Is it ever legal to pass on a double yellow? (insurance, driving record)
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Years ago in Arizona, my father came upon a road grader heading up a mountain road, half on the shoulder and half in the lane. It was a two lane road with a double yellow line. Because of the grade, the driver was doing less than ten MPH. There was no oncoming traffic and he waved my father past. An Arizona Highway Patrolman pulled us over a few miles later and gave my dad a ticket for passing in a no passing zone. Beyond ridiculous.
Years ago in Arizona, my father came upon a road grader heading up a mountain road, half on the shoulder and half in the lane. It was a two lane road with a double yellow line. Because of the grade, the driver was doing less than ten MPH. There was no oncoming traffic and he waved my father past. An Arizona Highway Patrolman pulled us over a few miles later and gave my dad a ticket for passing in a no passing zone. Beyond ridiculous.
No it wasn't ridiculous he broke the law plain and simple.
The usual reason the line is doubled is because there isn't clear view forward far enough ahead see an oncoming vehicle. If the speed limit is 55 mph, that means you would be closing on an unseen oncoming vehicle at at least 110mph. That's about half a football field per second.
That's only if everyone is doing the speed limit. If you're passing someone doing 30 in a 55 zone, then obviously head on speed is going to be less.
Double yellows have to take into account the average driver in an average car (acceleration).
IME there are plenty of places where it's safe for me to pass, but it's double yellow. OTOH there are also places where I'm legally allowed to pass, but I don't (even though I'm looking to pass).
If it's legal for me to cross double yellows to safely pass a police car (stopped) or a cyclist (going 10mph up a hill), then I'm damn well going to cross the double yellows (safely) if I come across farmer Joe and his tractor going 10mph. If some cop is dumb enough to fine me... well, big deal.
Are you so law abiding that you cannot make a reasonable decision without fear of a lightning bolt striking you?
On a rural road, sometimes you have to pass slow moving traffic. If it is safe to pass, just do it.
heh I have to laugh at people who have no notion of common sense and feel that every law must be followed to the letter? Can't pass someone doing under 10mph on a mountain road? Silly. I'd tell the cop off if he gave me the ticket.
heh I have to laugh at people who have no notion of common sense and feel that every law must be followed to the letter? Can't pass someone doing under 10mph on a mountain road? Silly. I'd tell the cop off if he gave me the ticket.
I passed two cyclists this morning on a rural two lane road. I had a choice to follow them at 15 MPH for five more miles or pass them crossing a double yellow when I had a safe opportunity. I chose to pass.
Another thing I have done recently:
- on an intersection that uses a sensor to give a green light, every once in a while the sensor gets knocked in the wrong direction. I have waited for minutes at 5:30 a.m. to get a green light. So I chose to "run" the light when there were no cars.
My mom passed someone on a double yellow MANY years ago who was going very slow on the highway. Come to find out, they were going that slow because they were about to turn left (highway with turns, instead of exits), even though they didn't have their signal on. They turned left into her, not realizing she was illegally passing them. She was 100% at fault. The double yellows are usually there for a reason.
That being said, if someone was going under 20 on farm equipment or a vehicle with hazard lights on, in a 55 zone, I'd pass them on a double yellow if I definitely had a clear line of sight, and I'd argue the ticket if I got pulled over.
Going into my horse barn I have a somewhat narrow driveway on my right with a turn lane in the middle to make a left turn. I can't tell you how many times I've been pulling a horse trailer and I've swung wide to make the turn, with my right turn signal, and had someone try to gun it up the inside thinking I'm making a left turn (even though I'm barely over the line or not over the line at all). I've learned to turn slowly just in case, but did catch someone with the bumper once...they kept on driving.
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