Pinched in Cedar Park

[Manfred]

That should be a class C, same as a speeding ticket. Take DD and your'e done, plus you get a discount on your ins.

Some insurance companies still offer deffensive driving discounts, however many are getting away from it. It never seemed logical to me to offer a discount for something that is taken 90+% of the time to clear a traffic violation.

...its still not a bad idea to keep it off your record...FYI

[Mando'a]

That should be a class C, same as a speeding ticket. Take DD and your'e done, plus you get a discount on your ins.

Some insurance companies still offer deffensive driving discounts, however many are getting away from it. It never seemed logical to me to offer a discount for something that is taken 90+% of the time to clear a traffic violation.

...its still not a bad idea to keep it off your record...FYI

If the Judge allows it, I will take it.

My main concern was losing my CHL.

I wasn't sure if this was a misdemeanor or felony. (I was certainly hoping it wasn't a felony)

Thanks.

[hheremtp]

That should be a class C, same as a speeding ticket. Take DD and your'e done, plus you get a discount on your ins.

Some insurance companies still offer deffensive driving discounts, however many are getting away from it. It never seemed logical to me to offer a discount for something that is taken 90+% of the time to clear a traffic violation.

...its still not a bad idea to keep it off your record...FYI

If the Judge allows it, I will take it.

My main concern was losing my CHL.

I wasn't sure if this was a misdemeanor or felony. (I was certainly hoping it wasn't a felony)

Thanks.

Unless you try and run someone down with your car *most* citations that you receive as a result of a moving violation are class C and do not affect a CHL.

[Mando'a]

That should be a class C, same as a speeding ticket. Take DD and your'e done, plus you get a discount on your ins.

Some insurance companies still offer deffensive driving discounts, however many are getting away from it. It never seemed logical to me to offer a discount for something that is taken 90+% of the time to clear a traffic violation.

...its still not a bad idea to keep it off your record...FYI

If the Judge allows it, I will take it.

My main concern was losing my CHL.

I wasn't sure if this was a misdemeanor or felony. (I was certainly hoping it wasn't a felony)

Thanks.

Unless you try and run someone down with your car *most* citations that you receive as a result of a moving violation are class C and do not affect a CHL.

Thanks

[lancermit]

On page 5-20 of the Texas Driver's Handbook (http://speedtrapahead.org/wordpress/wp- ... ndbook.pdf), it only states that is is illegal to pass, not to turn across.

I can't find any reference to crossing a double yellow line to make a turn being illegal in the Texas transportation code.

[glbedd53]

That's what I was thinking. What are you supposed to do, keep going til the line stops and make an illegal u-turn?

[Originalist]

Look through section 545 of the Texas Transportation Code.
It's got all sorts of fun little Gotchas that most people don't know about.

Don't know about this one specifically, but my favorite is 545.060(b), which basically says you can't pull into a Center lane on a road from a side street/driveway to merge into traffic to the right.
I see people doing it alllll day every day ;)

Sec. 545.051. DRIVING ON RIGHT SIDE OF ROADWAY. (a) An operator on a roadway of sufficient width shall drive on the right half of the roadway, unless:

(c) An operator on a roadway having four or more lanes for moving vehicles and providing for two-way movement of vehicles may not drive left of the center line of the roadway except:
(1) as authorized by an official traffic-control device designating a specified lane to the left side of the center of the roadway for use by a vehicle not otherwise permitted to use the lane;
(2) under the conditions described by Subsection (a)(2); or
(3) in crossing the center line to make a left turn into or out of an alley, private road, or driveway.

Sec. 545.055. PASSING TO THE LEFT: PASSING ZONES. (a) An operator shall obey the directions of a sign or marking in Subsection (c) or (d) if the sign or marking is in place and clearly visible to an ordinarily observant person.
(b) An operator may not drive on the left side of the roadway in a no-passing zone or on the left side of any pavement striping designed to mark a no-passing zone. This subsection does not prohibit a driver from crossing pavement striping, or the center line in a no-passing zone marked by signs only, to make a left turn into or out of an alley or private road or driveway.

Sec. 545.060. DRIVING ON ROADWAY LANED FOR TRAFFIC.
(b) If a roadway is divided into three lanes and provides for two-way movement of traffic, an operator on the roadway may not drive in the center lane except:
(1) if passing another vehicle and the center lane is clear of traffic within a safe distance;
(2) in preparing to make a left turn; or
(3) where the center lane is designated by an official traffic-control device for movement in the direction in which the operator is moving.

This is everything I could find in 545 pertaining to turning left. Nothing indicates crossing a double yellow as illegal.

Additionally, found this too


As for center lane travel, what do you think about this:
Sec. 545.060. DRIVING ON ROADWAY LANED FOR TRAFFIC. (a) An operator on a roadway divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic:
(b) If a roadway is divided into three lanes and provides for two-way movement of traffic, an operator on the roadway may not drive in the center lane except:
(1) if passing another vehicle and the center lane is clear of traffic within a safe distance;
(2) in preparing to make a left turn; or
(3) where the center lane is designated by an official traffic-control device for movement in the direction in which the operator is moving.

[dicion]

As for center lane travel, what do you think about this:
Sec. 545.060. DRIVING ON ROADWAY LANED FOR TRAFFIC. (a) An operator on a roadway divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic:
(b) If a roadway is divided into three lanes and provides for two-way movement of traffic, an operator on the roadway may not drive in the center lane except:
(1) if passing another vehicle and the center lane is clear of traffic within a safe distance;
(2) in preparing to make a left turn; or
(3) where the center lane is designated by an official traffic-control device for movement in the direction in which the operator is moving.

