Would you signal a right turn here or not?

If everybody in LA got ticketed for non-use of signal, it would bury the courts. I don't even want to think about cell phone use while driving. Tell the cop you couldn't signal because you were on the phone.

 

This one is clear cut: you should signal. All you can do is be polite, and explain why you didn't think you needed to signal. Maybe the judge will cut you some slack.

Tom

 

No!
You were not changing lanes.
You were in the right turn lane.
Your only legal path forward was Central Parkway.
Had you decided to go straight, you would have had to signal.
Conclusion: To signal is to indicate a change of direction. You should NOT have signaled.

 

You're kidding, right?

The pix in this post clearly shows the right lane being a straight or right turn lane.

And even if it was a pure right turn lane, the law says you need to signal--he was changing direction, and roads.

 

This is a good example of why our courts are over-crowded, and why people with legitimate legal disputes have to wait forever to go before a judge. Because the courts are clogged with people like you trying to beat the system ("hope the cop doesn't show").

You broke the law. Just like when you ran the red light:
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-main-forum/81436-red-light-camera.html

Pay your ticket. That's what I did when I got tagged by a red light camera. It was ~$450 (yours was $50). Did I like it? No. Did I break the law? Yes. So I paid the ticket. And to keep it off my record (if that's your concern), I took internet driving school.

And...isn't your time worth more, than to sit around for hours in a traffic court? How much could the ticket possible be, if running a red light was $50? If your time and aggravation isn't worth more than $50, have fun wasting a morning in court.

 

Mea culpa! I assumed the reference was to a right turn only lane. However I would say that in Britain to signal a turn when in a left or right turn lane is incorrect.

So best strategy is to address the court with a pronounced British accent.

 

NYS DMV - Driver's Manual - Chapter 5


TURNS

Always signal before you make a turn or change lanes. It is important that other highway users know your intentions. The law requires you to signal a turn or lane change with your directional lights or hand signals at least 100 feet (30 m) ahead. A good safety tip is to, whenever possible, signal your intention to turn before you actually begin braking to make the turn. The required hand signals are shown.
Keep these other tips in mind when preparing to turn:

• Reduce your speed.
• Be alert for traffic on all sides. Take special care to check for motorcycles. Most crashes involving motorcycles and other vehicles are caused because the driver of the other vehicle has failed to see the motorcycle.
• Keep in mind that your rear wheels will travel inside the path of the front wheels, closer to the curb (right turn) or opposing traffic (left turn).
• Watch out for pedestrians, bicyclists and moped riders, especially on right turns. They are often difficult to see in traffic.

The following illustrations show the proper position of your vehicle for turns. These positions are based on requirements in the law, not just good advice.


RIGHT TURN:
As you prepare to turn, stay as far to the right as possible. Avoid making wide, sweeping turns. Unless signs direct you otherwise, turn into the right lane of the road you enter.

NYS Vehicle & Traffic Law Excerpts
Article 28 Turning and starting and signals on stopping and turning

Section 1163. Turning movements and required signals.

§1163. Turning movements and required signals.
(a) No person shall turn a vehicle at an intersection unless the vehicle is in proper position upon the roadway as required in section eleven hundred sixty, or turn a vehicle to enter a private road or driveway, or otherwise turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway unless and until such movement can be made with reasonable safety. No person shall so turn any vehicle without giving an appropriate signal in the manner hereinafter provided.
(b) A signal of intention to turn right or left when required shall be given continuously during not less than the last one hundred feet traveled by the vehicle before turning.
(c) No person shall stop or suddenly decrease the speed of a vehicle without first giving an appropriate signal in the manner provided herein to the driver of any vehicle immediately to the rear when there is opportunity to give such signal.

http://www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us/turn-vt.htm

 

I don't see that in the picture, even when going to the google link and blowing it up another step. How do you know you can continue on Home Lawn St. from the right lane? It appears to be 2 lanes on the north side of the intersection, but it's certainly not clear. In name Home Lawn St. does continue on the other side, but in appearance the lanes seem to gradually follow the curve and de facto the road is built for this to be the primary course of movement at this intersection. My initial assumption was that Home Lawn St below the intersection and Grand Central above the intersection were the same road, and therefore you're not changing lanes or streets. I'd be more inclined to put on a left turn signal just to continue on Home Lawn if I didn't know the names of the streets in question.

