left turn law. What morons made this law?

this is the left turn law for illinois. Has anyone in the world ever
turned left like this?

(b) A person riding a bicycle or motorized pedalcycle intending to
turn left shall approach the turn as close as practicable to the
right
curb or edge of the roadway. After proceeding across the
intersecting
roadway to the far corner of the curb or intersection of the
roadway
edges, the bicyclist or motorized pedalcycle driver shall stop, as
much
as practicable out of the way of traffic. After stopping the
person
shall yield to any traffic proceeding in either direction along
the
roadway such person had been using. After yielding, the bicycle
or
motorized pedalcycle driver shall comply with any official
traffic
control device or police officer regulating traffic on the highway
along
which he intends to proceed, and the bicyclist or motorized
pedalcycle
driver may proceed in the new direction.

brink

13 Nov 2003 17:14:33 -0800,
,
(Brink) wrote:

What morons made this law?

Your duly elected officials. You know, the guys you paid off to look
after your interests.

Has anyone in the world ever turned left like this?

It's a variation on a theme that's often proposed as an alternative
method. I've made left turns like this when it's going to beat waiting
for the next green arrow cycle. I'm not obliged to. But some times and
places, it works quite well. People new to cycling IN traffic find it
more comforting than turning from where we're expected, AS traffic.

IIRC, Illinois has some sorta escape clause in saying that bicycles
are not intended as the primary users of roads so they'd best learn to
drive or eat dirt.
--
zk

"Brink" wrote in message
om...
this is the left turn law for illinois. Has anyone in the world ever
turned left like this?


Virginia has the same thing, but *only* if you elect not to make a normal
left turn.

It appears to be the same deal in IL.
Sec. 11-1510. Left Turns (a) A person riding a bicycle or motorized
pedalcycle intending to turn left shall follow a course
described in Section 11-801 or in paragraph (b) of this Section.

11-801 outlines a normal left turn.

IOW, it's your choice.

Pete

I do this sometimes even though it is not the law in my state.

My state says I am supposed to ease on over into the lanes where folks
are driving 50-60 mph to make my left turn. I find that a bit
intimidating sometimes when I look over my shoulder.

So I bail to the right shoulder, then turn around to hit the
intersection at a 90, like a pedestrian would. It is stupid, but it
works for me.

"Brink" wrote in message
om...
this is the left turn law for illinois. Has anyone in the world ever
turned left like this?

(b) A person riding a bicycle or motorized pedalcycle intending to
turn left shall approach the turn as close as practicable to the
right
curb or edge of the roadway. After proceeding across the
intersecting
roadway to the far corner of the curb or intersection of the
roadway
edges, the bicyclist or motorized pedalcycle driver shall stop, as
much
as practicable out of the way of traffic. After stopping the
person
shall yield to any traffic proceeding in either direction along
the
roadway such person had been using. After yielding, the bicycle
or
motorized pedalcycle driver shall comply with any official
traffic
control device or police officer regulating traffic on the highway
along
which he intends to proceed, and the bicyclist or motorized
pedalcycle
driver may proceed in the new direction.

brink

It is idiotic. It is also unsurprising. I'm more shocked when I see laws
that make sense.

"Brink" wrote in message
om...
this is the left turn law for illinois. Has anyone in the world ever
turned left like this?

(b) A person riding a bicycle or motorized pedalcycle intending to
turn left shall approach the turn as close as practicable to the
right
curb or edge of the roadway. After proceeding across the
intersecting
roadway to the far corner of the curb or intersection of the
roadway
edges, the bicyclist or motorized pedalcycle driver shall stop, as
much
as practicable out of the way of traffic. After stopping the
person
shall yield to any traffic proceeding in either direction along
the
roadway such person had been using. After yielding, the bicycle
or
motorized pedalcycle driver shall comply with any official
traffic
control device or police officer regulating traffic on the highway
along
which he intends to proceed, and the bicyclist or motorized
pedalcycle
driver may proceed in the new direction.

brink

"Brink" wrote in message
om...
this is the left turn law for illinois.

No, it isn't. This is PART of the law. You are only giving part (b).

The section you omitted goes like this:

"Sec. 11-1510. Left Turns.

(a) A person riding a bicycle or motorized pedalcycle intending to turn left
shall follow a course described in Section 11-801 or in paragraph (b) of
this Section. (b) ... "(etc. as you cite)

So, what's in section 11-801? That turns (no pun intended) out to be the
normal, vehicular left turn:

"The driver of a vehicle intending to turn left at any
intersection shall approach the intersection in the extreme left-hand
lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the direction of travel of
such vehicle, and after entering the intersection, the left turn shall
be made so as to leave the intersection in a lane lawfully available to
traffic moving in such direction upon the roadway being entered.
Whenever practicable the left turn shall be made in that portion of the
intersection to the left of the center of the intersection."

