Can You Turn Left from a Straight Lane?

truongster on 28/02/2021 - 21:40
Last edited 01/03/2021 - 20:05 by 2 other users

Hi fellas,
Heres another one for the traffic experts out there.

I'm wondering if you can turn left on a "straight" lane. Where there is a left turn-only lane prior to the intersection, can you make a left turn if you were in the green car per the paint diagram?

Case A - is the most usual scenario at these lights, straight lane has a green light, left turn usually on red. Is this allowed for the green car to turn left?
Case B - This doesn't happen at these lights but, if this WAS the situation, is this allowed?

Mandatory paint diagram here. https://imgur.com/a/e8PuA1a
Photo of intersection from red car's perspective: https://imgur.com/a/Hg60tnq
Google maps link: https://www.google.com/maps/@-33.9009619,151.0452072,104m/data=!3m1!1e3

Poll Options

• 5
  Yes - Green car can make the green turn
• 566
  No - You must be in the left turn lane with a green light for left turns
• 7
  Yes - If only the red left arrow is not on. (Case B)
• 4
  I have no clue.

• 1
• 2

• 

  bdl on 02/03/2021 - 17:40

  +1

  How TF did you get your licence?!

  • 

    netjock on 03/03/2021 - 06:35

    Probably paid for it in a dodgy foreign country that allows you to do the "swap" here. Or it was very hard to not try it on during the driving test and see whether the examiner would tolerate it.

• 

  Plug on 02/03/2021 - 18:03

  Red arrow left means no left turn. Simples.

• 

  OldnBroke on 02/03/2021 - 21:42

  Perfectly acceptable if you drive a black Honda apparently.

• 

  GordonD on 03/03/2021 - 09:17

  -1

  If there was no slip lane you must turn left from the left-most lane unless there are road markings that indicate you may turn left from other lanes.

  The presence of a slip lane changes things. It turns one intersection into 3 intersections, with the law operating at each one as if it was a separate intersection. One where the slip lane leaves the main road. One where the slip lane joins the other main road. And the intersection where the two main roads meet. You should use the slip lane to turn left, but if you can't and don't you can turn left at the intersection where the two main roads meet unless there are road markings or signs that say you can't.

  • 

    Hangryuman on 03/03/2021 - 09:42

    hey - you agree with me - exactly what I said above but got downvoted …

    but you and me agree - so between you and me - we must be right - you know I'm sayin' … !? ;-)

  • 

    jnis6863 on 03/03/2021 - 12:13

    I'm curios about the above response.
    If there is a green left arrow, and a green straight signal at the same time (as is often the case), but you turn left from the straight through lane, who has right of way when you cross paths with people doing the right thing, and using the slip lane? In my experience, this creates confusion and may lead to an incident, as those using the left slip lane have right of way (green arrow).

    • 

      pegaxs on 03/03/2021 - 12:36

      -1

      No one has "RiGhT oF wAy"… Should be asking "who has the obligation to give way…"

      You can't turn left from an intersection that has a slip lane. It's in the road rules. So, if you are going to break the road rules, you go waaaaay down the list, possibly even behind the morons doing U-turns over continuous centre lines.

• 1
• 2