Noticed two things about Austin last week... (Round Rock, Georgetown: to rent, neighborhood)

[TexasHorseLady]

That's somewhat different, in that it's legal and nowhere near as dangerous (because people expect traffic to be in the off ramp/on ramp and the lane in between. Though I can't see using it to jump just one exit unless there's an accident or something between the two that's stopped traffic, and then the cops will show up and MAKE you do it (exit before the obstruction and get back on after it). Most highways here have access roads that are actual roads, multi-lane, that traffic uses to get from one place to another, frequently without using the highway at all. So the person exiting, driving for a few exits and then getting back on is doing very little different from those folks. (Me, I prefer to get off where I know there's an alternate route a block or two over and take that one, getting WAY ahead of the folks that are staying on the highway, but I have no problem with folks that get on, using the access road for its intended purpose of driving on, and then get on later.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

It is legal to turn right from the shoulder, mainly to allow you to slow down from road speed to turn speed without impeeding traffic. Passing on the shoulder, however, is illegal under any circumstances, although in certain situations it makes sense (long line of traffic going straight and the passing driver is unable to get to the right turn lane at a light, for example).

It's legal in a few circumstances

§ 545.058. DRIVING ON IMPROVED SHOULDER. (a) An operator
may drive on an improved shoulder to the right of the main traveled
portion of a roadway if that operation is necessary and may be done
safely, but only:
(1) to stop, stand, or park;
(2) to accelerate before entering the main traveled
lane of traffic;
(3) to decelerate before making a right turn;
(4) to pass another vehicle that is slowing or stopped
on the main traveled portion of the highway, disabled, or preparing
to make a left turn;
(5) to allow another vehicle traveling faster to pass;
(6) as permitted or required by an official
traffic-control device; or
(7) to avoid a collision.
(b) An operator may drive on an improved shoulder to the
left of the main traveled portion of a divided or limited-access or
controlled-access highway if that operation may be done safely, but
only:
(1) to slow or stop when the vehicle is disabled and
traffic or other circumstances prohibit the safe movement of the
vehicle to the shoulder to the right of the main traveled portion of
the roadway;
(2) as permitted or required by an official
traffic-control device; or
(3) to avoid a collision.
(c) A limitation in this section on driving on an improved
shoulder does not apply to:
(1) an authorized emergency vehicle responding to a
call;
(2) a police patrol; or
(3) a bicycle.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

[jobert]

Originally Posted by atxcio

It's legal in a few circumstances

especially with your hazards on..

I noticed people think they can get away with anything as long as their hazard lights are flashing.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by jobert

as well as when you have your hazards on.. I noticed people think they can get away with anything as long as their hazard lights are flashing.

True, yet I still haven't mastered going through stationary cars using the hazard light method. Maybe I haven't gotten enough of a rolling start.

[jobert]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

That's somewhat different, in that it's legal and nowhere near as dangerous ....I have no problem with folks that get on, using the access road for its intended purpose of driving on, and then get on later.

The Offramp/Onramp trick may alleviate the congestion for 1/8 mile barely, but creates the merge/clog when they get back on. 95% of the people on the highway are aware that this maneuver is possible, but only 10% of the people take it. It's not like that 10% does it for the common good, or because they're "clever" and figured out something that no one else knows - they're just selfish * holes, plain and simple.

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots

Hmmm, so I should not be able to drive in the left lane if I'm going the speed limit?

I would stay in the right lane and then switch close to where I need to turn left but most of the time people don't let me in. (i will admit, there are rare occasions people are kind)

Soooo, in order to not miss my turn I will get in the turn lane long before I need to so I don't have to drive 20 miles out of my way for others to get their way.

I used to do that by the way but no more. If I'm going the speed limit and I'm in a lane and you hit me from behind is it going to be my fault?

Furthermore, I don't take on the notion that I'm causing other people to become insane behind the wheel. They already are. It's like living with an abuser...I'm suppose to be careful of what I say or do so they won't kill me? I'm not suppose to drive the speed limit out of fear the "insane" drivers are going to lose it? I'm tired of being afraid. No more. I'm officially Kathy Bates with a shopping cart now. But only when I'm driving alone. When I have the kids in the car I will pull over and let the a$$ holes pass me while I give them the finger under the dashboard so they don't see me being the coward I am.

