Q: Here’s the scenario: I’m on a multi-lane arterial intending to take a left turn three blocks ahead. Cars ahead of me that are also turning left have filled the left turn lane and backed up into the two-way turn lane for almost three blocks. Do I pull in after them in the two-way turn lane, or do I drive up to the left turn lane and stop with my blinker on waiting for the turn lane to empty out? Can I travel through an intersection from one two-way turn lane to the next if I haven’t traveled 300 feet?
A: You’ve asked me to choose between two options, neither of which I can recommend because both violate the law. I’ll propose that this is a false dilemma, as there are other legal options, but I suspect that you’ll find them unsatisfactory.
As you noted, it’s not legal to drive in a two-way left turn lane for more than 300 feet. A typical city block is more than 300 feet (unless you’re in Portland, OR) so after one block you’ve almost certainly violated the law. I’m not sure if you were hinting at this in your question, but I’ll make it clear just in case: there is no caveat in the law that resets the 300-foot rule once you’ve driven through an intersection, so that’s not going to get you to your left turn lane legally.
A two-way left turn lane is intended to move left-turning vehicles out of the lanes of travel so other drivers don’t get backed up while a person waits for a gap in oncoming traffic to turn into a driveway, alley, or side street. When cars use it as a left turn lane for an intersection three blocks away it effectively eliminates the ability of other drivers to use it for its intended purpose.
But your alternative might be worse. Pulling up to the start of the actual left turn lane and stopping makes you a fixed object in a stream of drivers expecting to drive straight through the intersection. That’s a setup for a rear-end collision. It’s also not legal. The Washington Driver Guide states, “Do not stop in travel lanes for any reason.” That’s actually not quite accurate. You can legally stop in a lane of travel to avoid a collision, and you must stop when required by a traffic control device or at the direction of a police officer. Short of that, the law only permits stopping on a roadway if you’re pulled over to the side of the road with your wheels within twelve inches of the curb. In other words, legally parking.
If both options aren’t legal, what do you do? If this is a recurring problem, you could plan a completely different route. If this was an unexpected event, you could continue straight through the intersection where you originally wanted to turn left and update your route. Going broader, maybe biking on designated bike paths or walking are options. Or you could take the bus and read a book while the bus driver has to figure this all out.
Depending on your situation, my suggestions may range from unappealing to impossible. And I suspect that as population density increases, we’ll have more of these kinds of questions. Because of induced demand (when you make more of something, more people use it), building more roads won’t solve our congestion problems. If you live in a growing city, you can fight it or you can embrace it, but you’re on the front lines of learning to become a more patient driver.
Doug Dahl is with the Traffic Safety Commission and writes a weekly column for this newspaper.
