there's no reason to block everyone else unless you're a jerk. Keep the traffic moving when you can. And don't tell me leaving a huge pileup of pissed off drivers behind you, often leaving a stream of cars stranded in the middle of an intersection with no where to go, is the 'safe' thing to do. Its the selfish jerk thing to do.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I hate it too. I honk or swerve around such people.

Ditto....I hate it when people make left turns in busy traffic. They should take a different route just to make it easier on everyone else...

 

[lancestorm]

Originally posted by: PingSpike
That law is retarded anyway, not that she would even be breaking the law by allowing others the opportunity to break it. (glad we don't have it around here, along with the double yellow lines law) If you aren't a jerk, you move over so people can get around you. Thats all there is to it. And if you're a super jerk, you swerve over to the right side of the road so your car is stopped at an angle so you can completely block everyone.

With the exception of banana's situation, which I agree with in some situations, there's no reason to block everyone else unless you're a jerk. Keep the traffic moving when you can. And don't tell me leaving a huge pileup of pissed off drivers behind you, often leaving a stream of cars stranded in the middle of an intersection with no where to go, is the 'safe' thing to do. Its the selfish jerk thing to do.

The law is there for a reason. It is not a safe maneuver for someone to do a shoulder pass.

It sounds to me like she was not PURPOSELY blocking anyone. Give the person a break and stop trying to defend the real jerks...the OP and his bad posse of law breakers. So bad ass.

 

[zendari]

Originally posted by: mcvickj
Your life is that important that you can't wait 4 minutes? Leave earlier or seek an alternate route. She was in the right.

4 mins * about 50 cars. 200 person-minutes.

I was heading to work, and I'd prefer to be on time.

With the exception of banana's situation, which I agree with in some situations, there's no reason to block everyone else unless you're a jerk. Keep the traffic moving when you can. And don't tell me leaving a huge pileup of pissed off drivers behind you, often leaving a stream of cars stranded in the middle of an intersection with no where to go, is the 'safe' thing to do. Its the selfish jerk thing to do.

:thumbsup:


I agree its not safe to do a shoulder pass while the car in front of you is moving, but while the car is stationary? Comeon.

 

[Zee]

Originally posted by: Banana

Originally posted by: zendari
I don't mean crossing the median with any part of the car. But if she moved a couple feet towards it, then traffic could have continued.

So I guess its ok to hold up a busy road for 4 mins?

You should have gotten out of your car and motioned for the oncoming traffic to stop and let her turn . . ..

lol

 

[Ime]

Wouldn't this really be a road construction issue? Perhaps the road needs to be widened to provide a turning lane?

 

[lancestorm]

Originally posted by: zendari

Originally posted by: mcvickj
Your life is that important that you can't wait 4 minutes? Leave earlier or seek an alternate route. She was in the right.

4 mins * about 50 cars. 200 person-minutes.

I was heading to work, and I'd prefer to be on time.

With the exception of banana's situation, which I agree with in some situations, there's no reason to block everyone else unless you're a jerk. Keep the traffic moving when you can. And don't tell me leaving a huge pileup of pissed off drivers behind you, often leaving a stream of cars stranded in the middle of an intersection with no where to go, is the 'safe' thing to do. Its the selfish jerk thing to do.

:thumbsup:


I agree its not safe to do a shoulder pass while the car in front of you is moving, but while the car is stationary? Comeon.

If I am imagining your road (I really need a picture to know for sure), then that extra space is for other persons such as walkers/runners/bicylists. You could potentially cause a fatal accident with a shoulder pass.

edit:// A sensible person would allow extra minutes for getting to work just in case there is an accident or a said incident as above. So don't complain about getting to work late...

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: lancestorm
The law is there for a reason. It is not a safe maneuver for someone to do a shoulder pass.

It sounds to me like she was not PURPOSELY blocking anyone. Give the person a break and stop trying to defend the real jerks...the OP and his bad posse of law breakers. So bad ass.

Well she certainly wasn't purposely being considerate of anyone behind her either, since the OP says moving over a few feet would have allowed them to all get around her.

I'm sure the OP feels like a real badass every time he goes around a stopped car with its blinker on. He probably flexes his muscles and screams "The rules are made to be broken, B|tch!" every time he does it. Because thats what all exhilerating thrill seekers do.

Come on. "posse of law breakers" LOL. Driving around a stopped car on the shoulder of the road isn't dangerous if there's enough room.

 

[lancestorm]

Originally posted by: PingSpike

Originally posted by: lancestorm
The law is there for a reason. It is not a safe maneuver for someone to do a shoulder pass.

It sounds to me like she was not PURPOSELY blocking anyone. Give the person a break and stop trying to defend the real jerks...the OP and his bad posse of law breakers. So bad ass.

Come on. "posse of law breakers" LOL.

Good to know someone could find some humor in my post

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: lancestorm
If I am imagining your road (I really need a picture to know for sure), then that extra space is for other persons such as walkers/runners/bicylists. You could potentially cause a fatal accident with a shoulder pass.

edit:// A sensible person would allow extra minutes for getting to work just in case there is an accident or a said incident as above. So don't complain about getting to work late...

Yeah, they might run over a person that sprang out of the bushes and jumped onto the shoulder just as you started going around the car. Of if their teleporter dropped them there. Or if you were blind and didn't look where you were going.

The potential to cause a fatal accident here is no higher than it is at any other point in time while driving.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: jagec
It's sort of like people who sit at a red light for a while, and then AFTER it turns green they put on their left turn signal and sit there waiting for an opening...GRRR...kill...

OMG OMG :| :| :| :|

I want to pound those people in the head with a brick and a half.

Not signaling (correctly/when appropriate) is my biggest peeve on the road...

 

[labgeek]

Originally posted by: PingSpike
That law is retarded anyway, not that she would even be breaking the law by allowing others the opportunity to break it. (glad we don't have it around here, along with the double yellow lines law)

You do...

(b) In no event may a vehicle be passed by driving off the pavement or main-traveled portion of the roadway. (Added 1971, No. 258 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. March 1, 1973.)

Note the portion in bold... that means no driving on the shoulder.

Source: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/statutes/ful...cfm?Title=23&Chapter=013&Section=01034

 

[lancestorm]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: jagec
It's sort of like people who sit at a red light for a while, and then AFTER it turns green they put on their left turn signal and sit there waiting for an opening...GRRR...kill...

OMG OMG :| :| :| :|

I want to pound those people in the head with a brick and a half.

Not signaling (correctly/when appropriate) is my biggest peeve on the road...

Why signal at a red light? It's not like he's going to be going anywhere soon with that signal on and sitting at a red light. Plus the sound of the turn signal is bothersome. Why would this bother you ppl? You'd have to wait on the person regardless if they put on their turn signal at the red light or when it turns green.