developing your smart driving skills Turns in the middle of a block  U-turns  Reserved lanes  High occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes  52 HOV lanes are reserved for buses and carpool vehicles.  Motorcycles, bicycles and taxis may also use these lanes on  some roads. On freeways and main highways, HOV lanes are  beside either the median or the shoulder of the roadway. On  city streets, HOV lanes are usually directly beside the curb.  Most HOV lanes operate 24 hours a day, but some are only in  operation at peak traffic times. Check the traffic signs carefully.  They will tell you where the lanes begin and end, when they are  in operation, and the minimum number of people that must be  in the vehicle.  In parts of B.C., some traffic lanes are reserved for different  types of vehicles. High occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes and bus  lanes help move more people in fewer vehicles. Bicycle lanes  are reserved for cyclists.  When you are deciding whether to make a U‑turn, think about  some alternatives, like driving around the block or continuing  on to a side road where you can turn more safely.  If you find you are going in the wrong direction, you may be  tempted to make a U‑turn. U‑turns are often risky. They are  illegal:  Most drivers expect other vehicles to turn at an intersection.  Sometimes you might want to turn left in the middle of a block  — for example, into a driveway. You may turn left — including  turning left over a solid double yellow line —  if  you do this  carefully and safely and don’t impede other traffic, and there  are no signs prohibiting such turns.  • if they interfere with other traffic  • on a curve  • on or near the crest of a hill, where you cannot be seen by  other traffic within 150 metres  • where a sign prohibits U‑turns  • at an intersection where there is a traffic light  • in a business district, except at an intersection where there is  no traffic light  • where a municipal by‑law prohibits making a U‑turn.