Driver Slings Arrows at Perceived Signs of Misdirection

Dear Street Smart:

Eastbound drivers exiting the Santa Paula Freeway at Victoria Avenue face confusing signs that trigger a frustrating problem.

It all starts with straight-ahead arrows painted on the pavement of the two-lane off-ramp at Victoria Avenue.

When you reach Victoria, however, the left lane that was supposedly a straight-ahead lane suddenly becomes a left-turn-only lane.

If you are trying to go straight onto Webster Street, and believe the arrows painted on the road and stay in the left lane, you are either forced to turn left or cut somebody off and try to go straight.

If you decide against cutting anybody off and instead turn left and make a U-turn to get back to Webster, you’ll be out of luck--once you’ve risked your life to make the U-turn, you’ll find that it’s illegal to turn left onto Webster from Victoria.

This whole problem could be avoided if one of those straight-ahead arrows painted on the off-ramp pavement was changed to a left-turn arrow.

Is this possible?

William B. Morgan, Ventura

Dear Reader:

Sorry, not possible.

Why? Because those off-ramp arrows are not intended to indicate whether you can or cannot turn. They are painted there by the state Department of Transportation to warn motorists who may have accidentally driven onto the off-ramp coming from the wrong direction.

However, Nazir Lalani, traffic engineer for the city of Ventura, says the arrows often confuse more motorists than they help, especially if they are too close to the intersection.

The real solution at this intersection, Lalani says, is to add a lane. Plans to do just that are on the city’s list of traffic improvements, he says. But that project is five years or more down the road.

*

Dear Street Smart:

Santa Rosa Road between Camarillo and Thousand Oaks used to be a pleasant driving experience.

That changed when the county came in and did “improvements.” They eliminated a passing lane that allowed drivers to pass the tractors, school buses, garbage trucks and other slow-moving vehicles.

Now drivers who get stuck behind slow drivers swing out across the double yellow line to pass, creating a very dangerous situation.

Can some passing lanes be added?

Leon Helfet, Camarillo

Dear Reader:

Passing lanes are not part of the plan for the county’s overhaul of Santa Rosa Road, Principal Engineer Ken Gordon says.

Nor, says Gordon, was passing allowed before the project was launched two years ago.

“To the best of my recollection, there was a double yellow line there before,” he said. “And there are good reasons for that.”

Those reasons? Low visibility because of the undulating, winding roadway, and many driveways and side roads that intersect with Santa Rosa Road.

“It just wouldn’t be safe to allow passing,” Gordon said.

*

Dear Street Smart:

I’d like to clear up what seems to be a lot of confusion regarding the function of red left-turn arrows.

It is legal to turn left on a red arrow if three conditions exist: 1. The controlling light for the intersection is green. 2. There is no sign limiting turns to green arrow only. 3. Oncoming traffic is clear and turns can be made safely.

It’s frustrating during rush hours to see long lines waiting at the red arrow when safe left turns can be made.

Ken Fuller, Westlake Village

Dear Reader:

It may be frustrating, but what you’re advocating is against the law.

According to the California Vehicle Code, Section 21453, Paragraph C, a driver facing a steady red arrow signal may not enter the intersection.

“Special laws come into effect in case of nuclear war and other emergencies,” said John Knowles, assistant traffic engineer for the city of Thousand Oaks. “But under all normal circumstances, you cannot turn left if the arrow is red.”