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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
New MN Traffic Laws in 2011
Did you know you it is now illegal to pull into an intersection while waiting to turn left? My dad just sent me info on this new law after seeing someone pulled over for it on his way into work. I had no idea so I thought I'd share this info with you.
http://elitedriversmn.com/blog/2010/11/do-you-know-the-new-laws-in-minnesota/
Re: New MN Traffic Laws in 2011
Judging
I agree! Do people think they have two foot long cars that won't take up any space in the intersection?!
Thanks for posting this. I rarely pull out into any intersections but now I won't for sure!
Nicole and Sam 10/3/09
That makes sense. The left-turn implications do not. 1) Once the light changes, if you are in the intersection, you should be able to complete your left turn without blocking cross traffic and 2) this is only going to result on more people racing through their turn ahead of oncoming traffic - going a greater distance the the same amount of time = more accidents. Already people turn too close to oncoming traffic - now they are going to feel more desperate and cutting it too close to get through before the light changes.
IMO, this is a bad law and the left-turn element (which is how I heard about the law -- not the straight/through traffic perspective) makes for more dangerous conditions.
Raz, take a look at the language. I think it actually does NOT apply to left turns, and if I got a ticket for it, I'd fight it all the way. Look at subd. 2(b)(3). I didn't carefully read 169.19, but it appears to cover how to make turns generally.
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=169.15
I'm really happy about that new law about intersections. We live near Highway 100 & Excelsior - I can't tell you how many times I've been stuck at a green light because people just keep going through the intersection when there's not enough room for them before the next light.
Example #1: Waiting to turn left onto Excelsior from the street that goes to Target & Byerly's. I don't shop around 5pm anymore because you end up waiting through at minimum 2 green lights before you can even turn left because of traffic blocking the intersection on Excelsior trying to get to 100. IT'S AWFUL.
Example #2: France Ave & 50th. GAH!!! Driving home from work I could probably scream. Every.Single.Day. about people continuing through a yellow light and then stopping, blocking the intersection for people to go north/south on France.
"The lady pulled out into the intersection to turn left off Minnetonka Blvd. onto Baker Rd. and was waiting for the oncoming traffic to pass. One of the oncoming cars was a Minnetonka police car who stopped, turned on the flashing lights and waved the lady to make the left turn. The policeman followed her and pulled her over on Baker Rd. I assume she got a warning or a ticket, but am sure she was surprised."
I agree with you about the language of the statute you posted. Maybe this woman was pulled over for another reason? Either way, there is a new law about blocking intersections.
hmmm, interesting. The only reference to turning seems to imply that turning rules are unchanged - and the statute concerning turning doesn't explicitly say one way or the other. Unless I am missing something . . .
Plus this:
"a driver of a vehicle shall not enter an intersection controlled by a traffic-control signal until the driver is able to move the vehicle immediately, continuously, and completely through the intersection without impeding or blocking the subsequent movement of cross traffic."
While I can see an argument about the ability to "immediately [and] continuously" move through the turn, I think that those terms could be interpreted relative to the intended action. For straight through movement where you get stopped by a changing light and cars ahead of you, then yes, the forward progress is neither immediate nor continuous. For turns, however, you are eventually able to complete your turn once light changes and cross traffic stops.
For the relatively rare instances where even the turned-into lane is backed up, I can see how this law would apply to turns, but I think there is an element of common sense involved (I know, not always present) and to outlaw this turning method completely creates more danger than is warranted by the occasional and temporary inconvenience of a partially blocked intersection.
It will be interesting to see how this is all enforced. I would agree with you about fighting it since nothing explicitly states that this should be applied to turning - in fact, it seems that turning is exempt!
Thanks for the link!
I'm cool with them ticketing anyone who blocks an intersection because they are being a-holes trying to avoid the red light.
Judging
Raz, I agree with your interpretation. I know when the law was passed, I remember reading about how it was intended to apply to gridlock at intersections by people going straight, but Google shows me that some news programs have been saying it is about turns. I can't find a link to an actual news story on it, though. It will be interesting to see how it develops.
Well said!
I hate that I'm the one labeled the a$$hole for waiting when it is clear I will be stuck in the intersection. I never go through unless I can make it all the way across.
The bridge over 35E up here used to be horrible for that. If it was your turn to go through, but going straight was backed up to the entrance for 35E north, if you didn't go anyways and partially block it, some ass exiting off of 35E would decide it meant it was their turn.
I know what you mean. It's like that at the intersection of 494 and 169. I hate that the have a traffic light there at all.
Judging