Cited for Crossing Double Yellow Lines, CVC 21460(A)

[gsmith440]

My question involves a traffic ticket from the state of: California

I was driving east bound in the left hand lane. Needing to make a left hand turn I proceeded to move into the left turn lane, following the driver in front of me and moving with the flow of traffic. Hitting a minor and sudden traffic halt, and I was unwittingly stopped over the double yellow line, which put a portion of my car in the west bound left turn lane (per the notice I got "stuck behind stopped cars"). It was such a small portion of my car that I wasn’t aware of having crossed any yellow lines. I was simply being courteous to the drivers around me by moving with the flow of traffic, avoiding any congestion or gridlock in the left hand east bound lane while also keeping the west bound left turn lane open for any drivers that may have needed to use it. The officer even went so far as to compliment my driving skills, minus the infraction, when he pulled me over.

Is there anything I can say in my written declaration that could help rule in my favor? This is an infraction that I see at just about every intersection, but for some reason I was the one picked out of the crowd.

[Mr. Knowitall]

I'm not clear on what happened. Are you stating that you were following the car in front of you so closely that, when traffic backed up, you had to cross the double yellow to avoid a collision?

[M3 Pete]

Funny, in December I called and emailed three police departments about a frequent backup at an intersection in Santa Monica (PCH and California Incline), where I have been honked at, sworn at, etc. for my refusing to move into the oncoming turn lane rather than stop in a traffic lane on a busy highway.

THe people who move into the oncoming turn lane are out of the traffic lanes, but are blocking anyone wishing to turn left from the opposite direction, which is what you describe you did (partially, anyway).

Nobody answered in writing, and the cop who finally did call me could not give me a definite answer. He didn't want to tell me it was alright to use the oncoming turn lane, but to use my best judgment, whatever that means. I guess what it really means is that a cop can write you up for it if they want to, and you don't have any grounds to stand on.

[Mei]

I just went through the same exact scenerio with merging into a protected left-turn lane too early and crossing the double-yellow line that led into it.

gsmith440, have you tried fighting it? How was your outcome?