Annoyed by dawdling drivers? Kansas needs to rewrite rules on how to make a left turn

We’ve all been there.

You pull as much as a pink mild behind a automotive planning to make a left flip.

And when the sunshine turns inexperienced, the motive force in entrance of you simply sits there, ready for a gap within the oncoming visitors to make their transfer.

You need them to creep up into the center of the intersection and get ready for that flip.

However they simply sit there. Perhaps you even give them a faucet on the horn to get them going.

And nonetheless they sit. And sit. And sit.

Lastly, the sunshine turns yellow.

Oncoming visitors stops coming and the motive force in entrance of you lastly scoots via the intersection, leaving you to attend for the following cycle of the sunshine.

Infuriating, isn’t it?

Properly, it’s possible you’ll be mad on the flawed folks. That annoying driver in entrance of you may simply be following Kansas legislation.

This column initially began out as kind of a rant about individuals who clog the streets by not entering into place to show left, which confuses oncoming motorists, slows visitors stream and usually creates complications for anybody with the misfortune of being behind them.

I used to be going to induce these dawdling drivers to get it in gear so we may get multiple left-hand flip achieved per mild cycle and maintain the visitors transferring. That, or in the event that they couldn’t grasp methods to make an environment friendly left flip, simply go on to the following block and make three proper turns to get within the course they wish to be going.

I figured the individuals who want that recommendation could be somewhat extra inclined to hearken to somebody who’s truly able of authority, so I put the query to the media spokesperson for the Division of Motor Automobiles in an e-mail.

She kicked it upstairs to DMV Director David Harper. His conclusion was that not solely is it authorized to remain put when the sunshine adjustments, Kansas legislation and the state Driver’s Guide seem to truly encourage it.

Two sections from the handbook are in play right here.

“Turning left at a gentle inexperienced visitors mild means it’s possible you’ll flip however solely when the intersection is obvious to take action.”

And . . .

“Don’t enter an intersection . . . until there may be enough area on the opposite facet to your automobile. Despite the fact that you’ll have a inexperienced mild, it’s possible you’ll not enter an intersection if there isn’t room to get all the way in which throughout.”

Harper’s conclusion: “a driver shouldn’t enter an intersection (till) there may be clearance to get right through.”

I bounced this off John Carmichael, lawyer and legislator, and he stated he thinks the DMV’s conclusion is flawed.

His learn is that the part of legislation about not getting into the intersection till you may get right through isn’t about left turns in any respect, however about not getting caught in an intersection and blocking cross visitors when a road is backed as much as the following mild or farther.

Somewhat readability is so as right here.

This isn’t just a few quirky Kansas factor like making an enormous deal out of a hand-dug effectively or mispronouncing El Dorado.

In case you can’t enter an intersection to organize for a left flip, it’s a recipe for gridlock in each city space of the state.

And it’s not only a me factor, as evidenced by this current change between two commenters on the Fb web page Wichita Unhealthy Drivers 2.0:

“You can’t legally creep into the intersection if the sunshine is a spherical inexperienced mild and there are automobiles coming, however there is no such thing as a cop on the planet who will write you for that, as everybody does it.”

“The one ticket I’ve ever acquired was for this. So I wouldn’t say that no cop would write it. And I’m a cop.”

So, Kansas Legislature, your work is minimize out for you: make your first invoice of subsequent 12 months’s session a legislation clarifying that drivers ought to transfer into an intersection to get able to make a left flip.

I perceive you shouldn’t must legislate widespread sense.

However generally, there’s simply no alternative.