left turn rules

What is the rule about turning left in the US (FL specificly) Should
I get into the left lane, or the right lane, after the turn? I see
car drivers swinging wide all the time into the right turn lane. I
just assumed this is normal, maybe it isn't.

I had a close call a couple days ago on a motorcycle when this guy
was turning right, I was turning left. I made a correction to my line
and got into the left turn lane... but I'm not sure of the rules.
Believe it or not, it's not on any driving test I've ever taken.

Let's suppose it is a law that you have to get into the left lane
after a turn. What if I'm on a slow moving, low power vehicle, such
as a 50cc scooter that may not be able to quickly pass cars into the
right lane (it can do the speed limit and a little beyond that, just
not always the traffic speed- 45 miles per hour). What are you
sppossed to do, hold up left-lane traffic?

Magnulus wrote:
> What is the rule about turning left in the US (FL specificly) Should
> I get into the left lane, or the right lane, after the turn? I see
> car drivers swinging wide all the time into the right turn lane. I
> just assumed this is normal, maybe it isn't.
>

It's normal, but it's wrong. Left turn to left lane, right turn to
right lane.

> I had a close call a couple days ago on a motorcycle when this guy
> was turning right, I was turning left. I made a correction to my line
> and got into the left turn lane... but I'm not sure of the rules.
> Believe it or not, it's not on any driving test I've ever taken.
>
> Let's suppose it is a law that you have to get into the left lane
> after a turn. What if I'm on a slow moving, low power vehicle, such
> as a 50cc scooter that may not be able to quickly pass cars into the
> right lane (it can do the speed limit and a little beyond that, just
> not always the traffic speed- 45 miles per hour). What are you
> sppossed to do, hold up left-lane traffic?
>


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Ladies and Gentlemen (and I use those words loosely), in a sure sign
that the Apocalypse is upon us, someone calling themself Magnulus said
this in rec.autos.driving:
> What is the rule about turning left in the US (FL specificly) Should
> I get into the left lane, or the right lane, after the turn? I see
> car drivers swinging wide all the time into the right turn lane. I
> just assumed this is normal, maybe it isn't.

The way I was taught, you turn into the lane that corresponds to the
lane that you turned from. In this case, you would turn to the left
lane. Unfortunately, ite like KRETP. Not too many people pay attention
to it.

> I had a close call a couple days ago on a motorcycle when this guy
> was turning right, I was turning left. I made a correction to my line
> and got into the left turn lane... but I'm not sure of the rules.
> Believe it or not, it's not on any driving test I've ever taken.
>
> Let's suppose it is a law that you have to get into the left lane
> after a turn. What if I'm on a slow moving, low power vehicle, such
> as a 50cc scooter that may not be able to quickly pass cars into the
> right lane (it can do the speed limit and a little beyond that, just
> not always the traffic speed- 45 miles per hour). What are you
> sppossed to do, hold up left-lane traffic?

IMO, you should turn into the left lane, signal a lane change to the
right and then move over to the right lane as soon as it is safe to do
so.

--
"Look down on me, you will see a fool.
Look up at me, you will see your lord.
Look straight at me, you will see yourself."
- Charles Manson

Assuming I understand the premise correctly, unless there is dual left
turning lanes, I figure either lane is fair game. If you are turning
on a protected left then opposing traffic turning right should be
yielding (or stopping then turning) to your left-turn movement no
matter which lane you may get in. If you do not have a "protected"
arrow to turn left, you should be yielding anyway. Though personally,
I usually left into the left lane since I'll probably end up in it
soon anyway to pass the slow people.

On May 7, 6:40 am, Tha_Professor > wrote:
> Assuming I understand the premise correctly, unless there is dual left
> turning lanes, I figure either lane is fair game. If you are turning
> on a protected left then opposing traffic turning right should be
> yielding (or stopping then turning) to your left-turn movement no
> matter which lane you may get in. If you do not have a "protected"
> arrow to turn left, you should be yielding anyway. Though personally,
> I usually left into the left lane since I'll probably end up in it
> soon anyway to pass the slow people.

Except there are a lot of intersections where two (or more) lanes have
a protected left. If you don't maintain the 'into corresponding lane'
rule you can collide with someone on your right who is also turning
left. Due to the turn, the mirrors may not show a vehicle over there.

Harry K

On May 7, 9:40 am, Tha_Professor > wrote:
> Assuming I understand the premise correctly, unless there is dual left
> turning lanes, I figure either lane is fair game. If you are turning
> on a protected left then opposing traffic turning right should be
> yielding (or stopping then turning) to your left-turn movement no
> matter which lane you may get in. If you do not have a "protected"
> arrow to turn left, you should be yielding anyway. Though personally,
> I usually left into the left lane since I'll probably end up in it
> soon anyway to pass the slow people.

Nope, not true at all. I'm not sure if it's codified into law, but
it's still a poor practice to turn into any lane but the one that
corresponds to the one you're turning from. I realize that this is
widely ignored, but if nothing else, it facilitates smooth traffic
flow and makes everything more predictable.

nate

(won't RTOR any more against a protected left, just because of people
that don't understand this.)

