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

Lost - "your Honor, I swerved over and hit him because he made an illegal turn"
Judge - "Lost, I find you at-cause for this accident"

I am with you Lost but that is just the way our legal system works. And as my wife tells me, "it is not your job to police the roads". In addition, an incident like this waiting to happen could lead to a classic case of ROAD RAGE!

Be careful out there!

 

I never said I swerved over to hit anyone on purpous. I said I did not see the person. In this case the person making the illegal turn should not have been there and therefor not my fault.

A judge will never find the accident the fault of a person making a legal turn. It will ALWAYS be the fault of the person making the illegal manuever.

 

My point is that just because he did something illegal doesn't prevent you from being at fault either.

If you make a legal turn off Waxpool onto Waxpool [:0] you are to remain in the farthest right hand lane. If you turn into either of the other two lanes, technically, that is an illegal turn. Soooo, if you make a legal turn and then immediately switch over to the middle lane "without looking" then you are at fault.

 

Not if your turn signal is on []

 

Not to sidetrack the conversation, but I thought I'd add a little tangent from my perspective. We just moved here from Boston. I'm in HEAVEN down here. Lots of lanes. Streets are marked. And... I'm getting a little teary-eyed here... SIDEWALKS!

I'm so used to deadly rotaries, narrow streets, none of which are marked, that driving around here is a dream.

(That said, I don't disagree that there are plenty of, shall we say, Less-Than-Courteous drivers around here that drive me nuts as well. Thankfully I don't have to hit the roads at rush hour too often.)

 

I had a friend that moved here from Boston and drove and old boat. She said the biggest problem with the drivers down here was that they didn't believe she WOULD hit them. Made we want to avoid Boston!

 

Ahhhhh Boston-
I remember one time I was walking on the sidewalk downtown near the Common. As usual, the streets were in gridlock with cars. I start to hear honking from behind me. Silly me, I thought it was from a car in the street. The honking continues and gets louder. I turn around and a car is cruising down the sidewalk, trying to get past me. I jump out of the way, the car roars by, and the driver flips me off as he goes by.
Now THAT's driving!!

 

GOD!!! I miss New England ;D

Maureen Burns
Assistant Property Manager and Resident since 1997

 

Was the Volvo a white car? Around 8am?

I've seen a woman in a white Volvo pull that stunt every morning.

This morning when she tried it I was near the intersection, waiting along with all the other decent folk, so when she pulled forward and tried to turn, I was sure to take the turn extra wide. The truck behind me did the same thing. Hopefully she gets the message from now on.

Robzilla
"Whoa no. There goes Tokyo."

 

I make the turn from LCP onto Waxpool in the morning as well. I've done it from the center lane and from the "legal" right lane. Today I saw a LC Bus turn from the center lane to the far left lane of Waxpool. A red Acura turned inside of the bus to the center lane of Waxpool. The LC Bus then cut the Acura off on its way back to the right lane. While I agree that the center lanes should not be used to make a right onto Waxpool, the cat is out of the bag and many do it. VDOT really should look into making it a dual right turn or adding a turn ramp like from westbound Waxpool onto LCP northbound.

Every day we witness other drivers breaking some law we think shouldnt be broken. From speeding to merging too soon from Waxpool onto 28 to merging in at the last minute to not stopping or taking proper turn at a stop sign etc... It is NOT our job to "Teach that wrong driver a lesson". Its the Police/Sheriff's job. If you witness a violation, report it. Don't put you or you family or you beloved car at risk to prove your point. At best you'll get the finger and they'll break the same law tomorrow. At worst you'll get in an accident, be found liable since YOU hit the other car, and have your pride, budget, health, and time diminished.

 

I am a commuter that travels through the LCP/Waxpool intersection every day, from the Ashburn Village/Farm direction. My backup starts before Ashburn Village. Admittedly, selfishly, I don't want two lanes of traffic coming onto Waxpool from LCP. This may be a reason why VDOT doesn't allow more traffic off of LCP than is supplied from one lane. In fact, I'd advocate for a shorter light coming from LCP.

I am sure that's a popular comment. What it really points out is the entire thing is a mess. I think we need more blacktop.

 

Good point AFGM. The fact is there is too much traffic on Waxpool during rush hour.

Perhaps VDOT (or whoever is "planning" the light cycles, etc.) has determined that lengthening the light cycle on the feeder roads or having 2 turn lanes from Waxpool to Waxpool or LCP to Waxpool would have too much of a detriment to traffic that is already on Farmwell/Waxpool. And those who have decided to take the law into their own hands and make the illegal turn are frustrating the traffic flow plan.

 

Don't tell anybody, but soon you will be able to sneak down smith switch rd to LCP and on to 7 in a few months if you don't mind a little gravel and dust.

Lee J Buividas

 

As far as people making the turn illegally... well most of us do "illegal" things when we drive. Who here that drives the Dulles toll road will do 65-70 mph when everyone else is going that speed? Who does a California stop at Wynridge and whatevertheheck the other road is named (where the new Harris Teeter will be built)?
I bet that most of the people who make the turn legally have run a yellow light or two at LCP and Pacific.

Just my opinion, but the people who "want to take agressive action" when they see someone make the illegal turn are propbably agressive drivers themselves. That or they are jealous or do not have the balls to make the illegal turn themselves.

 

But Steve ... it's my right ... I'm much more important than you are !!

[)]

Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

Okay, IMO if YOU make the turn at that intersection legally and stay in YOUR lane and someone makes the turn illegally and stays in THEIR lane, it is SAFE. The design of that intersection can handle 2 turn lanes EASILY. So, once again IMO, they can make a turn safely but illegally, just like when you speed illegally but safely.

What? Do you want the rules enforced for other people but not for you. Speeding is against the law and so are illegal turns. And if you think it is so unsafe, why hasn't there been any accidents yet or even the slighest hint of a police presence?

 

It's not about that. It's about cutting in line and the drivers who do it deserve to get their butts beat down with rubber hoses.

Speeding is different anyway. You are already established in the lane and it is sanctioned by the cops up 10 mph over anyway. Plus these roads are engineered to handle more speed then the limit. The speed limit is political not scientific. Once they put a sign that says right turn from center then go for it, b/c everyone will have a chance to use it not just the self absorbed.

This turn is illegal, dangerous and the people who do it are selfish, just like turning right on Broadlands from the stripes.

 

I am not advocating making the turn per se. And I know it is apples and oranges. BUT illegal is illegal. Last time I checked people did not have tickets overturned because the illegal act was done safely.

And BTW, speeding is the number one cause of accidents and easily the most ticketed offense.

And besides, those who make the turn illegally are helping traffic. If everyone waited in just the one lane, the line would be back to or past Verizon (nee MCI).

Oh, and for what it is worth, I take the Greenway.

 

I stoped taking the greenway. The improvements made to waxpool and 28 have made the difference a mere 5 minutes in my commute so why pay $3 for 5 minutes?

And I have personally seen judges dress down cops for issue tickets for 5-9 mph over the speed limit so no, Illegal is not Illegal. There is a heirarchy of offenses where speeding is common, but illegal turns should be reckless driving.