Lane change in an intersection Legal or not?

[Rob MacLennan]

I don't want to argue semantics with you but if it isn't EXPLICITLY illegal then it is explicitly LEGAL.

As I have said before the law isn't in its letter, but in its interpretation. Killing someone by drowning isn't explicitly stated as illegal, but murder in general is. A mid intersection lane change could be charged under unsafe lane change, improper driving where the road is divided into lanes, unsafe pass.... any number of statutes.

... not to argue semantics

 

[Karl]

I thought 20M before and after is illegal


Illegal or not it's not a good idea if traffic is moving.....if you're heading North in the left lane and there's a slower car in front of you and you decide to change into the right lane within feet of the intersection while a car is heading West (from the East) and sees an empty Northbound right lane and decides to go for it.....you'll be kissing his rear bumper.

 

[bobjohnson]

I thought 20M before and after is illegal


Illegal or not it's not a good idea if traffic is moving.....if you're heading North in the left lane and there's a slower car in front of you and you decide to change into the right lane within feet of the intersection while a car is heading West (from the East) and sees an empty Northbound right lane and decides to go for it.....you'll be kissing his rear bumper.

This is exactly how i got hit in my car... some guy changed mid intersection without looking or signalling...

 

[awyala]

Can anyone claiming this is illegal cite the HTA clause that stipulates that it is illegal? TIA.

 

[LePhillou]

Where im from in Quebec, the lanes change from 'dotted' to full lines before the intersection to make it clear to not change lanes within a certain from the intersection, so doing it while in the intersection is worse.

I found myself doing it once or twice in the past month and after the fact i was thinking, why the phok did i do that

 

[Scuba Steve]

Not illegal but a bad idea

 

[Houghtonator]

I have been rear ened when taxi changed lanes quickly mid lane. I slammed on brakes, person behind not paying attention..bang...geting a love tap is better than gettnig your nose taken off by speed freaks.

 

[Brian P]

Can anyone claiming this is illegal cite the HTA clause that stipulates that it is illegal? TIA.

There isn't one. Nor is there anything in there about 3 metres or 20 metres or any other distance before or after an intersection. It is NOT written in the HTA.

But, as Rob posted three years ago in this same thread, "A mid intersection lane change could be charged under unsafe lane change, improper driving where the road is divided into lanes, unsafe pass.... any number of statutes."

Given the ambiguity, it is unlikely that such a charge would be laid unless it were in conjunction with a collision, or some other such circumstance.

Regardless of legality, changing lanes while turning through an intersection is a really, really bad idea ... and it's also really, really common, because it seems that the average joe schmoe doesn't realize the things that can go wrong by doing this.

 

[vinehanger]

I was followed by a cop on my cage after I broke a red by mistake and I changed lanes in between an intersection. He put his cherries up and told me that is illegal and I can be ticketed for it. He also said he saw me break the red. He let me go with a warning, but lesson learned!

 

[Rob MacLennan]

Can anyone claiming this is illegal cite the HTA clause that stipulates that it is illegal? TIA.

No. It has all been said.

 

[coyo]

Regardless of legality, changing lanes while turning through an intersection is a really, really bad idea ... and it's also really, really common, because it seems that the average joe schmoe doesn't realize the things that can go wrong by doing this.

Actually, changing lanes while turning in an intersection IS illegal (while, as already mentioned, changing lanes while traveling straight through an intersection is not, on itself, illegal).

For right;
141
Right turn at intersection
(2) Where a driver or operator of a vehicle intends to turn to the right into an intersecting highway, he or she shall, where the highway on which he or she is driving has marked lanes for traffic, approach the intersection within the right-hand lane or, where it has no such marked lanes, by keeping immediately to the left of the right curb or edge of the roadway and he or she shall make the right turn by entering the right-hand lane of the intersecting highway where the lane is marked or, where no such lane is marked, by keeping immediately to the left of the right curb or edge of the roadway being entered. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 141 (2).