You know what? I really get tired of being on the road minding my own business, watching the speed limit when some joker comes out of no-where and looks like they're about to take a seat in my trunk.

I then watch that person switching lanes as far as the eye can see. To me they're reckless.

I stand by my original thought: slow the hell down and try, at least try, to be courteous on the road. You can't possibly be that important to automatically have the right to terrorize the rest of the drivers on the road to get to where you think you need to go.

No - you cannot drive in the left lane at the speed limit if you are going slower than the traffic. That is the law.

As for people not letting you in - I have little difficulty merging with traffic as long as my blinker is on (I am a stickler for that) and I match the speed of the traffic. People let me in - and I let them in.

I hope this doesn't sound rude - but when you're on the road you have to mind more than your own business. You have to mind your business in a way that blends with everyone else's business.

My biggest beef with slow drivers is those that stubbornly drive below the speed limit in the left. Bee Caves Rd. is 60 MPH between 360 and 71. Time after time people drive 50 when the road is clear. Some drive 58, then slow to 50 on a hill or curve. They should be in the right lane.

[RevMen]

Here is something I noticed, since we're on the subject. There are some intersections where people who are waiting to make a left turn at a green light do not creep out into the intersection. Usually there's room for 2 cars to move out and wait for either a hole to open up or for the yellow light to come, but folks in Austin will often choose to stay back at the stop line. Is there a reason behind this I'm not aware of?

Another Austin peculiarity I noticed is if there are 2 left turn lanes, the lane on the left will have a long line of cars while the lane on the right will have one or two, or be empty. It's a very odd thing, like people here just don't feel comfortable turning left from a lane that isn't all the way left. This works out great for me, because I'm happy to take the shorter line and get through left turns faster.

[austinitelookingtohelp]

Originally Posted by RevMen

Here is something I noticed, since we're on the subject. There are some intersections where people who are waiting to make a left turn at a green light do not creep out into the intersection. Usually there's room for 2 cars to move out and wait for either a hole to open up or for the yellow light to come, but folks in Austin will often choose to stay back at the stop line. Is there a reason behind this I'm not aware of?

Another Austin peculiarity I noticed is if there are 2 left turn lanes, the lane on the left will have a long line of cars while the lane on the right will have one or two, or be empty. It's a very odd thing, like people here just don't feel comfortable turning left from a lane that isn't all the way left. This works out great for me, because I'm happy to take the shorter line and get through left turns faster.

I can speak on personal experience in regards to your first comment. I personally will not sit out in the intersection because of a past accident. I was at an intersection, waited until the light actually turned red, and then turned because I was out in the interection already. I was t-boned by a truck that ran the very red light & totaled my car. So, no, I will not do it for this reason, but I cannot speak for the rest of Austin.

[TexasHorseLady]

Where in the statutes does it state that the speed limit does not exist in the left lane? In fact, I believe I posted on here in one of these discussions a place where it states that it does NOT cease to exist in ANY lane. That per TxDot.

"Slower Traffic Keep Right" does NOT mean "if you're driving 80 and there's someone behind you that wants by because they just HAVE to go 85 (or 70, the limit, and someone just HAS to go faster than that), the speed limit doesn't count". It means that if you are going SLOWER THAN THE SPEED LIMIT you should move over if traffic in the left lane is going the speed limit.

Depending on that when the nice officer pulls you over for (a) speeding in the lefthand lane or (b) tailgating someone who is going the speed limit which is too slow for you probably isn't going to serve you too well in court. "But the speed limit shouldn't apply in the left lane if I wanna go faster" isn't a valid legal (or very adult) argument.

[love roses]

"It is legal to turn right from the shoulder, "


Not in Hutto. There's a wide shoulder on 685 and 79 next to walgreens and people use it a a right turn lane often. I've also seen cops pull up behind people doing it and turn their lights on. A friend of mine got a ticket for that and told us the cop told her it was illegal.