Illegal U Turn Made by Crossing 2 Double Yellow Lines

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

I was driving the other day in an unknown territory, going 23 North from the 101. Instead of continuing on 118 East, I accidentally took 118 West and was going in the wrong direction. It appears that 188 West becomes a local road. Since it was dark, I saw a middle lane with two yellow lines (at first I thought the inside lines were not a solid lines) and made a safe U turn since the road was very wide. I received a ticket for making this U turn by crossing two solid yellow lines. As you can see in my map, I did cross that, at first I thought it was the regular middle lane. Can you please advise me what I can do? I have a court date 4 weeks from now.

The violation is: 21651(a)(1) vc drove across center divider (although there was no physical center divider)

Here is a link to view the road and the U turn I made: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B76...nVnaHZtOFk2RWc

[IMG]C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Misc\traffic_map.jpeg[/IMG]

What you can do... you can consider traffic school, you can file a TBWD with whatever you believe to be an offense or merely to plead not guilty and hope that the officer doesn't respond, you can request a hearing, you can attempt to negotiate with the prosecutor....

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Quoting ajay7728

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Here is a link to view the road and the U turn I made: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B76...nVnaHZtOFk2RWc

[IMG]C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Misc\traffic_map.jpeg[/IMG]

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A link to a map need not be part of a Google docs document that requires a password to access. Simply provide the maps link to the location where you made the u-turn.

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Quote:

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Quoting ajay7728

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

I was driving the other day in an unknown territory, going 23 North from the 101. Instead of continuing on 118 East, I accidentally took 118 West and was going in the wrong direction. It appears that 188 West becomes a local road. Since it was dark, I saw a middle lane with two yellow lines (at first I thought the inside lines were not a solid lines) and made a safe U turn since the road was very wide. I received a ticket for making this U turn by crossing two solid yellow lines. As you can see in my map, I did cross that, at first I thought it was the regular middle lane. Can you please advise me what I can do? I have a court date 4 weeks from now.

The violation is: 21651(a)(1) vc drove across center divider (although there was no physical center divider)

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CVC 21651.

(a) Whenever a highway has been divided into two or more roadways by means of intermittent barriers or by means of a dividing section of not less than two feet in width, either unpaved or delineated by curbs, double-parallel lines, or other markings on the roadway, it is unlawful to do either of the following:

(1) To drive any vehicle over, upon, or across the dividing section.

There need not be a physical center divider. The code clearly qualifies a section delineated by double parallel lines (or markings on the roadway) as a means to dividers. And so it appears from your description (... "I saw a middle lane with two yellow lines (at first I thought the inside lines were not a solid lines)"...) that there were two double solid parallel lines... And so you were in fact, in violation.

It being "dark" is not a valid excuse, presumably your headlights were on... It being unfamiliar territory is meaningless as well since this code section provides a general description that applies anywhere...

Your best option would be to plead guilty, request a fine reduction and take traffic school.

Based on the picture you posted, you're boned.