I bet they didn't teach this in drivers ed!

Did you know that it's okay to use the "striped" lanes (not sure of the official term for those) to turn left or right at the Claiborne/Broadlands and Claiborne/Waxpool intersections? They are especially effective when there's a long line of traffic waiting to turn.

Excuse the snarky post but I just really felt the need to comment on this. This has happened multiple times to us. The last was this Sat. night we were in the left lane on Claiborne (and Broadlands) and continuing straight. The line at the intersection was backed up to the Greedway, as is common at that time of day. So a couple of numnuts get too impatient to wait in line with everyone else and drive down the "striped" lanes and make illegal left and right turns at the intersection. My husband pulled his car over to avoid others from doing this and he got honked at, flipped off, etc. I guess getting to the Steakhouse for a beer 30 seconds faster was an emergency....Where are the cops when you need them?

 

I have had this happen to me numerous times as well. Going through four way stops in the neighborhood is bad enough without adding people going down the stripped lanes.

clwjl5

 

I bet it was kids.

 

The turn from waxpool onto waxpool coming from the old MCI building. I love how people feel that they can use the straight lane as a turn lane. Saw it twice this morning as I sat through 2 light cycles.

 

I believe that someone got pulled over for doing this on Saturday evening. Person in a Volvo made the turn and a copper hit the lights.

Gregg

 

Steve,

When did you get your law enforcement badge? I see you're interested in policing people on the roads as much as you do on the forum.

Man, I just opened myself up for a flynnflame, but I am truly joking.

 

VDOT is actually considering making the right turn from Waxpool onto Waxpool a dual-right turn lane - so one could legally turn from the middle lane. But, I don't know if anything has been decided or not.

 

i wrote to (was is VDOT?) someone last year about this issue and suggested that they lengthen the green time of the Waxpool/Waxpool light and make that center lane a straight turning lane since more traffic flows right than straight, and that line up is ridiculous. i was told that the road was still too narrow to meet regulations for creating a 2nd turn lane, but that they would look into the timing on the light. it is better than it was, but it can literally take 20 minutes plus to turn right there, so i NEVER go that way in the morning.

now at Loudoun Cty Pwky to Waxpool, it SHOULD be a turn and straight lane- far more traffic turns right than goes straight at any time of day. there are enough (three) lanes to do it- the road is wide enough. I always turn right from that lane when the far right lane is backed up- there's no reason for anyone to turn into the far left lane on Waxpool immediately. i saw folks do it right in front of a cop and guess what- he turned right from that lane too! lol

what folks REALLY need to know is that if you are turning LEFT onto Loudoun Cty Pkwy from Shellhorn, only 2 lanes are coming at you going toward Waxpool- we have a THIRD lane that STARTS at that intersection, so there's no reason to wait- HIT THE GAS! It's annoying, but I realize people don't realize that the far left lane BEGINS at that point, so I don't normally honk. i know it looks scary b/c cars are coming so fast- but they aren't in the lane the we turn into if you stay far left.

tell your friends, tell your neighbors, and I'll shave 5 minute's off of my morning commute...



Ciao,

Redon1

 

But alas until the middle lane is legally turned into the right turn lane I would hope no one on this forum is a jerk enough to turn right from that middle lane

 

redon1-
When Loudoun County Parkway is completed to Route 7, there will be a huge increase in traffic going straight through the intersection. It will lead to much longer waits on Waxpool at the light because of the increased LCP traffic. This will result in the long lines and waiting on Waxpool will get much worse.

 

I usually see grown men & women doing this! Not kids...although I'm sure they do it, too. I think the kids that do it learn from their parents!

