# A question about turning lanes **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [July 22, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771 "2012-07-22T18:26:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Axis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/axis/32/5149_2.png) [@Axis](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Axis)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771/1 "2012-07-22T18:26:57Z")
Since google gave me some conflicting results I figured I’d turn to the experts on nyspeed. Is it legal to use the turning lane to merge when making a left hand turn or does a person need to wait until traffic in both directions is clear? I see people doing this all the time but it always seemed sketchy to me. eg. say someone decides to pull into the turning lane from oncoming traffic while you’re already in the process of turning ---
**Author:** ![ieatpaint](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ieatpaint/32/7311_2.png) [@ieatpaint](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ieatpaint)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 6:30pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771/2 "2012-07-22T18:30:53Z")
I use the turning lane to pull into, but I come to a stop in it if I can’t get into the lane I need to be in. I hate when people drive in it like it’s a lane until there is a gap. ---
**Author:** ![Jam](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jam/32/7235_2.png) [@Jam](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jam)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771/3 "2012-07-22T18:39:01Z")
I hate when other people do this, therefore, I don’t ever do this ---
**Author:** ![breakstuff](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/breakstuff/32/5413_2.png) [@breakstuff](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/breakstuff)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771/4 "2012-07-22T19:20:02Z")
![http://www.safetysupplywarehouse.com/v/vspfiles/photos/TC14542-2T.jpg](http://www.safetysupplywarehouse.com/v/vspfiles/photos/TC14542-2T.jpg) This sign doesn’t seem to show any arrows turning into it, pausing or not. This is especially dangerous when an oncoming vehicle needs to use the lane for its intended purpose and you’re sitting there idly waiting for a head on collision. As far as I’m concerned it’s a place to pause while turning into a lot. When exiting the lot, the driveway apron is your place to wait. ---
**Author:** ![Motocrossx23](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/motocrossx23/32/5120_2.png) [@Motocrossx23](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Motocrossx23)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771/5 "2012-07-22T19:20:25Z")
Maple…Delta Sonic… Fuck that whole shit. ---
**Author:** ![Axis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/axis/32/5149_2.png) [@Axis](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Axis)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 7:38pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771/6 "2012-07-22T19:38:07Z")
Thanks for clearing that up. I also never use the turning lane to merge since it just seems unsafe and I hate it when people get antsy waiting behind me expecting me to do that shit. Just wasn’t sure if I was being a dick by not wanting to merge using the turning lane. ---
**Author:** ![Jam](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jam/32/7235_2.png) [@Jam](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jam)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 7:54pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771/7 "2012-07-22T19:54:30Z")
> [@Motocrossx23](#): > > Maple…Delta Sonic… > > Fuck that whole shit. Oh god man. The worst. When people are turning left into delta off of maple, when they came from the blvd an could have just gone straight?! The fuck ---
**Author:** ![slo\_ride](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@slo\_ride](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/slo_ride)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771/8 "2012-07-22T20:05:29Z")
Article 1126 © of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law “such distance as is required for safety in preparing to **turn left leaving** such highway or in completing a **left turn entering** such highway”. do it all the time… ---
**Author:** ![airhead](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/airhead/32/7471_2.png) [@airhead](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/airhead)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771/9 "2012-07-22T21:18:56Z")
I do it in areas where people going the opposite direction wouldn’t be using the turning lane there, like for instance rt. 5 in Lackawanna pulling out of that smaller gas station. Otherwise I’d be sitting there forever. I remember having to do it in Myrtle Beach because there was so much constant traffic that I had to take any opportunity to merge in there. I won’t do it in any other situation- not worth the risk of a head-on. ---
**Author:** ![JayS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jays/32/15375_2.png) [@JayS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JayS)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 4:30am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771/10 "2012-07-23T04:30:26Z")
> [@slo ride](#): > > Article 1126 (c) of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law > > “such distance as is required for safety in preparing to **turn left leaving** such highway or in completing a **left turn entering** such highway”. > > do it all the time… Exactly, the lane is there for people both leaving and entering the roadway. And yes, I’ll pull into the center lane on maple all the time when I’m turning left if there’s a good gap to my left but not to my right. If I waited for an opening from both directions I’d probably fall asleep before it happened. And it really isn’t a problem for someone that needs to use the lane to turn into the side street I’m leaving either, since once I pull out I’m beyond the portion of the center lane they’d be using anyway. ---
