LANE: The safe way

In the Sept. 19 edition of the Coeur d’Alene Press (Page C1), automobile drivers were told that the two-way turn lanes can be used to accelerate and merge with traffic. I believe this is incorrect and dangerous. I attach comments from the Idaho driver’s manual, Idaho state law, the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and the answer to a similar question from Michigan state police.

The two-way left turn lane is not an acceleration lane and not a travel-merge lane.

1) When turning left into a business from a travel lane, a vehicle may move some in the two-way turn lane, stop if necessary and, when safe, complete the turn across the oncoming travel lane. Also, when the same-direction travel lane is backed up, one may go into the two-way turn lane, pass those same-direction vehicles on their left to arrive at the turn location and, when safe, complete the turn across the oncoming travel lane.

2) When turning left from a business or side street onto a travel lane, and traffic in both directions is clear, the left turn should be made normally, turning onto the travel lane without using the two-way turn lane at all, simply crossing over it while entering the desired travel lane. If there is traffic on the desired travel lane, a turn may be made into the two-way turn lane and then STOPPING the car. Signal your intent to move right onto the travel lane and, when a break in traffic occurs or the travel lane becomes clear, move into the travel lane and accelerate in the travel lane.

This minimizes the dangers inherent in using the very practical two-way turn lane and conforms to traffic regulations.

DENNIS REUTTER

Coeur d’Alene