Here is an odd accident

[Donald]

My daughter (permit only) was driving with me in passenger seat on Central Ave in Albany NY Fri around 5 PM, dusk. The road is 7 lanes wide with the very center lane one of those turning lanes where you pull into to take a turn across lanes or to pull into lanes. People go both ways in this center lane for short distances as marked by arrows.

We were stopped for a stoplight a few cars back from the stoplight in the middle of 3 lanes going towards Albany. A car cuts perpendicular (from a parking lot exit) right in front of us across these 3 stopped lanes looking to pull into the center lane as he wants to go the other way. No problem so far, the traffic was stopped and there was room for him to do what he wanted to do. Maybe 20 seconds after he goes in front of us (perpendicular) I see the car go backwards in front of us crossing all 3 lanes ending up in the parking lot exit where he started from. There was a pickup traveling in the center lane (the one that goes both ways short distances) who hit this car and pushed it backwards across 3 lanes of traffic. The pickup must have been going faster than he should have been going in this center lane. The car had its front end all mashed up. Air bag deployed on both vehicles.

It scared the [censored] out of my daughter and she had be drive the rest of the way that night. Somehow it bent the front license plate on our car. Thats how close it was.

 

[HerrStig]

Personal injury lawyer hacks rejoice every time a new "center turn"
lane is created.

 

[97f150]

There is a highway like that in the busiest part of town with that style turn lane. Many many head on accidents due to a driver waiting to turn, and another coming in the opposite direction driving forward watching his mirror to turn into traffic.

 

[silveravant]

In South Africa there are thousands of miles of 3 lane roads where we, in the US would have freeways. Center lane is for passing in either direction. Known as "suicide lanes".

Really exciting when you are used to US freeways.

 

[Johnny2Bad]

Originally Posted By: silveravant
In South Africa there are thousands of miles of 3 lane roads where we, in the US would have freeways. Center lane is for passing in either direction. Known as "suicide lanes".

Really exciting when you are used to US freeways.


3-lane highways are common in mountainous areas of Canada and I'm assuming the US as well ... but the centre lane is marked by road markings (solid or striped lane marking) to be for one direction only, which typically alternates depending on conditions, or often reduces to 2 lanes prior to opening for 3 and changing allowable direction.

There is plenty of signage to let everyone know whom can use the passing lane and what is going to happen next (eg warning of passing lane closing in xx distance).

It's very expensive to run a wide road in mountains. Wider roads invite rockfall zones, avalanche zones, and encourages excessive speed on roads where extra vigilance is pretty much mandatory.

Having said that, the centre lane described by the OP is pretty much the same as your South African variant. I'm not sure how this is handled with regard to Right-Of-Way in an accident, but would not be surprised to learn it's a 50:50 rule, which means both drivers are treated as at fault.

 

[doitmyself]

Sorry to hear of your near accident, but I'm sure it made an impressionable lesson for both of you.

In Michigan, MANY drivers use the center turn lane as a merge lane when entering the roadway. Sometimes they will drive a several hundred feet down the center turn lane. Other times they will stop in the center turn lane and wait for an opening in the traffic and merge in.

Impatience motivates this illegal and dangerous maneuver.

 

[Ojustracing]

Wouldn't happen to be the Central Ave and Northway area? If it is anything in that area. A very tough are to drive in.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: Ojustracing
Wouldn't happen to be the Central Ave and Northway area? If it is anything in that area. A very tough are to drive in.


Maybe 500 ft from Everett Rd on Central Ave.
Rush hour and dusk, and Friday.

 

[Nate1979]

Originally Posted By: doitmyself
Sorry to hear of your near accident, but I'm sure it made an impressionable lesson for both of you.

In Michigan, MANY drivers use the center turn lane as a merge lane when entering the roadway. Sometimes they will drive a several hundred feet down the center turn lane. Other times they will stop in the center turn lane and wait for an opening in the traffic and merge in.

Impatience motivates this illegal and dangerous maneuver.


Pulling into center lane is not illegal in Oregon and is very common. Driving down the center lane to merge would be illegal.

 

[dishdude]

Originally Posted By: Nate1979

Pulling into center lane is not illegal in Oregon and is very common. Driving down the center lane to merge would be illegal.


That's my understanding of the law as well.