Drivers need to be on alert for trucks making wide turns

QWith sadness I read about a San Jose motorcyclist dying after crashing into a semi-truck a few weeks ago. The truck was making a right turn into a business on Monterey Road from the No. 2 or center lane, but the motorcyclist drove through traffic and collided with the side of the truck.

It made me wonder: is it legal to make a turn like that? — Sabri Berisha

AYes, said San Jose police. Trucks often need to use more than one lane to safely navigate turns. Truckers typically signal early and are cautious about turning when the space is clear. Other drivers had stopped, so it seems the truck driver had been exercising caution.

Many trucks have signs alerting drivers that the truck “makes wide turns.” These turns are legal, because there is no other way for many of those larger vehicles to make their turns.

QThree times in less than a week around Japantown, I witnessed motorcyclists riding to the right of cars. One morning riding my bicycle to light rail on Taylor Street, the motorcyclist rode between me and the cars (there is no bike lane on Taylor).

Can you remind readers that motorcyclists can lane share on freeways but riding on the shoulder or in the bike lane is not legal? — Chris Knight, San Jose

ADriving on the shoulder is not legal, but any vehicle can pull into a bike lane 200 feet before making a right turn.

QOur success story this month came because we found a backpack that had been stolen a few days earlier from Russian Olympic swimmer Svetlana Karpeeva, who was here for the Santa Clara International Swim meet. The itinerary inside indicated she was scheduled to leave the next day. Inside we found an email address. The woman responded and we were able to reconnect her with her backpack.

What was inside was her irreplaceable Olympic journal in which she chronicled her memories of swimming in the 2008 Summer Olympics. She was so happy! — Loui Tucker, Adopt-a-Highway

AAnother nice story from Loui whose group cleans Interstate 280 near San Jose City College every month. And here’s another.

A wallet had been stolen in January while a woman was eating at the Panera on Coleman Avenue in San Jose. The thief was able to use one of her credit cards to buy a $3,000 laptop, but the store refused to charge her, so the store was out the $3,000. The wallet went into the bushes along Interstate 880 where it stayed until it was recovered.

“That’s the very best part of doing these litter pickups — getting to return lost items.”