 

Cliff- agreed- things are going to be worse before they are better no matter which intersection you try to get to Waxpool from. SO... I'm going to home school my kid, telecommute from home, grocery shop from Giant via peapod.com, have my meals delivered (except from Broadlands Pizzeria!) and order all of my clothes from online catalogs... how's that for doing my part to reduce congestion! lol

on a serious note- i agree that while i am breaking the law turning right onto Waxpool from the middle lane on LCP, when you see the cops doing it all the time combined with it NOT being unsafe since the 3 lanes exist- i'll take my chances instead of waking up 20 minutes earlier and wasting time and gas in a 40 car line up. i'm writing the county now to suggest that they paint that lane since everyone uses it that way anyway. but i would NEVER do it from Waxpool to Waxpool- that's an unsafe intersection to turn from the middle lane. call me a hypocrite... i can take it.

and adults around here drive just as poorly as kids, if not WORSE- i think everyone should have to go to Germany to take driving tests- there's a country that knows how to do it! (in Bavaria anyway...) how hard is it to take turns at a 4 way stop and if 2 cars arrive simultaneously, yield to the guy on your right?!?





Ciao,

Redon1

 

The next time that you do this, and I'm in the "legal" turn lane, and I decide when I pull out to immediately get in the second or third lane over, and I hit you, (or visa versa) guess who pays.

 

of course it would be me. and the accident would tie up the road even more causing even more delays and aggravation, but you would be RIGHT and your principles in tact.

this is where driving courteously in a situation that is created by poorly planned roads/lights/intersections comes in: we all want to get to work- none of us want crazy line ups to get onto an already congested road. it make traffic flow more smoothly with both lanes being able to turn and everyone benefits. there is no immediate reason to anyone to be in the far left lane- there is plenty of time to get over. so rather than being ticked off that someone isn't following the rules and driving in a manner to "teach them a lesson", we should drive friendly and let this work until the county splashes some paint on that lane making it legal to turn right.

by the way- i don't even have to turn right onto Waxpool during rush hour, i go straight across the intersection. but i support those who DO.

Ciao,

Redon1

 

Actually, I "think" DAD4 would be at fault.

First, when making a right-hand turn on to a road that has 2 lanes (or more) in the direction you are turning, the driver is to remain in the right hand lane for the duration of the turn.

Second, regardless if the person in the left side lane made an illegal turn, they are "established" in that lane.

In this scenario, DAD would be at-fault for the accident and REDON would receive a ticket for an illegal turn, as long it was witnessed AND the person stops!

 

sigh. the rules apply to me and everyon else- i already admitted wrong doing but i stand by it being the RIGHT thing to do in the interest of keeping traffic moving. if i was alone in making this turn- like the random driver on Waxpool/Waxpool, this argument would make sense. but I'm NOT. it's a practice that is so widely done that is LOOKS legal.

i am not an impatient driver- and when i am one of 15 cars doing the same thing- the guy wanting to impose the letter of the law and making a wide turn into the far left lane is the problem- not me and my 14 accomplices! T8erman is right.

I'm simply pointing out that the county should keep up with its growth and adjust the intersections as needed. people are already doing it, and it works.

i am wrong for the right reasons and i'm sticking to it! and now i'm done with it since i have nothing new to add to my statemnts... have a great day!!!!!!


Ciao,

Redon1

 

And when there is an accident because you are in a straight lane and performing an illegal turn and you hold up EVERYONE else in two different directions due to an accident and everyone is late for work then what. It's this ME mentality around here I don't understand. I don't care if you don't agree with the rules. It is still the rule.

I guess the 4 way stops around here are also a suggestion and not a rule. How about those 25 mph flashing lights around schools. Are those just suggestions or are they rules? What about the speed limits around here are those rules? A cop does not care if you agree with the rules or not. He will ticket the person that is not obiding by the rules of the road and if he does not then it's a VERY easy court case any of the lawyers around here would love to take up.

When it comes down to it if I'm in the correct turn lane and if I hit you because you are in an illegal turn lane and I didn't see you I don't care who gets a ticket I'm taking it to court and fighting the cops if they don't side with me being in the right of way and I guarantee eventually I'll win.