We've Been Using The Center Lane Wrong This Whole Time

The older I get the more I realize a few things. First, how incompetent my driving instructor really was, and secondly how we should constantly be receiving updated driving information. Because my whole life when I'm turning left out of a parking lot, I always try and make it to the center lane, that way I can merge onto the road and free up traffic coming out of a business. I thought I was being courteous, but instead I've actually been driving like a jerk, or being one when I ask "What...are we doin?" at cars who won't pull out to the center lane.

I guess myself and probably some of you have been guilty of this as well, but the Road Commission of Kalamazoo County have come out recently and cleared that whole thing up on a Facebook post no less, stating:

Did you know it's actually illegal to use the center lane as a merge lane? It is! Center lanes were designed for one purpose: to turn left, not as a merge or acceleration lane. You won't find this in the Michigan Vehicle Code, but in the Michigan Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices instead. That's then applied from this section: https://bit.ly/2DTFsXF to this section: https://bit.ly/3j7eqfs of the Michigan Vehicle Code. Drive safe!

Ya...whoops. A lot of residents are with me on this, as they had a lot to say about this newly discovered law:

"Until it takes less than 3 months to finish construction on one road in town, I’ll use the center lane to merge safely in traffic."

"It should be a ticketed offense but i see police do it all the time."

"Better than having people trying to rush out crossing 4 lanes of traffic at once. I’ll gladly take the ticket."

"About the only way to pull out left on Westnedge Ave is to get yourself into the turn lane and then onto Westnedge. Otherwise you can sit for 10-15 minutes."