Road Rules Reminders / Pet peeves driving within the metro / unclarification / bad signs / laws (dangerous, buses)

[sedimenjerry]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

No... it's true indeed. If an intersection has a "stop line" and is at a stop light, you CAN be given a ticket for pulling out into the middle of it by crossing the stop line before you are able to complete your turn under ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, even an unprotected left turn on green. I know because I was pulled over for this but fortunately given a warning only. The signs that you see "Do not block intersection" are only for reinforcement of an existing law:



&



Its illegal to stop in an intersection.

Someone did an analysis for this in Texas (so I don't know how different the laws are for intersections) and it is indeed legal. You can enter the intersection on green if you have space. If you aren't blocking anyone it's fine. You have to make sure you have space and you have to clear the intersection when safe to do so and yield to all traffic with priority.

"No driver shall enter an intersection unless there is sufficient space on the other side of the intersection to accommodate the vehicle he is operating without obstructing the passage of other vehicles or pedestrians"
I read this as just don't block traffic. At the time you enter there may very well be no cars actually in the space where you will be turning, even though there will be.

" Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic"
This basically says it's ok to stop since you are avoiding conflict with other traffic.

[samiwas1]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

No... it's true indeed. If an intersection has a "stop line" and is at a stop light, you CAN be given a ticket for pulling out into the middle of it by crossing the stop line before you are able to complete your turn under ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, even an unprotected left turn on green. I know because I was pulled over for this but fortunately given a warning only. The signs that you see "Do not block intersection" are only for reinforcement of an existing law:



&



Its illegal to stop in an intersection.

Neither of your posted examples say to me that pulling into an intersection to make a turn is illegal.

I mean, if you wanted to get really literal with it, "no person shall stop, stand, or park a vehicle on the roadway side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge of a curb of a street" would mean that if you are driving and get stopped by a signal next to a parked car, it would be illegal.

[Need4Camaro]

It isn't the price...
It isn't the fact that they converted it from what was once a free HOV lane...

...It's those darn buses...

Okay - I realize and understand that the lane is used to promote car-pooling and ridership and detur single car drivers by allowing 3 or more people, or buses to ride for free..

But MAN do I wish that during non-peak hours that they prohibit buses from using that lane. I hate when I come down that lane - locked in by the double solid white line, and there's a bus doing 55 - 60 MPH in the left lane with general traffic wizzing by me in the general lanes and I'm PAYING to go slower. It aggitates the crap out of me.

I just think it would be nice if DOT would make them use the general lanes when general traffic is flowing normally... On the flipside when traffic backs up then yes I can justify them using the express lanes..but don't hold up traffic when you don't have to.

[jsvh]

They need to convert additional lanes to HOT lanes. The free lanes are going to have traffic during rush hour regardless, they need to increase the number of HOT lanes so you can pass. Plus more supply equals lower price.

[primaltech]

My pet peeve with that lane is the fact that they allow cars in it at all. Cars are allowed in every lane (of which there are tons on I-85.) They go to the trouble to set up a special lane separated off with a double solid line and the diamond symbol markings, and its own ramps. And... they let cars drive in it. Even cars with one person. Great.

Instead it should be a bus-only lane system around the metro, with a park&ride commuter/express bus system, with buses flying around on it all day, with no traffic congestion ever in that lane. Barrier separated with flex posts.

Then it's a win-win for you, because you'll be driving in the general purpose lanes, where you can pass people going too slow in the left lanes. (Though keep in mind it's technically illegal to pass on the right.)

[primaltech]

Originally Posted by jsvh

They need to convert additional lanes to HOT lanes. The free lanes are going to have traffic during rush hour regardless, they need to increase the number of HOT lanes so you can pass. Plus more supply equals lower price.

Or this. That would be also be a good solution.

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by primaltech

My pet peeve with that lane is the fact that they allow cars in it at all. Cars are allowed in every lane (of which there are tons on I-85.) They go to the trouble to set up a special lane separated off with a double solid line and the diamond symbol markings, and its own ramps. And... they let cars drive in it. Even cars with one person. Great.

Instead it should be a bus-only lane system around the metro, with a park&ride commuter/express bus system, with buses flying around on it all day, with no traffic congestion ever in that lane. Barrier separated with flex posts.

Then it's a win-win for you, because you'll be driving in the general purpose lanes, where you can pass people going too slow in the left lanes. (Though keep in mind it's technically illegal to pass on the right.)

I would absolutely hate Gwinnett if I couldnt use the HOT lane, its the only thing that makes driving on I-85 bearable.

As for passing on the right, this is true.. but Georgia also has a slow poke law making it illegal to drive slower than the flow of traffic in the left lane.

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by primaltech

My pet peeve with that lane is the fact that they allow cars in it at all. Cars are allowed in every lane (of which there are tons on I-85.) They go to the trouble to set up a special lane separated off with a double solid line and the diamond symbol markings, and its own ramps. And... they let cars drive in it. Even cars with one person. Great.

Instead it should be a bus-only lane system around the metro, with a park&ride commuter/express bus system, with buses flying around on it all day, with no traffic congestion ever in that lane. Barrier separated with flex posts.

Then it's a win-win for you, because you'll be driving in the general purpose lanes, where you can pass people going too slow in the left lanes. (Though keep in mind it's technically illegal to pass on the right.)

Not on a multilane road:

Originally Posted by Georgia Code

§ 40-6-43. When overtaking and passing on the right permitted


(a) The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle only under the following conditions:

(1) When the vehicle overtaken is making or about to make a left turn; or

(2) Upon a street or highway with unobstructed pavement of sufficient width for two or more lanes of moving vehicles in the direction being traveled by the overtaking vehicle.

(b) If otherwise authorized, the driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass another vehicle upon the right only under conditions permitting such movement in safety. Such movement shall not be made by driving off the roadway.

I am not a lawyer, this is not an expert opinion, etc. etc.

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

I would absolutely hate Gwinnett if I couldnt use the HOT lane, its the only thing that makes driving on I-85 bearable.

As for passing on the right, this is true.. but Georgia also has a slow poke law making it illegal to drive slower than the flow of traffic in the left lane.

Does the slowpoke law applies to the HOT lane or the leftmost non-HOT lane on I-85?

[primaltech]

As jsvh said, converting at least one general purpose lane to an additional HOT lane, would fix the issue of not being able to pass someone in the lane who's going below the speed limit. But good luck with the politics of making that happen, and the public outcry that would bring. They flipped their **** over just one of those toll lanes, and that was just replacing what was already an HOV.

Not going to happen. But I'd be hugely in favor of it. And unfortunately converting it to a bus-only definitely also will never happen.

There is a solution, though. Just don't use that lane. Leave it to the Xpress buses doing 55-60.