On Memorial Day, I was driving up Marguerite Avenue toward Pacific View. At San Joaquin Hills Road, there are three lanes at that intersection. The left is for left turns only. The right is for right turns only.
I wanted to go straight, so I was in the center lane, which lets you turn or go straight.
When the light turned green, I cruised through, and when I cleared the intersection, I moved to the right to park along the curb. I knew if I tried to get closer, I’d be out of luck. The ceremony at Pacific View always draws a big crowd.
But then! There was a white pickup truck swerving around me. We almost crashed. And the truck drove past, clearly angry at me. I sat in my parked car, shaken. Was I wrong? How did that happen? Did I somehow get confused? Was there another lane that was allowed to go straight through that intersection? Did I cut the truck off?
After I attended the ceremony, I went back to my car and I double checked. Sure enough, I was correct. The middle lane is the only lane marked to go straight up Marguerite.
But as I watched for a few minutes, a couple more cars went straight from the right-turn-only lane.
I wish people would follow the rules.
Then again, the painted arrows are on the roadway. When you’re stopped at a red light, you’re on top of them. Maybe there’s a need for more clear markings there.
It’s strange — I drive through that intersection about 10 times a week, and this has never happened.
