When driving in the express lane might not make sense: Roadshow

Q: I drive in express lanes with my wife where having two or more people is required. I don’t like to drive over the 65 mph speed limit, but find that many drivers treat that lane as the fast lane. I find myself easily going 75 or more sometimes. Am I within my rights to drive 65 or maybe 70?

David M.

A: You can drive 65 or 70 in the express lane when others are trying to drive faster, but you’re going to be more comfortable in a lane where you can drive safely without being pressured by people speeding up behind you.

Q: On Via Del Oro between Great Oaks and Bernal Road in south San Jose, there are two entrances into a shopping center. There are solid yellow lines on the outside and dotted yellow lines on the inside, which means we can’t pass over them. Do you have any idea why they would not have put a break in them so that cars could actually enter and exit the driveways? The only legal way to enter is a break leading into the side parking lot of a men’s gym and we have to drive through that, hoping no cars pull out of their parking spaces and sideswipe us.

Ronnie Murdock, San Jose

A: What you describe is a typical design for a center turn lane. Here’s more information from the California Driver’s Handbook:

It is marked on both sides by two painted lines. The inner line is broken and the outer line is solid. Use the center left turn lane to prepare for and make a left turn or U-turn. You may only drive for 200 feet in the center left turn lane. To turn left from this lane:

• Look for other vehicles coming toward you in the center left turn lane
• Signal
• Look over your shoulder to check your blind spots
• Pull completely into the center left turn lane so you do not block traffic
• Turn when it is safe

Q: You asked about pretty drives in the Bay Area. Springtime is always glorious in this area and one of the most beautiful drives is in Sonoma County, going southward along Spring Hill Road, which becomes Valley Ford Road at the unincorporated community of Two Rock. Take this drive on a weekday and it’s virtually empty of cars in either direction. You’re less than 15 minutes from Highway 101, but it feels like a world apart with rolling hills of green pastureland as far as the eye can see, broken up only by trees, rocks, and an occasional barn or farmhouse.

Jean Komatsu

A: Thanks for sharing this. Your description makes me want to drive there now.

Look for Gary Richards at facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at mrroadshow@bayareanewsgroup.com.