That's what I was referring to.
According to Texas law, there are only 3 circumstances in which you can enter a center lane.
1) To pass (But only if you aren't crossing a solid yellow line to do so, that would be a violation of the sections above (and yes, there are center lanes out there with dashed lines on both sides)).
2) To turn left
3) As directed by signs/cones/etc for traffic control.

Merging right, accelerating, pulling out to stop and wait for an opening, etc is nowhere mentioned in there, so it is not permitted
As mentioned above, this is specifically mentioned in the Defensive Driving Classes given, and it is enforced, lots of people get tickets for this all the time.

[Originalist]

As for center lane travel, what do you think about this:
Sec. 545.060. DRIVING ON ROADWAY LANED FOR TRAFFIC. (a) An operator on a roadway divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic:
(b) If a roadway is divided into three lanes and provides for two-way movement of traffic, an operator on the roadway may not drive in the center lane except:
(1) if passing another vehicle and the center lane is clear of traffic within a safe distance;
(2) in preparing to make a left turn; or
(3) where the center lane is designated by an official traffic-control device for movement in the direction in which the operator is moving.

That's what I was referring to.
According to Texas law, there are only 3 circumstances in which you can enter a center lane.
1) To pass (But only if you aren't crossing a solid yellow line to do so, that would be a violation of the sections above (and yes, there are center lanes out there with dashed lines on both sides)).
2) To turn left
3) As directed by signs/cones/etc for traffic control.

Merging right, accelerating, pulling out to stop and wait for an opening, etc is nowhere mentioned in there, so it is not permitted
As mentioned above, this is specifically mentioned in the Defensive Driving Classes given, and it is enforced, lots of people get tickets for this all the time.

I find it funny I can enter that lane to pass somone (as long as its clear) but I cant turn into that lane to merge into proper lane.... both require similar processes (clearing lane and mergng into proper lane) but one is obviously not allowed. Which is what I thought was interesting.

[dicion]

I find it funny I can enter that lane to pass somone (as long as its clear) but I cant turn into that lane to merge into proper lane.... both require similar processes (clearing lane and mergng into proper lane) but one is obviously not allowed. Which is what I thought was interesting.

Not really, if you consider on 2 lane roads, you are allowed to enter the other lane (the one going the opposite direction) to pass as well.
I'm pretty sure you can't, however, pull out into that lane to merge right either.

In my opinion, the thought is, people going the opposite direction, wanting to use that center lane to turn left, would see someone with their blinker on coming directly at them to pass (since you are required by law to signal every lane change and pass), or turn left from the center lane.

They might not see the person to their Right, waiting to pull out of the parking lot, directly in front of them in the center lane when they attempt to turn.

[jester]

According to Texas law, there are only 3 circumstances in which you can enter a center lane.
1) To pass (But only if you aren't crossing a solid yellow line to do so, that would be a violation of the sections above (and yes, there are center lanes out there with dashed lines on both sides)).
2) To turn left
3) As directed by signs/cones/etc for traffic control.

Merging right, accelerating, pulling out to stop and wait for an opening, etc is nowhere mentioned in there, so it is not permitted

What if you're waiting for an opening to turn left?

What if you're waiting for an opening to turn left from a side street or driveway?

[dicion]

According to Texas law, there are only 3 circumstances in which you can enter a center lane.
1) To pass (But only if you aren't crossing a solid yellow line to do so, that would be a violation of the sections above (and yes, there are center lanes out there with dashed lines on both sides)).
2) To turn left
3) As directed by signs/cones/etc for traffic control.

Merging right, accelerating, pulling out to stop and wait for an opening, etc is nowhere mentioned in there, so it is not permitted

What if you're waiting for an opening to turn left?

What if you're waiting for an opening to turn left from a side street or driveway?

Okay. here's a diagram



A&B Are Allowed, C&D Are not. I tried to illustrate why I believed this was the case, but regardless, this is the law.

Here's what I think the reasoning was behind the law. This is pure conjecture on my part.

A is allowed because any other cars (the green arrow) Should see your turn signal before you actually enter the lane, therefore not pulling into the lane at the same time, theoretically preventing any accidents.

B is allowed because you are simply crossing the middle lane, never 'occupying' it. You are also long gone out of the middle lane area before any other car can even come close to hitting you.

C is NOT allowed because, well, you're DRIVING/Accelerating in the middle lane. Anyone who wants to turn left from the green arrow's point of view will either hit you, or you would hit them if they tried to turn left, etc.

D (pulling out and stopping) is NOT allowed because any other vehicles (green arrow) wanting to turn left will not be expecting you to pull out and stop in front of them from their right, also, you will not be able to see their turn signal from your perspective before you pull out in front of their potential left turn. It's a right of way issue. You, as a vehicle coming in from a side street have to yield ROW to any vehicle already on the main street, whether they're driving straight, or making turns. By pulling in front of them and stopping, which you would be doing if they were planning on going left, you are violating their right of way.

How do I know so much about this you ask? Because I'm currently involved in a court case (going on 18 months now) that resulted from an accident where this exact section of law comes into play. Not going to go into details, but I've researched this very much, and talked with my lawyer and a few other lawyers on this as well. This is the law, plain and simple. A lot of police officers don't even know this, as it's a fairly mundane thing, until it causes an accident.

[Originalist]

Explained that way I understand the logic. Thanks for educating me today

[jester]

A&B Are Allowed, C&D Are not. I tried to illustrate why I believed this was the case, but regardless, this is the law.

That makes sense. When I do A, I stop in the circle and wait until the bottom traffic has a gap that's safe to complete the turn. When I do B, I stop in the circle and wait until the top traffic has a gap that's safe to complete the turn.

[Weg]

Tia was the teenage girl in the John Candy movie, Uncle Buck.