Are U-Turns In Someone's Boise Driveway Illegal or Just Rude?

U-Turns & Boise: a gray area

Knowing when and where we can make U-Turns around Boise isn't always black and white. Things like center lanes, the ins and outs of double yellow lines, and eye-balling distances of 200 feet leaves room for interpretation. For a lot of Boise drivers, our interpretation doesn't always sync up with Idaho's road rules.

It wasn't until we moved into a home off a cul-de-sac that my family and I realized how often people use private driveways to pop a U'ie in residential areas.

You would think the cul-de-sac would be all the space needed to pull off the simple driving maneuver, but no. Time after time, we catch folks making ridiculously wide U-turns and even three-point turns into our driveway. Rude, right? Um, we sure think so!

U-Turns in Private Driveways: legal or illegal?

But beyond rude, is it illegal in Idaho to make a U-turn in a private driveway?

After months of dealing with it, we finally looked it up. While there's no piece of legislation that directly addresses the act of U-turning into a private driveway, we think we found a law that deems it illegal on a few technicalities.

Chapter 6 Rules of the Road: Idaho Statute 49-660

According to section A of statute 49-660: Stopping, Standing, or Parking Prohibited in Specified Places:

Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic [...] no person shall: (a) Stop, stand or park a vehicle: 1. On the traffic side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curb of a highway; 2. On a sidewalk,' and section B clarifies it's also illegal to 'Stand or park a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except momentarily to pick up or discharge a passenger or passengers: 1. In front of a public or private driveway.

We're not attorneys, but we're pretty sure sections A and B of 49-660 make it illegal for someone to make a U-turn in our driveway.

Let's be honest, strangers aren't making U-turns in our driveway to drop anyone off. They are, however, hopping a curb, crossing the sidewalk, and pausing momentarily in our private driveway to execute what we've now coined the "rUde-turn."

Still wondering where it's legal/illegal to pop a U'ie in Idaho? Check out the gallery below that's bursting with pics & examples locals will totally get!

Places Where U-Turns Are Legal & Illegal Around Boise

If the Idaho Legislature's road rule section leaves you with more questions than answers, you're not alone. Below are 12 easy-to-remember rules and local examples to help you know when and where it's legal or illegal to pop a U'ie around Boise and the greater Treasure Valley!

Boise's 7 Most Blown-Off & Forgotten Traffic Laws

Gallery Credit: Ryan Valenzuela

🚨 Can You Get Arrested for Driving Shoeless in Idaho?

🚘BOISE, Idaho. Logic and about 20 years of experience behind the wheel tells us driving sans footwear is a pretty risky, even reckless idea. But does that mean it's illegal?

Scroll on for a quick peek at Idaho's stance on the issue!

Gallery Credit: Ryan Valenzuela