Imagine, if you will, a road somewhere in America. You are driving down that road. To your left you see two lanes. The nearest lane to you is demarcated by two solid yellow lines on either side, closely accompanied by dashed yellow lines parallel and inside the solid lines. Boys and girls, this is what we call a �turning lane�. And unless you are turning� STAY THE FUCK OUT OF IT!

If front of my office is just such a road. My office and a number of other businesses are on the south side of the road. On the north side of the road is nothing. And yet as I find myself in the turning lane to get into my office, patiently waiting for traffic to pass, occasionally some nut will come roaring around that traffic directly at me. Treating that lane as if it were some magical �Advance to the nearest railroad and collect $200� shortcut. It�s not a travel lane. It�s not a passing lane. It�s a turning lane. If there are no turns to make, you have no business being there. Keep your place in traffic and wait like the rest of the law-abiding citizens. I�m turning here!

Conversely, if you are about to make a left-hand turn, and a turning lane has been thoughtfully provided for you, USE IT! And that doesn�t mean sit half-way in it with your ass sticking in the travel lane. The point is to allow traffic behind you to continue unimpeded while you wait for traffic in the opposite direction to clear. Of course, you�re probably afraid to commit to the turning lane. Just in case some moron decides to travel in it. This is an understandable fear. As a moron, you�ve probably done it yourself and expect it from others. And civilization slouches downward just a little bit more.