# Pulling into people's driveways to make a k-turn **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 5, 2015, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070 "2015-08-05T15:29:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070/21 "2015-08-05T17:25:32Z")
My high school (VT) drivers ed teacher always referred to the OP’s scenario as the Vermont Turnaround. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070/22 "2015-08-05T17:28:59Z")
This happens with me almost every day, but my driveway is a condo complex and it’s U-turns. We’re in the middle of a block of a four lane road in CA. For the life of me, I have NO idea why anyone would make a u-turn in the middle of the block. There are also cars parked in the street, so visibility isn’t great. They line up in the middle lane, and most people just don’t have the turn radius. So they usually pull in, back up a little, then complete the u-turn while four lane of traffic are moving. Of course, we’re not alway at rush hour, but if you want to exit at the same time, watch out. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070/23 "2015-08-05T17:31:10Z")
I don’t do it. Around here you’ll see signs next to driveways that say “No u-turns” so I know it annoys at least some people. But I drive a tiny enough car (Honda Fit) that I can turn around in almost any road. It takes a very small road for me not to be able to do so! ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070/24 "2015-08-05T17:32:45Z")
Sure was easier when we were all horseback. Didn’t need no steenkin’ driveway to turn around in. No dimmin’ headlights neither. “Progress!” _spit_ ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070/25 "2015-08-05T17:54:01Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > That’s probably not accurate. The (partial) weight of the vehicle puts some stress on the driveway, which over time leads to sinking or breakage. Do you drive a literal tank? Because this is just not true for any reasonably designed driveway and any reasonably sized vehicle. What’s killing my driveway is frost, cracks, and water. But the parts of my driveway that I drive on most can’t be distinguished from the parts I don’t use in terms of sinking and/or breakage. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070/26 "2015-08-05T18:12:22Z")
Not only OK, but likely perfectly legal. Well, at least in CA, where sometimes the portion of your drive way from the sidewalk to the street isnt really yours. I guess if you have a driveway where this happens a LOT, and the headlights come right into your eyes, it could be annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070/27 "2015-08-05T18:27:57Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I don’t do it. Around here you’ll see signs next to driveways that say “No u-turns” so I know it annoys at least some people. But I drive a tiny enough car (Honda Fit) that I can turn around in almost any road. It takes a very small road for me not to be able to do so! Now I’m confused. It sounds like what you’re doing _is_ a u-turn, but using someone’s driveway to turn around would not be. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070/28 "2015-08-05T18:47:30Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Am I the only one who has never heard the term “k-turn”? It’s always been a “three-point turn” to me. I’ve never heard the term either, it was always a “three-point turn”. But upon reading it, I knew exactly what the OP was talking about. I kind of like it, actually. It pairs with “U-turn” nicely. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070/29 "2015-08-05T18:56:37Z")
As long as there is no fresh snow, go ahead. But compacting snow into ice on my driveway before I can shovel it? That’s a shootin offense. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070/30 "2015-08-05T19:30:15Z")
I was driving along a narrow winding two-lane road along the north shore of Long Island. It had been raining exceptionally heavily. I came around a bend to find that the entire road was flooded. I had only two options. I could drive into the flood and get stuck along with all the cars that were already stuck in it, or I could use the driveway to my right to turn around. I chose to turn around in the driveway, only to find the homeowner lying in wait. He jumped out from behind a shrub and started yelling and screaming about how it was his private property and all that stuff. I pretended I didn’t see him, completed my turn, and as I was going my way, I saw him do the same thing to the next person that turned into his driveway. Seriously, dude? You’d rather I get stuck in a flood than sully your driveway with my presence? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070/31 "2015-08-05T19:48:18Z")
Yea, I do it without a second thought. It seems like a bizarre thing to worry about. Unless someone has a “no trespassing” sign up, I figure they’re OK with people doing normal stuff in their front yard/drive (turning around in the driveway, walking to the front door, retrieving errant frisbees/balls/pets, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070/32 "2015-08-05T20:53:45Z")
Don’t buy a house on a public street if you don’t want the public to turn around in your driveway or park on the street in front of your house. Go live at the end of a private road in the woods if that’s your hangup. ---