Even if you're supposed to signal for a right in this case, I would bet at least 20% of people don't. Seems rather unfair to write a ticket for such a common practice. Better to put up a sign reminding people for all people, rather than have the cop spend his time writing tickets to random people unlucky enough to get caught.

 

Okay, I didn't see tzh's street-level picture. The sign does show things, the question is how clear is it from the right lane. It still seems like a very deceptive setup.

 

I use my turn signals, even if I'm the only car for miles around. I use them in "turn only" lanes.

I also stop for STOP signs. I am weird, yes.

 

It's easier to just do it than to decide whether to use the turn signal. Here in NM, turn signal use is rare, and being in the correct lane to turn seems to be optional if you have a giant vehicle. You can see "Visualize Turn Signal Use" bumper stickers, as well as "Visualize Whirled Peas".

 

I hope you are kidding. You want him to tell the judge that he was on the phone so that he couldn't turn on the signal? Man, you are looking for more trouble. Everyone knows how dangerous it is talking on the phone while driving.

 

So pay the ticket.

 

Yes.... if your not sure,, the put your directional on and turn.
PAY THE TICKET.

lesson learned?

 

Addressed to all, not the OP in particular. (this morning I used google maps street view to help a farmer plan a wheat harvest, from my desk, having never seen his farm in real life)

You know, one of the problems getting folks to believe your version of the story is that with the Internet, folks can blow holes in your 'facts'

The OP claims the right lane is a Turn Only lane, but post 13 shows that the sign on the left side of the road says it is not a Turn Only lane.

Post 29 tries to defend it that that might not be clear from the right lane, but post 35 clearly shows signs on the right and markings on the road that you can turn right or go straight, so it is clear that the road designers intended going on Grand Central to BE a right turn, and so marked both sides of the road, clearly.

If your Judge has the internet you are doomed, the readily available facts show the claim to be false.

More information available to more people serves all of us who value good information (I can read the installation manual in PDF for my water heater BEFORE I buy it, so wonderful!) but is going to make little white lies harder and harder.

 

We have a situation here in Fair Oaks village where the main road ( the road I am driving on) turns about 85 degrees. No stop, no mandatory right arrow painted on street, no pedestrian crosswalks. My car has total right of way, to turn right or go straight ( one lane) I always put my signal on showing my intention. The traffic in the other direction has a stop sign. My right signal announces my intention to them. They then may turn with more confidence. Not only is it more safe but polite. Most people do not turn on thier signal. If I am going the opposite direction, after stopping at the stop sign, and vehicles don't signal I must assume they are going straight, after they turn right, I then curse them for no signal and make a safe left turn. It makes sense to use your signal. Now in your case, how many right turn lanes were there? Were you in a forced right turn lane? that could change things and you may not HAVE to use your signal. I think the cop was chickens__t !

 

From looking at the street map, it is clear that Home Lawn Street crosses Grand Central Pkwy. Therefore, if you go onto Grand Central Pkwy from Home Lawn Street, it is a 'right turn' even if you in fact go straight ahead. Home Lawn street continues on the other side of Grand Central Pkwy...getting on Grand Central Pkwy is a turn regardless of whether you move your steering wheel or not.

I've been on many roads that make a gentle left curve while if you drove straight ahead you would wind up on another road. This is the same situation...put your turn signal on. Pay the ticket.

 

[ame="http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=41.570188,-87.946216&spn=0.003118,0.005402&t=h&z=18"]Google Maps[/ame]

(not sure how to post a link to a Google map, did I do this right?)

As long as we are discussing "would you signal here?", I'll be interested to hear what people have to say about this intersection. There is a stop sign only for east bound traffic on the south west branch here. When I am at that sign, I typically signal a right turn onto the east branch. My wife has questioned me on this more than once.

The fact that I'm staying in the right hand lane and staying on Chicago Bloomington *Trail* would seem to be in my wife's favor. However, the fact that I am at a stop sight forced to yield to all the other traffic would seem to favor indicating to that other traffic whether I intend to take a sharp left, or gentle right.

In the end I doubt I'd get a ticket for signaling unnecessarily at this intersection, and perhaps signaling could be encouraged as a matter of courtesy or safety, but I'm still curious about the requirements of law.