Tag Archives: intersection

Changing lanes at intersection isn’t illegal

The in basket: Patricia Weatherman writes, “I thought that there was a rule that you could not change lanes within so many feet of an intersection (I think it was 100 feet when I took my driving test.)

“I have had several near misses of people coming into my lane, from either the right or left lanes, and one shot diagonally in front of me in the middle of the intersection not too long ago,” she said.

“This used to get a ticket real quick, now nobody seems to get ticketed and we seem to tolerate multiple near-misses in any given day. What gives??”

The out basket: The belief that you can’t legally change lanes within 100 feet of an intersection probably arises from confusion with the law the forbids passing within 100 feet of an intersection.

State Trooper Russ Winger says, “There is not a (state law) specific to prohibiting changing lanes within the intersection. A turning driver should always remember this, even if the other vehicle does not signal.

“There would be contributory fault if a collision occurred but even so, why risk it? The driver entering traffic will have a greater responsibility to yield the right of way. ‎Just wait until the turn is safe and clear.”

The Road Warrior often finds himself turning right into rush-hour traffic in Bremerton and I always remember that admonition. Mostly I worry that the front end of my turning car will swing into the inside lane too far but I also know that if someone in that inside lane moves over and hits me, I could be cited for failure to yield. If the inside lane traffic is moving at all quickly, I wait.