Ticket for Failure to Yield While Turning Left

[Mr.J]

My question involves traffic court in the State of: Louisiana

OK i was at an intersection and the light was red i go this way every day when i leave work and when the light turns greens the left turn signal usually comes up also but this night it didnt but the traffic across from me were still stopped so i looked up and they had the red light so when i started to make my turn there light turned green it didnt even come close to an accident and i was pulled over for failure to yield while turning left i informed the officer that i go this was everyday something must be wrong with the traffic and he may want to go check it out and report it. He told me that it wasnt his job and that i should video it and bring it to court.

So i went back to the traffic light and video taped it and it clealy shows there was a malfunction with the traffic light so i went back to show the officer the video and he refused to look at it so i asked if there is somone he could notify of this so an accident would't occur and he told me its not his job and that i should call the city tomorrow. What are my chances of bringing a written statement and the video of the malfunction of the traffic lights and beating this in court. And should i take it to trial if they say the evidence is cant be used in court.

[That Guy]

My question involves traffic court in the State of: Louisiana

OK i was at an intersection and the light was red i go this way every day when i leave work and when the light turns greens the left turn signal usually comes up also but this night it didnt but the traffic across from me were still stopped so i looked up and they had the red light so when i started to make my turn there light turned green it didnt even come close to an accident and i was pulled over for failure to yield while turning left i informed the officer that i go this was everyday something must be wrong with the traffic and he may want to go check it out and report it. He told me that it wasnt his job and that i should video it and bring it to court.

So i went back to the traffic light and video taped it and it clealy shows there was a malfunction with the traffic light so i went back to show the officer the video and he refused to look at it so i asked if there is somone he could notify of this so an accident would't occur and he told me its not his job and that i should call the city tomorrow. What are my chances of bringing a written statement and the video of the malfunction of the traffic lights and beating this in court. And should i take it to trial if they say the evidence is cant be used in court.

Let me see if I understand this correctly... You were stopped -in the left turn lane- facing a red circular light. Usually, the light changes to green and it also has an additional green arrow indication showing, meaning if you have a green arrow, you have the right of way and traffic approaching from the opposite direction has a red signal. BUT, when that traffic light only shows a circular green, without the green arrow, that means that vehicles turning left (from your lane), must yield to oncoming traffic.

You, and since you usually get the green arrow, and even though it did not come up this time, only the circular green indication was showing, you still decided to make your left turn without yielding!

Am I close?

He told me that it wasnt his job and that i should video it and bring it to court.

Then you should do that...

What are my chances of bringing a written statement and the video of the malfunction of the traffic lights and beating this in court.

First you have to establish that there was in fact, a malfunction. Traffic signals can be programmed to operate based on traffic volumes from each direction, or they could be set up in a way to run the same identical set of cycles all day; or a combination of the two based on the time of day/night. If it behaved differently this time, it could be because it was programmed to run that way because traffic patterns and volumes were different that night...

I don't know what the office saw that you only had a green circular light/without a green arrow, whee he was located at the time... etc. Those would be other areas that you might want to consider.

At the end of the day, if thee is no malfunction, and the office saw the green circular, there isn't much to say or do that will favor your case. It bils down to you having a circular geen and you railing to yield as required.

Is this the code section you were cited for?

Chapter 32 §122. Vehicle turning left at intersection
The driver of a vehicle within an intersection intending to turn to the left shall yield the right of way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction which are within the intersection or so close thereto as to constitute an immediate hazard.

Acts 1962, No. 310, §1.

And here is the section regulating actions during different traffic signal indications:

Chapter 32 §232. Traffic-control signals

Whenever traffic is controlled by traffic-control signals exhibiting different colored lights, or colored lighted arrows, successively one at a time or in combination, only the colors green, red, and yellow shall be used, except for special pedestrian signals carrying a word legend, and said lights shall indicate and apply to drivers of vehicles and pedestrians as follows:

(1) GREEN indication:

(a) Vehicular traffic facing a circular green signal may proceed straight through or turn right or left unless a sign at such place prohibits either such turn. But vehicular traffic, including vehicles turning right or left, shall stop and yield the right-of-way to other vehicles and to pedestrians lawfully within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk at the time such signal is exhibited.

(b) Vehicular traffic facing a green arrow signal, shown alone or in combination with another indication, may cautiously enter the intersection only to make the movement indicated by such arrow, or such other movement as is permitted by other indications shown at the same time. Such vehicular traffic shall stop and yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.

(c) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal as provided in R.S. 32:233, pedestrians facing any green signal, except when the sole green signal is a turn arrow, may proceed across the roadway within any marked or unmarked crosswalk.

(2) Steady YELLOW indication:

(a) Vehicular traffic facing a steady yellow signal alone is thereby warned that the related green signal is being terminated or that a red signal will be exhibited immediately thereafter and such vehicular traffic shall not enter or be crossing the intersection when the red signal is exhibited.

(b) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal as provided in R.S. 32:233 a pedestrian facing a steady yellow signal is thereby advised that there is insufficient time to cross the roadway before a red signal is exhibited and no pedestrian shall then start to cross the roadway.

(3) Steady RED indication:

(a) Vehicular traffic facing a steady circular red signal alone shall stop at a clearly marked stop line, or if none, then before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, or if none, then before entering the intersection, and shall remain standing until an indication to proceed is shown except as provided in Subparagraph (c) of this Paragraph.

(b) Vehicular traffic facing a steady red arrow signal shall not enter the intersection to make the movement indicated by the arrow and, unless entering the intersection to make a movement permitted by another signal, shall stop at a clearly marked stop line, or if none, then before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, or if none, then before entering the intersection, and shall remain standing until an indication permitting the movement indicated by such red arrow is shown except as provided in Subparagraph (c) of this Paragraph.

(c) Except when a sign prohibits a turn, vehicular traffic facing any steady red signal may cautiously enter the intersection to turn right, or to turn left from a one-way street into a one-way street, after stopping as required by Subparagraph (a) or Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph. Such vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.

(d) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian-control signal as provided in R.S. 32:233, a pedestrian facing a steady circular red or red arrow signal shall not enter the roadway.

(4) In the event an official traffic-control signal is erected and maintained at a place other than an intersection, the provisions of this Section shall be applicable except as to those provisions which by their nature can have no application. Any stop required shall be made at a sign or marking on the pavement indicating where the stop shall be made, but in the absence of any such sign or marking, the stop shall be made at the signal.

Acts 1962, No. 310, §1. Amended by Acts 1976, No. 152, §1; Acts 1978, No. 551, §1; Acts 2011, No. 244, §1.

[Mr.J]

Yea win it turned green i never went because i seen that the arrow didnt show up and the traffic across for me was stopped 2 so i looked up and they had the red light so i went and there light turned green as i was turning and they started going too despite the fact that my car was already in mid turn i guess the officer only seen that they had the green light and i was turning left