Another Round Of "Is It Legal"

Probably less than rarely.

But still an honest question deserving a proper answer.

Fair enough, point taken.

This would rarely happen as well, but what if that cone got stuck up between the tandems , then somehow found its way over to the brake lines, ripping them out and giving the driver a preventable on his record? Just a cone?

I agree moving the cones is right thing to do but…. If the light turns red while you are moving them and turns green for the cross traffic aren't you then at fault for obstructing traffic if someone slams into you???

With the way so many people drive around playing with their phones and not paying attention these days, sacrificing a few cones may be safer for all depending on where you are and how busy the roads are.

Federal Highway Design Standards Provide that traffic cones must be able to be struck without damaging vehicles.

MUTCD Traffic Cone Regulations

I will avoid striking any object but because traffic cones are designed to be hit, I would not get out and move one if it would create a safety issue for me or significant traffic impedement.

Let me clarify a thing or two. First of all, what Turtle said trumps any dispute whatsover: (to paraphrase) Make sure you have enough room to make the turn in the first place. *Strike one against Mike (me)* It's common sense. Don't go unless you can make the turn. Unfortunately, even those of us who think we possess common sense don't always use it.

Impeding traffic in my situation was not an issue. Traffic was closed from the left bc of the construction and to the right the street led to nowhere but another business. This was not a major road. It was a side street in a city. Regardless, the rule about impeding traffic still applies. *Strike two against Mike*

The original post was an attempt to find out if running over a cone was against the law. I'm glad the forum members were able to discuss and analyze more thoroughly all the factors related to this post. We can all learn a thing or two from respectful discussions surrounding another person's question. Thanks for your input. Please continue if you have more to add.

I have somewhat of an issue with the black and white nature of this statement:

First of all, what Turtle said trumps any dispute whatsover: (to paraphrase) Make sure you have enough room to make the turn in the first place. *Strike one against Mike (me)* It's common sense. Don't go unless you can make the turn. Unfortunately, even those of us who think we possess common sense don't always use it.

I ran over some cones recently in Florida. For some reason, a sheriff's deputy closed the beltway around Jacksonville and dumped all of the traffic off the interstate. At the end of he off ramp, you could go left or right. I chose right. After I chose that direction, there was very narrow construction that had traffic cones. The lanes had been narrowed so much by the construction that the travel trailer in front of me and my tandems ran over the traffic cones, and probably several other vehicles behind us. All the interstate traffic was behind me.

I could have gotten out and basically removed all of the traffic cones from the construction site, stopping all the interstate traffic behind me. The simple fact was the construction crew did not have it set up for big trucks to be able to come through the construction site. But because the Sheriff, sua sponte, dumped all the traffic onto that side road, I had to navigate through that construction site. I had no choice to make the turn or not. And I couldn't back up onto the interstate and tell deputy sheriff that I need to get back on the interstate because I don't want to run over traffic cones.

I have somewhat of an issue with the black and white nature of this statement

A good point, Chief. Perhaps I should have added a disclaimer to allow for circumstances when a driver is left without a choice in the matter. Or something like that.

"Or something like that" I'm not even going to try to use legalese to make my reply more precise . I'll just end up coming off as one of those prison philosophers who uses every other word incorrectly🤣

. Try to recognize the fact that you may not be able to make the turn before actually pulling into the intersection. Do the right thing.

This.

Always be sure you can make a turn before you start it, u less it is physically impossible. And if it is impossible, then get out and walk to look if that is possible.

And to answer Bruce’s next question, I have had it happen a few times a year. Driving in the northeast, construction zones are tight.

I hit an orange barrel just today in a construction zone out of Dallas on the I-635. I was running through their jersey walls and my exit came up, there was a wall on the right side and someone prior had hit the barrel knocking it from its base. It was in the road for the exit laying on its side. The car in front of me was barely able to squeeze between it and the wall, I couldn't quite fit so I knocked the barrel out of the road with either my bumper or the steps at probably 25mph. I looked back and it moved over back to the side where it belonged. No damage to my truck. I wasn't about to stop, get out and move the barrel.

Curbs and cones are just things you have to run over sometimes.