Left Turn Lanes

Member Joined: Apr 03, 2011 Posts: 42

The "Michigan left" type of turning, with a divided road and turnarounds in the median, adds distance to a drive, but I recently realized the benefit of safety, when I was on a road with one turn lane for both directions. I was approaching an intersection when a car moved into the turn lane from the other side. I braked more and swerved around him. The road was wet and my truck spun a bit. I was fortunate that I had a clear lane to swerve into.

I thought of calling this thread The Death Zone, but there was no collision, and I don't know of anyone dying in a left turn lane.

Member Joined: Apr 03, 2011 Posts: 42

Having a turn lane is a step up from not having a turn lane. When drivers waiting to turn left are stopped in the fast lane, that is a crash zone.

Site Admin Joined: Jan 06, 2010 Posts: 485

lol...well, you are supposed to slow down when approaching an intersection for the very reason (allowance for cars to turn in different directions)... so I would blame that guy coming from behind for not being careful enough! Wink

Master Driver Joined: Mar 27, 2010 Posts: 209

Charn, your avoidance is impressive. It is once again a proof that a skilled driver can avoid collisions, even if the hazard of a collision was imposed by another driver. As said, slowing down around junctions is always a good idea...

Member Joined: Apr 03, 2011 Posts: 42

The lane at that point was white line on one side and double yellow on the other, but there is also a gas station at the corner, with the same access and exit problems as many other small businesses with high traffic at intersections.

Divided roads usually have more stoplights, so that is both more fuel burned and more time spent driving. When a divided road intersects another divided road, turning left there may seem like an insane amount of detouring and sitting at red lights.