What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NY
Happened Back in feb 2012. On a two lane street and came to an intersection with a sign that said, "Left turn must turn left". It was a two lane road intersecting with a multilane divide road. The road had 3 lanes in each direction (with a divider).
The road I was one had a dotted white line from the middle of the road (dividing the left and right lane) that curved into the traffic - guiding someone on the left lane to make that turn. There were no arrows or anything else. My assumption was that both lanes could turn and cars ahead of me did just that. I was the last car to go through the intersection, and I followed the white dotted line with the line on my left into a left turn - thinking this was perfectly legal.
A cop was waiting for me and pulled me over. Said what I did was dangerous and there had been many accidents. I told him that it wasn't clear and he said tell it to the judge they will probably let it off.
My question is - why would they make the intersection so confusing? What's up with that white dotted line? And if there had been all these accidents, why not put better signage up? At least paint an arrow in the right lane that points accross the intersection. Finally, it seemed like a perfectly safe turn to me. How this might cause an accident is inexplicable - it was a protected left and I checked the other side of the intersection and there was no right turn allowed.
Seems to me that this cop was taking advantage of a confusing interesection. And nearly 2 years later, nothing in this intersection has changed and I see so many cars make the same mistake I did.
Any tips on what I can say to the judge tomorrow morning?
Happened Back in feb 2012. On a two lane street and came to an intersection with a sign that said, "Left turn must turn left". It was a two lane road intersecting with a multilane divide road. The road had 3 lanes in each direction (with a divider).
The road I was one had a dotted white line from the middle of the road (dividing the left and right lane) that curved into the traffic - guiding someone on the left lane to make that turn. There were no arrows or anything else. My assumption was that both lanes could turn and cars ahead of me did just that. I was the last car to go through the intersection, and I followed the white dotted line with the line on my left into a left turn - thinking this was perfectly legal.
A cop was waiting for me and pulled me over. Said what I did was dangerous and there had been many accidents. I told him that it wasn't clear and he said tell it to the judge they will probably let it off.
My question is - why would they make the intersection so confusing? What's up with that white dotted line? And if there had been all these accidents, why not put better signage up? At least paint an arrow in the right lane that points accross the intersection. Finally, it seemed like a perfectly safe turn to me. How this might cause an accident is inexplicable - it was a protected left and I checked the other side of the intersection and there was no right turn allowed.
Seems to me that this cop was taking advantage of a confusing interesection. And nearly 2 years later, nothing in this intersection has changed and I see so many cars make the same mistake I did.
Any tips on what I can say to the judge tomorrow morning?