Note that section 11-1510 specifically allows bicyclists to turn this way.
However, it ALSO allows them to turn by going through the intersection (as
described in section b). So, cyclists are getting an added benefit, not
forced to do something odd.

A similar method of making a left turn is also mentioned in Forester, as an
alternative. (6th edition, page 320).

Has anyone in the world ever turned left like this?

I have. If traffic is very heavy and I do not feel -- in my personal
judgment -- that I want to cross over to the left lane, I will make the turn
this way.

A similar method of making a left turn is also mentioned in Forester, as an
alternative. (6th edition, page 320). If it's vehicular enough for John
Forester, it's vehicular enough for me


(b) A person riding a bicycle or motorized pedalcycle intending to
turn left shall approach the turn as close as practicable to the
right
curb or edge of the roadway. After proceeding across the
intersecting
roadway to the far corner of the curb or intersection of the
roadway
edges, the bicyclist or motorized pedalcycle driver shall stop, as
much
as practicable out of the way of traffic. After stopping the
person
shall yield to any traffic proceeding in either direction along
the
roadway such person had been using. After yielding, the bicycle
or
motorized pedalcycle driver shall comply with any official
traffic
control device or police officer regulating traffic on the highway
along
which he intends to proceed, and the bicyclist or motorized
pedalcycle
driver may proceed in the new direction.

brink

My reference for all the citations above is:
http://www.legis.state.il.us/legisla...ct5artstoc.htm
This link can be found on a general source for bike laws frequently given
he
http://massbike.org/bikelaw/

On 13 Nov 2003 17:14:33 -0800, (Brink)
wrote:
this is the left turn law for illinois. Has anyone in the world ever
turned left like this?

Reminds me of the law in Rhode Island. Search groups.google.com for
the "Icky RI laws" thread I started. Somebody pointed out that
elsewhere, in another section, it said that that terrible left turn
law was _optional_, and you could indeed make a sensible left turn.
You may have the same situation.

brink
--
Rick Onanian

There are a few intersections that I turn left at this way.. Because they
don't have a dedicated left turn lane, and they're fairly high speed roads.
I feel as though if I go into the left-most lane to turn, and wait there for
an opportunity, someone going straight in the same lane is gonna plow right
into me from behind..

If the go to the corner, stop, turn 90 degrees then continue thing is
stupid, is there some easier way of negotiating left turns without
turn-lanes I should know about?

Mike
http://mikebeauchamp.com

"Brink" wrote in message
om...
this is the left turn law for illinois. Has anyone in the world ever
turned left like this?

(b) A person riding a bicycle or motorized pedalcycle intending to
turn left shall approach the turn as close as practicable to the
right
curb or edge of the roadway. After proceeding across the
intersecting
roadway to the far corner of the curb or intersection of the
roadway
edges, the bicyclist or motorized pedalcycle driver shall stop, as
much
as practicable out of the way of traffic. After stopping the
person
shall yield to any traffic proceeding in either direction along
the
roadway such person had been using. After yielding, the bicycle
or
motorized pedalcycle driver shall comply with any official
traffic
control device or police officer regulating traffic on the highway
along
which he intends to proceed, and the bicyclist or motorized
pedalcycle
driver may proceed in the new direction.

brink

(Brink) wrote in message . com...
this is the left turn law for illinois. Has anyone in the world ever
turned left like this?


It's called a hook turn here in Australia. It's perfectly acceptable,
and in very heavy traffic can be safer than trying to merge across
mutiple lanes.

In Melbourne where they still run trams, cars are required to make
hook turns at certain intersections. It's really no big deal.

On Thu, 13 Nov 2003 17:38:09 -0800, Zoot Katz
wrote:

13 Nov 2003 17:14:33 -0800,
,
(Brink) wrote:

Has anyone in the world ever turned left like this?

It's a variation on a theme that's often proposed as an alternative
method.

Here in CT, the law allows the standard "take the lane" style of left
turn, as well as the moronic "I'm afraid of cars" method.
Unfortunately, the two methods are nowhere near each other in the MV
code, so many see only one or the other.

My wife is a school teacher, and the "safety" publications distributed
to schools often describe the correct way to turn left as riding onto
the sidewalk and waiting for a walk signal. Bicycling on the
sidewalk is illegal in my home town. G

Barry