**Author:** ![Macca26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Macca26](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macca26)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070/33 "2015-08-05T21:10:30Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Don’t buy a house on a public street if you don’t want the public to turn around in your driveway or park on the street in front of your house. Go live at the end of a private road in the woods if that’s your hangup. This is always brought up as an “answer” in these sorts of threads. It’s bizarre to me how anybody considers this a real answer at all, or even an appropriate answer to, “I’m mildly annoyed by this public action, but it doesn’t really affect me. Let’s discuss.” It always just sounds like an equivalent to, “Shut up and stop whining” without actually saying it straight out. It’s not like we hang around all day getting super pissed about this topic, elevating our blood pressure to the point that the only obvious solution to our health problems is to uproot our whole lives to go live in the woods. Just wacky 😕 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070/34 "2015-08-05T21:13:15Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > I’ve never heard the term either, it was always a “three-point turn”. But upon reading it, I knew exactly what the OP was talking about. I kind of like it, actually. It pairs with “U-turn” nicely. Never heard the term, and not seeing how you get a “K” out of it. Yes, there are the elements of a “K”, but they are not assembled properly. More like sideways Delta. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070/35 "2015-08-05T21:26:44Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > I chose to turn around in the driveway, only to find the homeowner lying in wait. He jumped out from behind a shrub and started yelling and screaming about how it was his private property and all that stuff. I pretended I didn’t see him, completed my turn, and as I was going my way, I saw him do the same thing to the next person that turned into his driveway. No matter what is right or what you think is right, you may have to deal with the property owner who may be somewhat unhinged and possessive about the driveway. This story is about [a woman who shot at a car full of kids who turned around in her driveway](http://gawker.com/tennessee-woman-shoots-at-car-full-of-kids-for-turning-894592263). She said she’s had a problem with people tearing up her driveway and that’s how she dealt with the problem. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070/36 "2015-08-05T21:30:19Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Don’t buy a house on a public street if you don’t want the public to turn around in your driveway or park on the street in front of your house. Go live at the end of a private road in the woods if that’s your hangup. You know what’s the best? Driving 45 yards up a private driveway to gracefully U-turn around the circle at the end. Ok, maybe not smart. Wealthy people are occasionally armed and fearful people. But it definitely saves on braking and all that tedious steering wheel work. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070/37 "2015-08-05T21:32:22Z")
I like to find a circular driveway so I don’t have to reverse 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070/38 "2015-08-05T21:42:30Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Am I the only one who has never heard the term “k-turn”? It’s always been a “three-point turn” to me. ISTM that this is what it’s most commonly called in the NY/NJ area. See e.g. Chapter of the [NJ MVC Drivers Manual](http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/pdf/Licenses/Driver%20Manual/Chapter_3.pdf), page 16. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070/39 "2015-08-05T21:45:53Z")
> [@Macca26](#): > > This is always brought up as an “answer” in these sorts of threads. It’s bizarre to me how anybody considers this a real answer at all, or even an appropriate answer to, “I’m mildly annoyed by this public action, but it doesn’t really affect me. Let’s discuss.” > > It always just sounds like an equivalent to, “Shut up and stop whining” without actually saying it straight out. It’s not like we hang around all day getting super pissed about this topic, elevating our blood pressure to the point that the only obvious solution to our health problems is to uproot our whole lives to go live in the woods. Just wacky 😕 It’s just something that happens when you live in a mildly populated area. You might as well get pissed when someone walks down your street or the sidewalk. These are the basic things you have to accommodate in order to live in society. Do you get pissed when the mail carrier enters your property to deliver mail? And to be quite clear, even living on a private road in the woods isn’t the answer, because occasionally people will enter your driveway if they have the wrong address, or they are trying to sell you something, or they are delivering pizza, or installing cable, or they are the police and wish to ask you something in the course of their job. _Driveways are for cars_. If you really have a problem with someone ever using it, buy a place that is only accessible by helicopter or boat. So yes, if you foolishly bought a house with a publicly accessible driveway and still get pissed when someone uses it for its intended purpose, shut up and stop whining. This isn’t an “answer”. It’s just reality. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070/40 "2015-08-05T21:51:10Z")
It annoys me because I live on a very short cul-de-sac. It probably takes longer to pull into my driveway, reverse, back up, shift into drive, and go than it does to just drive around. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pulling-into-peoples-driveways-to-make-a-k-turn/727070.md?page=3)