Never knew what a Texas U Turn was

[Sigarms]

Spent past 4 days in San Antonio for my son graduating basic at Lackland.

Wife and I driving to hotel from Airport off 410 first day in, and I'm navigating by telling her what Waze is telling me. I tell her, "hey, we have a turn around coming up. What do you know, see a sign "Turnaround" on the highway. I'm confused because now there is a separate inside line and neither my wife or I know what to do, so we play it safe and go to the light to hang two lefts at lights to go in the other direction now on the highway.

We're both kind of perplexed about this "turn around" thing, so what do you know, coming out of the parking lot from the hotel doing a "trial" run to Lackland the same day, we have to take a turn around and we "learn" to take the inside lane of the turnaround. Dang, that was pretty slick.

Won't lie, the first time we screwed it up, I though Texans had their heads up their butts for making something kind of confusing (of course when you aren't use to it). 4 days later, we LOVE THEM! We had to use one on the way back to the airport because I typed in the wrong address for something apparently near the airport, and it makes having to go in the opposite direction so much easier.

Wasn't certain if this was local to only San Antonio or the entire state. Talking with an older guy from Odessa flying to NC for a funeral at the Airport with us in Dallas, he told us kind of all over the state, although we don't remember them when we were in Dallas years ago for a wedding.

Better description than I could provide below...

Texas U-turn - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Hey, perhaps everyone here knows about them, but to us it was new.

Don't think they would work in NC though. Everyone thinks a yield sign is a STOP sign LOL

 

[weldingisfun]

Welcome to Texas.

 

[MoKelly]

When we first started coming to Florida, we had to get used to U-turns. All over the place.

In Missouri U-Turns were illegal.

It gets your attention when turning right on a road and someone is making a U-Turn. Stay in the right lane!!!

 

[sandman2234]

Those U-turns are available in Texarkana, TX...although I don't remember seeing any in Texarkana, AR.
David from jax

 

[Oaktree]

So these are only for frontage roads, not an interstate itself? Frontage roads not common up this way, in fact I don't think I've ever seen one.

In Pa. I've seen signs for "jug handles", which are pullouts which give you a little more room to make a U turn. Again, these would be on state or local roads, not interstates.

 

[Peter 315]

So these are only for frontage roads, not an interstate itself? Frontage roads not common up this way, in fact I don't think I've ever seen one.

Boston has them...

 

[oosik]

Those "spin around" things are showing up all around this area. I can see - only the long distance truckers feel comfortable handling these things. The rest of us - hesitate and proceed with caution.

 

[KennyG]

We have them and call them "Michigan U-turns".

 

[Bearsixty7]

Hope you enjoyed your visit here!

Most of those U-turns are at overpasses so that you can quickly make a U-turn under the overpass and not have to wait for traffic and the lights. They are all over the Dallas area that way.

 

[scootr]

We have our fist roundabout. 4 roadways lead into and out of the roundabout. Once you enter you exit on any one of the 4 roadways including the one you came in on. Works great...typically there is no stopping unless you are waiting to enter.