The in basket: Ron Reynolds of Poulsbo, says he sees “a real safety concern at Lincoln and Caldart.
“As you head up LIncoln and want to take a right onto Caldart ,” he said, “you use the regular lane and there is a bus stop with a curb cut out. Invariably, people think that is the turn lane. People in the turn lane can find a right turner in the bus lane. They think it’s a turn lane.” He called it “a real wishy washing situation.”
The out basket: I don’t think “invariably” is the right word. While it looks like a conflict by side-by-side right turners is a definite possibility there, the cars I saw turn right when I visited the site used the proper lane.
Michael Bateman, senior engineering technician for the city of Poulsbo, says “The fog line on Lincoln continues to the end of the bus pull-out. Drivers that are not buses should not be in the bus lane at all – that would be an illegal maneuver that would include crossing the fog line.
“It is not a turn lane and is not signed or indicated as such. The bus pull-out is signed as a bus stop. There should be no conflicts for drivers operating their vehicles in a legal manner following the rules of the road at that intersection.
“In addition,” Michael said, “I have researched the (state’s) collision database for the City of Poulsbo from 2001 to present. There are zero collisions listed … at the Lincoln/Caldart intersection that involve the claimed issue at question.”
It seems to me that this driver just seems to be lost when it comes to driving out there, but dont worry he is not the only one. Most drivers out there are so pre-occupied with so much stuff that they just get lost out there while driving and then just plain forget how to driver or where they may be going. Or they rely so much on GPS that when when the computer gets it wrong they are just like ants in a line that get lost when a stick lands in their path. I really think that most drivers out there really need to update their brain with a drivers manual. Plus they should take drivers Ed all over again so they can remember what the signs and markings out there on the road really mean. Now while I am not sure of where this turn is, I probably do cause I may have made the same turn, the way it was described in the story here pretty much explains the whole legal turn. I mean it really did read as pretty self explanatory. Like I said all drivers need to do is just use common sense…Drive Safe
Good comment, Mr. BearTex3
You begin by insulting anyone who has ever driven an automobile (or truck) in Poulsbo/NKitsap area, and then admit that you have no idea of what the writer is talking about.
Good job. You made your point.
Denis
Denis
I was not talking about drivers in NK. I was talking about drivers everywhere. And I was stating that I am not sure of exactly where this turn is, but did say that chances are I have driven there and made a turn. I am really bad at street names and where a place is located unless I look for it. But I have driven all over this area so chances are I have driven there. I was also talking about how this turn was described in this story and it seems pretty easy to understand and I am not sure how the writer can not understand how to make a legal turn. I also added that “most” people out there driving all the area and state are really so lost when it comes to driving out there that they really should retake a drivers test to make sure that they are up to date with road markings and signals. Most drivers just seem to forget about driving with common sense nowdays is what I was trying to say…
I live near this intersection and make the turn every day. It’s not clear that it’s only a bus lane (there’s a bus stop sign, but those are everywhere), and I have always thought it was a turn lane. Most drivers use it as a turn lane in my observation, especially when the light is red and using the lane is the only way to bypass waiting traffic to make a right turn. See the image of the lane here:
https://www.google.com/maps/@47.7385306,-122.6288112,3a,47.7y,61.55h,82.14t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sA6cFgpJjYxfgFZ8C9Zpgsg!2e0
There is a right turn arrow at the end of the lane, so it looks like a turn lane. Plus most bus turnouts are not right before an intersection like this.
Mase
After looking at the image I can see that it can get confusing, but like the story states its illegal to cross over a fog line. But since it only takes one driver to start a trend then other drivers will do the same thing by turning in that lane. But I will state this, I dont see why the road crew just does not paint a Buses only lane like I have seen it other parts.