Protocol at median in divided highways for making left turns

On a divided highway with a median, are you supposed to keep to the left in the opening (passing on the right of the driver turning the other way), or keep to the right?

I'm talking about a divided highway at an intersection with a traffic light. Leaving my workplace, I make left onto the main road. There may or may not be people making a left coming from across the road, or more rarely they might be coming straight across the road to enter the facility I'm leaving.

To me, if both drivers are turning left, it makes a lot more sense and goes much smoother to keep to the left of the median opening and pass each other on the right. However, many drivers keep to the right and then turn left after they have passed each other in the median. This makes sense if one or both of the drivers are going straight across, rather than turning left.

I think about 50% of drivers think one should stay left, while the other stays right. This of course causes a lot of confusion. I prefer to stay left, but see why people think the correct way is to stay to the right.

What is the correct way?

 

I live in Maryland, work in West Virginia, and pass through Virginia on the way.

What does your state say on the matter?

 

2. Left turns on two-way roadways: At any intersection where traffic is permitted to move in both directions on each roadway entering the intersection, an approach for a left turn shall be made from the right half of the roadway and as close as possible to the roadway's center line, passing to the right of the center line where it enters the intersection. After entering the intersection, the left turn shall be made so as to leave the intersection to the right of the center line of the roadway being entered. Whenever practicable, the left turn shall be made to the left of the center of the intersection.
3. Left turns on other than two-way roadways: At any intersection where traffic is restricted to one direction on one or more of the roadways, and at any crossover from one roadway of a divided highway to another roadway thereof on which traffic moves in the opposite direction, the driver intending to turn left at any such intersection or crossover shall approach the intersection or crossover in the extreme left lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the direction of travel of such vehicle and after entering the intersection or crossover the left turn shall be made so as to leave the intersection or crossover, as nearly as practicable, in the left lane lawfully available to traffic moving in such direction upon the roadway being entered.

Thank you -- but what on earth are they saying? Paragraph 2 starts off by saying you should keep right, but then the last sentence looks like it's saying you should stay left whenever practicable. I can't make heads or tails of paragraph 3.

 

Daniel, what you say makes sense.
And yes, ETC(SS), the rule is often flouted - by people like me. It just flows so much easier to stay to the left when both are turning left.

 

I think I know why I'm confused.
If you're on a main road with lane markers and left turn lanes, you ALWAYS stay to the left when you turn. i.e., your left turn lane will never intersect with the oncoming traffic's left turn lane.