Left hand turn lane...

[Horsefly]

I thought the sole purpose of the center lane was for making "left hand turns". It seems many drivers use it in order to merge right into traffic. Is this OK? Is it legal? And I see more and more people cut through corner gas staions and convenience stores to avoid waiting in line at a red light. Is this OK? Is it legal? It seems sort of dangerous because there are pedestrians in these corner spots. I guess everyone is late to where they are going. Or is it lack of patience?

[SmTx]

It's because people have no patience these days.

I was sitting at a green light waiting to turn left on green today. They guy in front of me pulled halfway up to turn with me sitting at the line. Lady behind me starts laying on the horn for not riding the dude in front of me on the rear, and even more so when he finally turned and I waited for a clear view of oncoming traffic.

[BTLowry]

I think both are illegal

SmTx that lady would have been real mad after she sat through the light
If she was crowding you it would be hard to go around if you decided to just sit. If you wanted to be real bad you could back into her and claim she rear ended you Just kidding of course

[SmTx]

I think both are illegal

SmTx that lady would have been real mad after she sat through the light
If she was crowding you it would be hard to go around if you decided to just sit. If you wanted to be real bad you could back into her and claim she rear ended you Just kidding of course

I think it was because she owned the road I was turning left onto RR12 in San Marcos and her plates were "RR12"

[TexMax]

Legal? No. Admittedly I do it, though. Just the center lane merge. Some places it's **** near impossible and pretty dangerous to try and cut actress two lanes of highway traffic.

[tvc184]

I am not sure if using the center lane is illegal (I don't recall ever seeing that law) but turning at a corner by cutting across property is illegal.

[flywise]

my dad was ticketed for traveling in the turn lane. He was trying to merge into traffic. Officer said that he traveled more than 100 feet which was illegal

[JonBoy]

We have uniformed police officers directing traffic at our campus gates and on more than one occasion they have directed us into the center lane to merge with traffic. Don't know if it's legal but sometimes that's about the only way to merge on some of the heavier trafficked streets around town

[Big-Ed]

We call the left turn lane the "chicken lane". If you aren't brave enough to just blast across all the lanes when entering traffic from a left turn, you can chicken out and ride the left turn lane while merging right. Around here, everyone does it. Beware. heh

[temple droptine]

Both are illegal......sort of. Cutting through private property to avoid a traffic control device is a ticket I will write all the time. Peds can get hit, and it is nothing more than impatience. Using the center left hand turn lane as a merge lane is not it's designed purpose, but as has been stated in some places it is almost impossible to merge without it. Once you merge into the left hand turn lane, by law you are to make the first left hand turn available once the lane is entered. Our traffic unit writes this ticket daily.....me not so much.
cb

[baldybarton]

In Tyler we have medians!

At first I hated them, but now after graduating college with a degree in civil engineering and focusing on highways and traffic I see the use for them.

They keep people from riding in the "suicide" lanes which drastically reduces the number of head on collisions. As a safety feature they work wonders. Yeah it might take a few minutes to get somewhere, but I feel they are worth it!

[JonBoy]

Found this tidbit interesting on the Texas Highway Man Pages site. Looks like Federal guidelines permit it but Texas law doesn't specifically address it...

Center turn lanes

§545.060 - DRIVING ON ROADWAY LANED FOR TRAFFIC

(b) If a roadway is divided into three lanes and provides for two-way movement of traffic, an operator on the roadway may not drive in the center lane except:

(1) if passing another vehicle and the center lane is clear of traffic within a safe distance;
(2) in preparing to make a left turn; or
(3) where the center lane is designated by an official traffic-control device for movement in the direction in which the operator is moving.

Center turn lanes are for use only when preparing to turn left from the main road onto a side street or driveway only. Only enter the lane just before you are ready to slow down for the turn. Also, the Federal Highway Administration's "Read Your Road" guide indicates that, when turning from a side street or driveway onto the main road, you may also use this lane as a temporary refuge to wait for traffic to clear as long as you pull into the lane and wait and don't use the center turn lane as an acceleration lane. However, it is important to note that Texas law does not seem to specifically permit this action, and I have had reports that some folks have been cited for doing this and the court has upheld their citation, so I would recommend avoiding this maneuver unless you absolutely have to. Finally, although section (b)(1) above says you can use the center lane for passing, keep in mind that center lanes marked as left turn lanes cannot be used for passing as the traffic signs and pavement markings indicating that the lane is for left turns only take precedence.

[Let's go Brandon!]

a.k.a

The running start lane.

[xman59]

I am not sure if using the center lane is illegal (I don't recall ever seeing that law) but turning at a corner by cutting across property is illegal.

to the best of my memory a tricky one,, yes it is illegal because the turning laws are spelled out when you enter a street,, and since the turn only lane is designated for that sole purpose and not for accleration or merging lane,, it is illegal to do so,, but also by texas law it must be written as illegal to do something before it is a violation,, and i can not recall either if it is actually written as being illegal to use the turn lane in such a manor,,,
but for those intrested,, if your involved in a wreck in a turn lane and you were not turning or waiting to turn, you will very likely get a ticket, unless of course there is ample proof that the other party actually committed another violation that the officer would prefer to write................ like i said it was a tricky one.... having said all that the only citations i ever remember writting specifically for turn lane violations were for going stright in a turn only lane,, almost all of these were at intersection though,, unless of course the driver was using the turn lane to pass other cars to get to the intersection a half mile ahead,, also charged with straight in a turn only lane

[xman59]

We have uniformed police officers directing traffic at our campus gates and on more than one occasion they have directed us into the center lane to merge with traffic. Don't know if it's legal but sometimes that's about the only way to merge on some of the heavier trafficked streets around town

officers in the position of controlling traffic can over ride written law for traffic control,,
the police have absolute control over the roadways,,,also never never argue with a cop while your in the street,,, i ended many disturbances by simply telling people to get out of the roadway ,, if they refused they were arrested ,, disturbance quieted!