Crowding the box

A lot of misinformation has been put out there regarding Minnesota’s newest traffic law on “crowding the box.” Here’s a brief explanation.

We have all been blocked from crossing an intersection on occasion or missed a green light due to idiots cramming into the intersection from the other direction and getting stuck because they just HAD to get across. It happens here in Minnesota a lot downtown or during a snowstorm.  

Sitting like this and blocking the intersection in Minnesota will earn you a ticket.

A new Minnesota law says that you can’t proceed into an intersection unless you are clear to go all of the way through it without impeding traffic from another direction. If there is a backup on the other side of the intersection, you have to wait. The intersection gridlock law became effective on Jan. 1, 2011.

This law DOES NOT prevent you from entering an intersection on a left-hand turn to wait for oncoming traffic to pass. You may still do this as long as you can complete your turn before the light changes.