Commuting…The strange. The Odd… And the FUN

[Bill_Z]

Originally Posted by ThatOtherGuy

I hear ya. The ones that kill me are the people that are driving behind you and dive down the turn lane early and you have to wait on them to pass before you can enter the turn lane.

How do you get into the turn lane "early?" I will get into the turn lane as soon as it opens so I can get through my turn. If you're just day-dreamin' and forget that your supposed to be in the turn lane when it opens, and attempt to enter halfway up the lane, to bad for you. Maybe you should be paying closer attention.

[CZP01]

Originally Posted by Elessar

How do you get into the turn lane "early?" I will get into the turn lane as soon as it opens so I can get through my turn. If you're just day-dreamin' and forget that your supposed to be in the turn lane when it opens, and attempt to enter halfway up the lane, to bad for you. Maybe you should be paying closer attention.

No, I know exactly what he's talking about -- maybe the lanes are painted differently in your AO, but where I live people tend to dive over into the left turn lane before it's even open. They just HAVE to be the first ones in line so they illegally cut over before the left turn lane even begins.

[ttpete]

Originally Posted by CZP01

No, I know exactly what he's talking about -- maybe the lanes are painted differently in your AO, but where I live people tend to dive over into the left turn lane before it's even open. They just HAVE to be the first ones in line so they illegally cut over before the left turn lane even begins.

And sometimes traffic is so heavy that the lane backs up way before the "entrance". This is just a matter of using good judgment and doing what's necessary. Look back before you take the lane, and be alert for someone in front suddenly deciding to pull into the lane in front of you.

[shaddix]

Get into it early yourself? No big deal

[Mister D]

I'd say that it's fine if you want to hit the turn lane early, before it's even a turn lane, but you're rude if you do that and then pass the guy on your right who may be waiting to legally enter the turn lane. Usually he will have to wait for you and enter the lane late, at a higher speed than he would like, or he may have to miss the turn. He's not going to put on the brakes while he's still in the traffic lane (if he's a responsible driver or rider), so you're kind of forcing his hand unless you give him a chance to get in.

[ttpete]

Originally Posted by mister deliberate

I'd say that it's fine if you want to hit the turn lane early, before it's even a turn lane, but you're rude if you do that and then pass the guy on your right who may be waiting to legally enter the turn lane. Usually he will have to wait for you and enter the lane late, at a higher speed than he would like, or he may have to miss the turn. He's not going to put on the brakes while he's still in the traffic lane (if he's a responsible driver or rider), so you're kind of forcing his hand unless you give him a chance to get in.

People around here don't wait in the through lane until they get down to the "entrance" to the left turn lane. They merge over as needed so as not to block traffic in the through lane, which is the reason left turn lanes were put there in the first place.

[Qwik]

Here they will drive in the Median for 500ft before the turn lane so they can pass the honest ones.

[Conedodger]

Originally Posted by CZP01

No, I know exactly what he's talking about -- maybe the lanes are painted differently in your AO, but where I live people tend to dive over into the left turn lane before it's even open. They just HAVE to be the first ones in line so they illegally cut over before the left turn lane even begins.

I almost got clobbered that way on the bike last year. Traffic was crawling along at 10-15 mph. I'm not one to cross the yellow line, so I waited my turn to enter the turn lane. When I did, there was an idiot cruising down no man's land heading for the turn lane at about 45 mph. I didn't anticipate this as I probably should have.

[Conedodger]

Originally Posted by Qwik

Here they will drive in the Median for 500ft before the turn lane so they can pass the honest ones.

Same ones that pop up on to a one lane bridge, without looking to see that I'm 1/2 way across it, and then expect me to be the one to back up.

It is a shame that we've lost respect for each other in this world. A little common courtesy goes a long way to making it a better place.

[Qwik]

Originally Posted by Mark S

It is a shame that we've lost respect for each other in this world. A little common courtesy goes a long way to making it a better place.

Common Courtesy is Like Common Sense. There just isnt much of it around anymore

[SomethingClever]

The whole "getting into the turn lane early" thing takes a little finesse and judgment. There are often times when the official "opening" is ridiculously far forward, which practically necessitates an early entrance. But you have to then watch for people who have been waiting to reach the official opening and make sure they don't slam into you. And of course you have to double check to make sure nobody got into the lane even earlier than you and is zooming past.

Double line or stripped legal passing zone?

To be fair, it was a legal passing zone. Their move was still illegal, however, as they were running approximately double the speed limit once we hit the 25 zone (which was about 2 seconds after they passed me).

[HairBear]

On the way to work a little after 6 in the AM. I catch a whiff of something, but ignore it. A few moments later I smell it stronger, "Is that an electrical smell or a rubber smell? Is it coming from me?!" A little worried I slowed down some, not sure what was happening. Up ahead on the opposite side of the 5 lane I see something, a tire, "Damn, people should be more careful securing stuff and they apparently didn't notice they dropped it."
I continue on maybe a few hundred yards or so & there's a car up ahead, "Cars sitting low. Wonder if it busted a shock or something." It pulls into the fast lane & I go past it in the slow lane & look down. The right rear tire is gone. Riding on just the rim. A bit stunned I didn't notice the driver, but it looked like they where turning into the gas station. Hope their morning improved! I was glad the smell wasn't coming from my bike & sped up.

[ttpete]

Originally Posted by HairBear

On the way to work a little after 6 in the AM. I catch a whiff of something, but ignore it. A few moments later I smell it stronger, "Is that an electrical smell or a rubber smell? Is it coming from me?!" A little worried I slowed down some, not sure what was happening. Up ahead on the opposite side of the 5 lane I see something, a tire, "Damn, people should be more careful securing stuff and they apparently didn't notice they dropped it."
I continue on maybe a few hundred yards or so & there's a car up ahead, "Cars sitting low. Wonder if it busted a shock or something." It pulls into the fast lane & I go past it in the slow lane & look down. The right rear tire is gone. Riding on just the rim. A bit stunned I didn't notice the driver, but it looked like they where turning into the gas station. Hope their morning improved! I was glad the smell wasn't coming from my bike & sped up.

Burning rubber smell can mean some truck has a flat and the driver's ignoring it and continuing to drive. If you ever smell it on the road, be prepared to dodge a whole tire tread that has come off and is lying in the road.

[DAKEZ]

Originally Posted by Mark S

I almost got clobbered that way on the bike last year. Traffic was crawling along at 10-15 mph. I'm not one to cross the yellow line, so I waited my turn to enter the turn lane. When I did, there was an idiot cruising down no man's land heading for the turn lane at about 45 mph. I didn't anticipate this as I probably should have.

It is always a good idea to make sure a space you want to occupy is indeed able to be occupied.

[acesandeights]

Had a Harley owner (dressed like an outlaw) lane split between me and a car Friday morning on the way to work. I knew he was behind me, but didnt' realize his speed. Lane splitting isn't legal here, so I was a bit surprised when I heard his pipes on acceleration and he went down the left side of my lane (the slow lane) between me and traffic in the left lane. He pretty much blew by me and the adjacent car and made an immediate lane change in front of the car as he zigged and zagged down the highway. I guess he was late for his road captain meeting or something. I haven't had that happen, being passed in my own lane. It made me laugh though.