**Author:** ![ProgRocker](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/progrocker/32/5434_2.png) [@ProgRocker](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ProgRocker)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 4:35am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771/11 "2012-07-23T04:35:25Z")
> [@Motocrossx23](#): > > Maple…Delta Sonic… > > Fuck that whole shit. Lol you can never make a left out of there…hell making a right can take a god damn hour. I hate when people make lefts into the turning lane. Mostly cause I’m unsure if that’s what they are doing or if they are just going to plow into the side of my car. ---
**Author:** ![08GT500](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/08gt500/32/5417_2.png) [@08GT500](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/08GT500)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 4:39am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771/12 "2012-07-23T04:39:10Z")
> [@breakstuff](#): > > ![http://www.safetysupplywarehouse.com/v/vspfiles/photos/TC14542-2T.jpg](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/3X/4/e/4e43576f909f06dac0cbd50fe0605c18295eecd6.jpeg) > > This sign doesn’t seem to show any arrows turning into it, pausing or not. This is especially dangerous when an oncoming vehicle needs to use the lane for its intended purpose and you’re sitting there idly waiting for a head on collision. As far as I’m concerned it’s a place to pause while turning into a lot. When exiting the lot, the driveway apron is your place to wait. YES. Fuck everyone that uses the turning lane as a merging lane. ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 5:41am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771/13 "2012-07-23T05:41:48Z")
> [@slo ride](#): > > Article 1126 (c) of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law > > “such distance as is required for safety in preparing to **turn left leaving** such highway or in completing a **left turn entering** such highway”. > > do it all the time… > [@08GT500](#): > > YES. Fuck everyone that uses the turning lane as a merging lane. Yeah fuck everyone who knows how to drive. Wait, no. Fuck everyone who sits there with their thumbs up their asses waiting for an opening in both directions. ---
**Author:** ![boardjnky4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 5:58am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771/14 "2012-07-23T05:58:39Z")
Honestly, I really hate it when people DON’T do this. ---
**Author:** ![travisn](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/travisn/32/5046_2.png) [@travisn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/travisn)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 5:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771/15 "2012-07-23T05:59:50Z")
I’d say a turning lane is just before an intersection while a center lane is just an extra lane down a street, therefore the center lane should be used to get entering/exiting traffic out of the way of traffic passing by ---
**Author:** ![OfficerK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4da419/32.png) [@OfficerK](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/OfficerK)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 6:07am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771/16 "2012-07-23T06:07:25Z")
I don’t have a problem with use of the center median for merging purposes, it is a legal maneuver. Places like Maple near NFB, people use the actual Left Turn lane to sit and wait to make a left into Delta, that does not fly with me. You are blocking an active lane, not sitting in a median. ---
**Author:** ![Dekar12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/41988e/32.png) [@Dekar12](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Dekar12)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 6:19am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771/17 "2012-07-23T06:19:48Z")
I usually use it as a merge lane though, since it can take forever to make a left out of some places. People do it all the time over on Sheridan by Wegmans, during rush hour if you can get into the center lane you should do it, otherwise you literally could sit there for ever waiting for traffic to be clear. ---
**Author:** ![slo\_ride](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@slo\_ride](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/slo_ride)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 6:36am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771/18 "2012-07-23T06:36:13Z")
I hate the people in the left land that slow way down when I’m in the turning lane looking to merge…just keep going…if I was just going to veer into your lane I wouldn’t have bothered getting into the turning lane in the first place ---
**Author:** ![Axis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/axis/32/5149_2.png) [@Axis](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Axis)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 7:48am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771/19 "2012-07-23T07:48:23Z")
So I guess it is technically legal? I once saw a guy coming out of the blvd mall lot onto Maple to go into the turning lane to merge, and another person clipped him while they were getting into the turning lane to make a left at the lights on nfb. I guess ever since then I’ve been somewhat “traumatized” and hate using the center median to merge unless I really have to. ---
**Author:** ![MaximaSE98](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/maximase98/32/7600_2.png) [@MaximaSE98](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/MaximaSE98)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 7:57am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771/20 "2012-07-23T07:57:24Z")
It really grinds my gears when people are in the center lane trying to merge back into the highway that are crawling or stopped with no signal on…get up to a decent speed and signal and i will let u in all day…crawl or stop with no signal i pass right by… [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/a-question-about-turning-lanes/224771.md?page=2)