On May 7, 9:49 am, Harry K > wrote:
> On May 7, 6:40 am, Tha_Professor > wrote:
>
> > Assuming I understand the premise correctly, unless there is dual left
> > turning lanes, I figure either lane is fair game. If you are turning
> > on a protected left then opposing traffic turning right should be
> > yielding (or stopping then turning) to your left-turn movement no
> > matter which lane you may get in. If you do not have a "protected"
> > arrow to turn left, you should be yielding anyway. Though personally,
> > I usually left into the left lane since I'll probably end up in it
> > soon anyway to pass the slow people.
>
> Except there are a lot of intersections where two (or more) lanes have
> a protected left. If you don't maintain the 'into corresponding lane'
> rule you can collide with someone on your right who is also turning
> left. Due to the turn, the mirrors may not show a vehicle over there.
>
> Harry K

That was what I was refering to in my first sentence with the "dual-
left turning lanes"...
Though that itself can lead to a similar "situation"... where there is
a dual left-turn onto a 3 lane (in 1 direction) road. Sometimes
people assume that the 2 left-turn lanes lead to the outer (rightmost)
lanes of the other road, while others assume the left. I suppose a
good DOT will paint some dashed lines to help avoid confusion.

On May 7, 9:40 am, Tha_Professor > wrote:
> Assuming I understand the premise correctly, unless there is dual left
> turning lanes, I figure either lane is fair game. If you are turning
> on a protected left then opposing traffic turning right should be
> yielding (or stopping then turning) to your left-turn movement no
> matter which lane you may get in.

This guy didn't yield, and I had a protected left, green light.

Florida's driver handbook says this:
"Finish your turn in the proper lane. A right turn should be from the
right lane into the right lane of the roadway entered. A left turn may
be completed in any lane lawfully available, or safe, for the desired
direction of travel"

N8N wrote:
> On May 7, 9:40 am, Tha_Professor > wrote:
>
>>Assuming I understand the premise correctly, unless there is dual left
>>turning lanes, I figure either lane is fair game. If you are turning
>>on a protected left then opposing traffic turning right should be
>>yielding (or stopping then turning) to your left-turn movement no
>>matter which lane you may get in. If you do not have a "protected"
>>arrow to turn left, you should be yielding anyway. Though personally,
>>I usually left into the left lane since I'll probably end up in it
>>soon anyway to pass the slow people.
>
>
> Nope, not true at all. I'm not sure if it's codified into law, but
> it's still a poor practice to turn into any lane but the one that
> corresponds to the one you're turning from. I realize that this is
> widely ignored, but if nothing else, it facilitates smooth traffic
> flow and makes everything more predictable.
>
> nate
>
> (won't RTOR any more against a protected left, just because of people
> that don't understand this.)
>

So you won't turn right on red because idiots with a protected left
think they're supposed to yield to you?

I find that quite annoying. I was stuck behind someone recently
(actually happens quite often) who wouldn't turn right on red, even
though there is a protected lane for traffic turning right.

Granted, that doesn't mean it's always safe to RTOR, but I watched them
miss quite a few safe opportunities.

Fred G. Mackey wrote:
> N8N wrote:
>
>> On May 7, 9:40 am, Tha_Professor > wrote:
>>
>>> Assuming I understand the premise correctly, unless there is dual left
>>> turning lanes, I figure either lane is fair game. If you are turning
>>> on a protected left then opposing traffic turning right should be
>>> yielding (or stopping then turning) to your left-turn movement no
>>> matter which lane you may get in. If you do not have a "protected"
>>> arrow to turn left, you should be yielding anyway. Though personally,
>>> I usually left into the left lane since I'll probably end up in it
>>> soon anyway to pass the slow people.
>>
>>
>>
>> Nope, not true at all. I'm not sure if it's codified into law, but
>> it's still a poor practice to turn into any lane but the one that
>> corresponds to the one you're turning from. I realize that this is
>> widely ignored, but if nothing else, it facilitates smooth traffic
>> flow and makes everything more predictable.
>>
>> nate
>>
>> (won't RTOR any more against a protected left, just because of people
>> that don't understand this.)
>>
>
> So you won't turn right on red because idiots with a protected left
> think they're supposed to yield to you?

No, I won't RTOR when oncoming traffic has a protected left because more
often than not, the left turners will aim for the right lane, which I
would like to turn into, and will *not* yield. Even if the intersection
is painted with lane markers showing the correct path.

>
> I find that quite annoying. I was stuck behind someone recently
> (actually happens quite often) who wouldn't turn right on red, even
> though there is a protected lane for traffic turning right.
>
> Granted, that doesn't mean it's always safe to RTOR, but I watched them
> miss quite a few safe opportunities.

My point was that in my area there *are* no safe opportunities to RTOR
when oncoming traffic has a protected left, even if it is a multi-lane road.

nate

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