Turning left through traffic: unsafe maneuver spotted

[MadMaxmlin]

This afternoon I made a short drive via pickup truck to a local auto parts store for some "stuff." Lots of bikes on the road this afternoon in Georgia. When I was loading up the truck I noticed two sport bike riders pull into traffic in what I'd call a less than safe manner: The 2 lane highway running east-west in front of the auto parts store has no left turn lane except at intersections. This auto parts store shares a corner with a gas station at a busy traffic light intersection. I've noted it's real tough to make a left turn out of the auto parts store/gas station parking lot with all the traffic that backs up at the light and lack of a turning lane at this point.

The traffic going east started moving but these two riders moved out between cars and then turned west after checking both ways.

What I didn't like:

-The eastbound traffic had started moving and if the motorcyclists didn't have an opening they'd be blocking traffic waiting for one.

-With no turning lane here they enter the westbound lane looking for the opening. I rarely play blind man's bluff coming through traffic like that because I've had bad results with gambling. (okay I admit what I've lost is less than $200 total but the losing streak convinced me not to gamble). The west bound traffic may not see you rolling out between cars.

What I do at this intersection:

By rolling through the parking lot of the auto parts store to the exit into the north-south street, I avoid the majority of traffic, it's way easier to pull out, there's next to nothing in other cars pulling out from side streets/parking lots, and I pull into the left turn lane at the intersection to go my way west. Way easier, way simpler, and most of all much safer, even in my pickup truck.

I'm not trying to pick on sport bike riders. My point is some thinking ahead and judicious traffic planning makes for a much safer ride. I'm already unexpected and invisible to the cage drivers, so anything I can do to make my appearance less of a surprise is A Good Thing.

I hope my observations help other riders.

[subvetSSN606]

It's a very good observation. And I'd bet that in the circumstances you describe, you usually even take less time going the less direct way.

I'd also mention that if the image I have of the turn they took is correct, they were making a left out of a driveway across a double yellow? People do it all the time, but that's illegal, and not without reason.

Tom

[MadMaxmlin]

I think you're right, subvet: It is a double yellow line there.

I'm hoping by posting my observations that more riders will ride safer and that only helps all of us.

I don't like hearing about motorcyclists going down and I sure don't want to be a witness to a motorcycle accident. There's not enough of "us" and too many of "them"!

[Logan]

I'd also mention that if the image I have of the turn they took is correct, they were making a left out of a driveway across a double yellow? People do it all the time, but that's illegal, and not without reason.

Tom

Actually, it's not illegaL to make a left turn across a double yellow line. I double checked 1st to make I wasn't putting my foot in my mouth...

One of multiple sources:
">> Double solid yellow line: indicates the separation between lanes of traffic moving in opposite directions. The crossing of a double solid yellow line is prohibited except when making a left turn."

http://starbulletin.com/2004/01/18/news/kokualine.html
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2003-35,GGLD:en&q=double+yellow+line+%22left+turn%22

[Oldbamaboy]

I don't know about the legalities, but agree with Max. I see this same situation all the time and even in a car or truck it's usually much safer and often faster to take the less direct route. We have a busy intersection in town with several fast food joints and there are signs posted at the exits saying "NO LEFT TURN." Usually, that's the direction I need to go, but I make a block and come back around. But there are plenty of people who disregard the signs. Even when there's not some government regulation telling you what to do, it just makes sense to use a little sense.

Lou

[SabreScott]

Is it a possibility that that technicality varies from state to state? I know we folks in Texas do some strange things in comparison to the rest of the country!

[subvetSSN606]

Could be it does vary from state to state... I'd have to do some research to verify. But IIRC you can make a left from the road, but not onto the road across the double yellow.

I could be wrong though.

Tom

[sanglant]

How was the traffic in the left lane? By that I mean, was there an obvious flow break, and then the lead car from the green light would have arrived, but arrive well before the right lane traffic cleared out? If that was the case, I would have crossed, too, with the exception of asking the cage I'm cutting in front of for permission to move out. Note that this is not a good idea for a novice rider! But, on a sportbike, I can be up to that kind of speed in traffic before the car realizes I'm pulling out. The move requires you to be very comfortable making sharp (half a lane) 90 degree turns and with rolling quickly up the throttle to be at traffic speed. Doing it as a novice isn't a smart idea, nor is doing it as part of a group. Alone or with one other rider, it's not as much of an issue. I would stress, though, to get the go ahead from the car you're cutting, just like you would if you tried to cross left in your car.

[subvetSSN606]

I was wrong. You can turn left either way across a double yellow. I must have been thinking of the double-double yellow which is considered the same as a median or wall.

Tom

[MadMaxmlin]

How was the traffic in the left lane? By that I mean, was there an obvious flow break, and then the lead car from the green light would have arrived, but arrive well before the right lane traffic cleared out? If that was the case, I would have crossed, too, with the exception of asking the cage I'm cutting in front of for permission to move out. Note that this is not a good idea for a novice rider!
(snip)
I would stress, though, to get the go ahead from the car you're cutting, just like you would if you tried to cross left in your car.

If you mean oncoming traffic lane by left lane (westbound lane in this case), this close to the light there isn't much of a break when the signal changes. Nuts even before it changes if there's a break then some right-turner from the light will generally zip into it.

Part of the problem I saw was the 2 riders pulling between car bumpers in the right lane (eastbound lane) a few seconds after the light has turned green and while the cars are starting up from their stopped positions. With that sort of timing, they just barely squeaked into the westbound lane before traffic shut them off from pulling out. As it was, one car in the eastbound lane had to pause for a moment before accelerating.

To me there are too many ifs to pull out in traffic in that manner. The stopped car may start rolling forward anyway and you get to meet Mr. Front Bumper in a personal way. There's cars pulling out from parking lots across the street and coming from the intersection that you may not see soon enough. Also, there are often other motorcyclists filtering between construction barrels in other unexpected directions.

[Jack_R1]

Yes, there are some "ifs", but I agree with sanglant - especially when I'm used to pulling out to intersections with no merging lane and fast traffic (you'd appreciate your roads if you saw mine) and merging. When pulling out, I take into consideration that I don't need a large gap before a car, and can be up to speed in no time, and act accordingly. Maybe the riders judged the situation as such, and acted.

But still, planning ahead is a necessary part of riding.

[Lezbert]

I don't know about the legalities, but agree with Max. I see this same situation all the time and even in a car or truck it's usually much safer and often faster to take the less direct route. We have a busy intersection in town with several fast food joints and there are signs posted at the exits saying "NO LEFT TURN." Usually, that's the direction I need to go, but I make a block and come back around. But there are plenty of people who disregard the signs. Even when there's not some government regulation telling you what to do, it just makes sense to use a little sense.

Lou

Depending on the traffic situation, I do the roughly same thing. It's like the old saying, "Two wrongs don't make a right, but three rights make a left." :smug:

[MadMaxmlin]

But still, planning ahead is a necessary part of riding.


Good advice for everyone!