2 tickets for one mistake

[paulixml]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NY

Hi,

I was pull over in Brooklyn on Monday for not turning left on a left signal. Basically there were 5 lanes after coming off the Brooklyn Queens Express. I was on the 2nd left lane. I was coming from Queens and did not know there area. I wanted to go straight, but when the signal changed to green. I realized I was in the left turn only lane. So I tried and got into the 3rd lane and drove straight after the signal turned green.

So the officer pull me over and said your mistake was not going left on a left signal. But he gave me 2 tickets. from what I can read from the descriptions, he's saying I "disobey sign" and "red arrow". I am guessing he's giving me a ticket for going on a "red left signal" even thou I am on the 3rd lane?

can someone advise if giving 2 tickets for this mistake is legal

Thanks

Paul

 

[Zigner]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NY

Hi,

I was pull over in Brooklyn on Monday for not turning left on a left signal. Basically there were 5 lanes after coming off the Brooklyn Queens Express. I was on the 2nd left lane. I was coming from Queens and did not know there area. I wanted to go straight, but when the signal changed to green. I realized I was in the left turn only lane. So I tried and got into the 3rd lane and drove straight after the signal turned green.

So the officer pull me over and said your mistake was not going left on a left signal. But he gave me 2 tickets. from what I can read from the descriptions, he's saying I "disobey sign" and "red arrow". I am guessing he's giving me a ticket for going on a "red left signal" even thou I am on the 3rd lane?

can someone advise if giving 2 tickets for this mistake is legal

Thanks

Paul

In other words, you did two things wrong. You didn't obey the sign telling you that you had to turn, AND you ran the red.

 

[FlyingRon]

Eh? He can't break both of those laws at the same time. Either he was in a position where he should have turned left via the left turn only sign or he turned left when the red arrow prohibited it. The red arrow rule says that with a steady red arrow, you can't enter the intersection to make the turn indicated by the arrow.

Of coruse, if he's summonsed to the TVB (likely), arguing may be futile, but in this case I'd give it a try.

 

[paulixml]

hi,

follow up to the 2 tickets. I turn on to the 3rd lane and waited for the green. the signal for the left turn turned red first. so for the "red arrow" ticket, the officer is saying I ran the red left signal?

I think I should plead guilty to the disobey sign ticket, but not the red arrow ticket. That makes sense?

 

[FlyingRon]

What exit from the BQE are we talking about?

Yes, if you didn't turn left, I'd plead not guilty to the left turn arrow citiation.

 

[paulixml]

exit 29 off BQE coming from Queens. was going to the Department of Education on Court street.


feels like the officers where just sitting there try to catch people to make a mistake like that. Didn't know I could not do that

 

[HighwayMan]

feels like the officers where just sitting there try to catch people to make a mistake like that.

Of course they were. It's called TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT.

Didn't know I could not do that

Sure you did - that's what SIGNS and PAVEMENT MARKINGS are for.

 

[HighwayMan]

I am guessing he's giving me a ticket for going on a "red left signal"...

Since you are guessing no one here can tell you anything about your offenses.

Can you at least read the statute numbers on the tickets?

 

[HighwayMan]

Of coruse, if he's summonsed to the TVB (likely)...

Not likely. The TVB is a definite unless you committed a criminal violation at the same time.

 

[FlyingRon]

I'm assuming we're talking about westbound Tillary at the Flatbush Ave Extension intersection.

Again, if you went straight out of either of the two left turn lanes, you are guilty of disobeying the sign (left turn only) but you are not guilty of the red arrow violation if the green ball was otherwise on.

Traffic, except pedestrians, facing a steady red arrow signal may not enter the intersection to make the movement indicated by such arrow and, unless entering the intersection to make such other movement as is permitted by other indications shown at the same time, shall stop at a clearly marked stop line,​

You did not enter to make the movement indicated by the arrow (by the officer's assertion of citing you for the disobey the left turn sign) and you were allowed to do so to go straight if the green ball was on.

 

[HighwayMan]

I'm not going to make assumptions about what Pauli got written for if he can't read what's written on the tickets with certainty. He might have better luck reading the VTL/TR sections rather than the descriptions.