Quote:
Originally Posted by FrugalNinja250
Got off the phone with a police officer, here's what I learned:
If you're in a left turn only lane you cannot legally make a right turn. It violates at least two statutes, one of which is that you are prohibited from making any kind of lane change within 100' of any intersection in this state. Another would be more of a reckless/dangerous driving charge.
You cannot back up from the light past the 100' no-lane-change point, that would also fall under dangerous/reckless driving, as well as driving the wrong way on the roadway.
The only turn you're allowed to make is into the correct destination lane(s) and then only when allowed to by the light (protected unprotected green).
If it takes two minutes or two hours for the light to change, then you have to sit there, no exceptions, no legal way out.
More trivia: Contacted a lawyer about enforcing Texas Transportation Code 544.0075, the law that requires traffic lights to recognize bikes, and found out that the cities are self-enforcing. In other words, if a city (such as Arlington, Texas) can't or won't obey that law, there is nobody else in the state that can make them.
I'm looking for a more motorcycle-friendly city/state, that's for sure.
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My post was based on the assumption that the rider knows that the light is an issue, and takes appropriate action before committing to sitting in the left hand lane waiting for a light that will never change unless a car comes up behind them. There's a light like that by my work. I make it a point to not turn there unless there are already cars in the queue.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Havok
In CA you can run the light after waiting two light cycles for it to change.
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I, too, would like the chapter and verse on that. I haven't found anything in the CVC that says so.