Dumbest. Traffic Ticket. Ever.

[MsKandice01]

While I was at lunch today, I was going down this residential street and when I stopped at the stop sign, I saw a sign that simply said, "Right turn only". Now, in my mind, that means I can't make a left turn...but I wasn't turning, I was going straight. I continued on down the street and sure enough, halfway down the block, a cop stepped out in the middle of the street and ordered me to pull over and gave me a ticket for going straight down the street. No mind you, there were no islands in the middle of the road, no obstructions, the road wasn't ending, nothing like that. They just don't allow anyone to go straight because I guess they're trying to cut down the traffic in the neighborhood.

What a bunch of bullshit. Oh well, traffic school, here I come. :(

[trof]

1. Go to court with it.

Unless there was a 'Do Not Enter' sign, 'Right Turn Only' is way too ambiguous.
I bet the judge will agree.

[Gormy Cuss]

2. I agree. Too confusing without a barrier or "Do Not Enter" sign. n/t

[Dangerously Amused]

4. Agreed. It is well worth a shot in court.

Suggest getting a photo of the sign and intersection to show the judge.


Judges are happy to throw some traffic tickets out and they look for ambiguous cases like these; it looks good on their "impartiality" scorecard and otherwise defense attorneys accuse them of always favoring the city/state.


Good luck.


:hi:

[MsKandice01]

6. Yeah, I thinking I may fight it...

One of the attorneys who works here in my law office got stopped at the same exact place doing the same thing but he got let off with a warning.

[Dangerously Amused]

7. You know what? I would definitely bring that up in court.

Maybe even bring a copy of the warning. I mean if it's ambiguous to an attorney, whose job it is to decipher the law, it's sure as hell gonna be ambiguous to a layperson.


PS - you may not even need to go to court, most jurisdictions will give you a pre-trial meeting with the prosecutor first if you send in a "not guilty" plea. And even if you don't get it dismissed outright, you can almost always get a better deal just by showing up and pleading your case with the prosecutor/judge.

[Left Is Write]

3. "Right turn only" means "Right turn only" -

I don't think it's particularly ambiguous; it means the lane were in is for those turning right only.

[MsKandice01]

5. There was only one lane in either direction though...

[trof]

9. 'RTO' is NOT the same as 'Do Not Enter'.

Or, even more explicit (and better) ONE WAY - DO NOT ENTER.
That's what's posted on one-way streets, if that's what they intended.
You got a CASE.
Fer shur.
Keep us posted.

[radwriter0555]

10. This is used in West Hollywood, CA to prevent cruising for hookers in residential

areas. There are plenty of signs, and tickets are given.

And it stopped the nasty problem of people stepping over condoms on the sidewalk and in their flower beds.

Sometimes the signs prevent turns, sometimes the signs insist on turns, usually at specific hours.

If there are signs posted, you may as well just pay the ticket and not waste your time.

Street signs are rarely arbitrary...

[nini]

8. was there only one lane?

If so.. you're out of luck.

If there were two or more and you were NOT in the right lane, you may have a point.

[huskerlaw]

11. Let me see if I have this straight...

2 lane road, 1 lane in each direction. None of the lanes have arrows on the cement. Road continues past the sign, with the same 2, unmarked, lanes. There's a sign that looks like this:


Am I correct?

If so, you have a case, in my law-school educated yet completely non-professional opinion. ;)

[MsKandice01]

12. Exactly...

Exactly like that.