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Passing on the right?

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Old Aug 25, 2008 | 06:13 AM
  #11  
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[QUOTE=boltonblue,Aug 25 2008, 10:05 AM]

The driver of a vehicle may, if the roadway is free from obstruction and of sufficient width for two or more lines of moving vehicles, overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle when the vehicle overtaken is (a) making or about to make a left turn, (b) upon a one-way street, or
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Old Aug 25, 2008 | 06:15 AM
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It may vary from state to state. I know in CT it is legal to pass someone on the right provided that they have indicated that they will be turning left, and provided you do not leave the paved roadway.

I don't know what happens if someone cuts in front of you, though. (I assume that you meant someone coming the other way made a left, cutting in front of you? I didn't quite get a clear description.)

There are a lot of pitfalls with passing on the right on secondary roads, most of them involve misconceptions when people don't signal. I've heard stories where people stop in the road for a pedestrian, and someone assumes they're turning without a signal, drive around them, and hit the pedestrian.
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Old Aug 25, 2008 | 06:22 AM
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I also know that in CT, you can pass on the right on a main highway (divided, restricted access) if it is 3 or more lanes per side.

But it you only have a passing lane and a travel lane like most stretches of highway in CT, you cannot pass on the right. There are plenty of signs that say "keep right except to pass" and "no passing on the right" but nobody seems to see them but me.
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Old Aug 25, 2008 | 06:34 AM
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Originally Posted by Lainey8484,Aug 25 2008, 10:13 AM
OK. a. The street is wide enough..I didn't drive on the sidewalk to pass the guy.

Does that mean I'm good here?

IMHO, I say left hand turn guy would have more responsibility here, had we collided.
I say you're good. I think persons making left turns must always yeild.

The only place where you failed is in the field of proper American driving etiquette; when he pointed and glared you should have flipped him the bird or yelled "F U" as politely as possible.
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Old Aug 25, 2008 | 06:35 AM
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Originally Posted by kenta,Aug 25 2008, 10:34 AM
I say you're good. I think persons making left turns must always yeild.

The only place where you failed is in the field of proper American driving etiquette; when he pointed and glared you should have flipped him the bird or yelled "F U" as politely as possible.

I had the grandchildren with me, so I was unable to do as you suggest, but it sure crossed my mind.
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Old Aug 25, 2008 | 06:38 AM
  #16  
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I actually had jury duty in a civil case on an accident very similar to this one.
The driver claimed the vehicle while passing on the right struck her while she was making a left turn.
She had lost a trial before a judge and then tried to go before a jury with the case.
She lost before us too.
But she had tried to beat the other car by taking the slashing diagonal instead of a hard 90 degree turn.
I would have awarded compensatory damages for court costs to the kid being sued.
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Old Aug 25, 2008 | 06:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Lainey8484,Aug 25 2008, 10:13 AM
OK. a. The street is wide enough..I didn't drive on the sidewalk to pass the guy.

Does that mean I'm good here?

IMHO, I say left hand turn guy would have more responsibility here, had we collided.
I agree with you, I don't think you did anything wrong. I know at least in CT, if the guy you went around had his left turn signal on, and you didn't leave the roadway, it should be no different than if you were just driving normally. The other guy has no right to cross into your lane to make a turn just because he thought you might not go around him.

Unfortunately, it's difficult to educate other people on the finer points of driving rules.
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Old Aug 25, 2008 | 06:42 AM
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Originally Posted by CTMechE,Aug 25 2008, 10:15 AM
I don't know what happens if someone cuts in front of you, though. (I assume that you meant someone coming the other way made a left, cutting in front of you? I didn't quite get a clear description.)
I came around a vehicle/truck/SUV/big A$$ vehicle that was stopped in front of me to make a left hand turn, another vehicle making a left hand turn (I did not see him) proceeded in front of the other vehicle (I assume the vehicle in front of me waved him in) came in front of me as I was about to complete passing the vehicle in front of me.

I had ample time to stop. As mentioned previously, I'm sure the guy who crossed in front of me thought I was one of those who would never give anyone making a left turn a break, and that is not the case....I didn't see him, and I agree with kenta that the left hand turning vehicle deserved a
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Old Aug 25, 2008 | 06:54 AM
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I am always extremely careful when making a pass on the right, especially when it has an obstructed view.
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Old Aug 25, 2008 | 07:07 AM
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Not exactly the same, but I was in a similar situation last year. Local road through town. 2 lanes in each direction, shopping centers on both side of the road.

Car in left lane my direction, stopped to make a left. 2 opposing lanes with traffic in them. Car waiting to exit a shopping center on my right, waiting to make a right turn.

Person makes a left across my lane. I brake and turn hard to avoid him, the lady waitin to make the right onto the road, and end up getting around both, but jumping a curb in the process.

Police show up, and its clearly the other guys fault. His argument was that he couldn't see me because the other vehicle was waiting to make a left, so he just went. Cops said - No, if you can't see, you don't go, you wait until you can.

I don't think the 'The guy in the truck waved me on' would hold up in court personally. The guy making the left would be at fault if you were within the law (which it appears) to be passing on the right as the truck made the left.
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