Q: After turning from a left-turn lane, I thought it was required to enter the left lane if going to a multiple-lane street.
This is becoming a risky maneuver, as cars from behind rush into the center or right lane to pass, often before even clearing the intersection.
If one then intends to move to the right, you are immediately cut off by cars that already turned into the right lane of the multiple-lane road.
I am not 95 years old or a slow driver. It seems to be safer these days to move directly into the lane you want to be in after the turn.
But is that legal?
A: No. Lt. Mark Thomas with the Washington State Patrol said that according to state law, drivers must turn into the left lane when turning from a single-lane left-turn lane.
So, all those drivers who are zipping around you in other lanes are doing so illegally.
Have a question about traffic or street rules around Snohomish and Island counties? We can help find an answer. Send questions by fax to 425-339-3435; e-mail to newstips@heraldnet.com; or address to Street Smarts, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA, 98206. Include your name and phone number.
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