and for left;
141
Left turn, at intersection
(6) Where a driver or operator of a vehicle intends to turn to the left into an intersecting highway, he or she shall, where the highway on which he or she is driving has marked lanes for traffic, approach the intersection within the left-hand lane provided for the use of traffic moving in the direction in which his or her vehicle is proceeding or, where it has no such marked lanes, by keeping immediately to the right of the centre line of the highway and he or she shall make the left turn by entering the intersection to the right of the centre line or its extension and by leaving the intersection in the left-hand lane provided for the use of traffic moving in the direction in which his or her vehicle is proceeding where the lane is marked or, where no such lane is marked, by passing immediately to the right of the centre line of the intersecting highway. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 141 (6).

 

[Rob MacLennan]

Actually, changing lanes while turning in an intersection IS illegal (while, as already mentioned, changing lanes while traveling straight through an intersection is not, on itself, illegal).

And it's a law that is broken 50,000 times an hour, in the GTA alone.

And, as stated, changing lanes while driving straight through an intersection may not be explicitly stated as illegal, but you can be charged under a variety of different existing statutes for doing so.

 

[OpenGambit]

This one varies by province. it is expressly illegal in some other jurisdictions of Canada.

 

[Rob MacLennan]

This one varies by province. it is expressly illegal in some other jurisdictions of Canada.

I believe that Alberta is one of them, where the law is you must travel 'straight through' the intersection.

 

[OpenGambit]

My memory of BC is that its illegal there expressly as well.

 

[coyo]

And it's a law that is broken 50,000 times an hour, in the GTA alone.

And, as stated, changing lanes while driving straight through an intersection may not be explicitly stated as illegal, but you can be charged under a variety of different existing statutes for doing so.

But you'd need something else to be present for each of those, ie; change lane not in safety, for the charge to fly, making it the same as changing lanes in a through lane. That said, the opportunity for unsafe lane change (or the other applicable charges) to occur in an intersection is much greater than outside of one; a turning car, pedestrian, etc...

 

[Rob MacLennan]

But you'd need something else to be present for each of those,...

As I stated three years ago, as also quoted by BrianP. This thread was re-opened as part of someone's agenda.

 

[Brian P]

Actually, changing lanes while turning in an intersection IS illegal (while, as already mentioned, changing lanes while traveling straight through an intersection is not, on itself, illegal).

For right;
141
<snipped)< strong="">
</snipped)<><snipped)< strong=""> and for left;
141
<snipped></snipped>

Those are all well and good but they don't address what to do when there are two parallel marked right-turn lanes or two parallel marked left-turn lanes.

By the strict wording of those sections, it's only legal to use the rightmost (for right turn) or leftmost (for left turn) of those lanes even when there are two marked lanes for making the turn.

It does address the most common thing that people do wrong ... go straight from a single left-turn lane to the curb lane of the road that they are turning onto.</snipped)<>

 

[coyo]

Those are all well and good but they don't address what to do when there are two parallel marked right-turn lanes or two parallel marked left-turn lanes.

By the strict wording of those sections, it's only legal to use the rightmost (for right turn) or leftmost (for left turn) of those lanes even when there are two marked lanes for making the turn.

It does address the most common thing that people do wrong ... go straight from a single left-turn lane to the curb lane of the road that they are turning onto.

Challenge accepted.

For right
141
(3) Despite subsection (2), where more than one lane of a highway has been designated as a right-turn lane, the driver or operator of a vehicle intending to turn to the right into an intersecting highway shall approach the intersection in one of the lanes and leave the intersection in the lane of the intersecting highway that corresponds to the lane from which the turn was commenced. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 141 (3).

and for left;
141
(7) Despite subsection (6), where more than one lane of a highway has been designated as a left-turn lane, the driver or operator of a vehicle intending to turn to the left into an intersecting highway shall approach the intersection in one of the lanes and leave the intersection in the lane of the intersecting highway that corresponds to the lane from which the turn was commenced. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 141 (7).

 

[Brian P]

You win. I did not know this. Always knew it was a bad idea ... and it is actually illegal.

Now if only it were enforced from time to time ...