Driving in a Parking meter lane?!?!

[avinten]

What is the name of your state? CA

I am starting to get angry! I was in accident about 2 months ago and fault has yet to be officially determined. I was in stopped in an intersection to turn left and an ambulance was coming up from behind. So....oncoming traffic was stopped or stopping and I went and made my left turn to clear the intersection. Coming down in the parking meter lane next to the curb was a car i couldnt see and t-boned me on the right side. insurance is about to claim that the accident is my fault. i disagree and it seems to me that the law is on myside.

Is it legal to drive in a lane designated for parking and then enter an intersection from that lane? help!

AV

 

[FlyingRon]

I've never heard the term "parking meter lane" but it's doubtful the meters continued all the way to the intersection so the curb lane is most likely a reasonable place to make right turns from. You need to yield to oncoming traffic when making left turns.

ALWAYS MOVE RIGHT FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES. As an old ambulance driver I can tell you, we will go left (into the vacant oncoming lanes) to go around stopped vehicles.

 

[JETX]

Is it legal to drive in a lane designated for parking and then enter an intersection from that lane?

As long as there is no car in that lane at the time.... yes.

 

[efflandt]

If you could not safely get out of the way, you should have just stayed where you were until the ambulance passed. You would be in worse trouble if you made your left turn and the ambulance broadsided your driver side while going around you in the left lanes.

How many lanes each way was the road you were turning onto, and did you stay in the leftmost lane if more than one? I see so many people incorrectly making a left turn directly into the right lane. If you did that you probably have some fault.

Whether a metered parking lane can be driven in might depend whether it was designated by a solid white line or lines separating parking spots, and where that ended in relation to the intersection (or if right lane or bike lane was for right turn only).

 

[CdwJava]

If the moving vehicle had the right of way (i.e. did not have to stop for a signal light or sign), then you turned in front of him and are likely at fault. However, not knowing for sure where everyone was and what they were doing, I can only speculate, but I would expect you will be at fault in this one based on what little detail you have provided.

I presume you've spoken to your insurer?

- Carl