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No Left Turn Signage, but Intersection Has Left Turn Light with No Posted Restriction

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  • 06-01-2015, 09:26 AM
    jmarus
    No Left Turn Signage, but Intersection Has Left Turn Light with No Posted Restriction
    My question involves a traffic ticket from the state of: Michigan. City of Taylor.
    When exiting I94 West onto Ecorse Rd. Exit 200, the ramp merges onto Ecorse Westbound. On the ramp, the is No Left Turn signage on each side of the road. The top sign is the typical "no left turn" symbol and the sign right below it reads "At Inkster" (Inkster Rd. is the first intersection once you are on Ecorse Rd. That interstection is 1/4 from the signs) Still on the ramp, just following those two signs is one "no left turn" symbol sign (which is to let you know that you cannot make a left on Ecorse Rd., but rather can only merge onto traffic flowing westbound). When you get to the intersection at Inkster Rd., there is a Left Turn Lane with a Left Turn Light, with no posted restrictions for making a left turn.
    When I came upon this stretch of road for the first time ever, I somehow missed seeing the "No Left Turn symbol""At Inkster" signage, and easily and safely was able to make a left turn 1/4 mile down the road at Inkster Rd. The officer (which I saw approaching me even before I made the left turn) pulled me over immediately after I made the left turn at Inkster Rd.
    My first question is: Is the signage adequate to instruct a motorist that only exiting highway traffic (and not westboud Ecorse Rd traffic) can't make a left hand turn at Inkster Rd?
    My second question: The officer reduced the offense to Impeding Traffic, with a note on the citation of the actual offense. When I called the court, I asked if I could accept responsibility with explanation, to try to see if I could explain how the signage is confusing and perhaps get the citation dismissed or fine lessened. The lady on the phone told me that Impeding Traffic carries no Points with it, and if I set-up an informal hearing it is possible that the actual offense of Prohibited Turn (which carries Points) could be enforced. Is this true?
  • 06-01-2015, 10:32 AM
    JH-Engr
    Re: No Left Turn Signage, but Intersection Has Left Turn Light with No Posted Restric
    http://i57.tinypic.com/6dv6o8.jpg

    Signage is adequate.

    It looks like they are restricting left turns from the ramp because of the short distance to merge over 3 lanes. Most likely there have been accidents there.
  • 06-01-2015, 11:08 AM
    jmarus
    Re: No Left Turn Signage, but Intersection Has Left Turn Light with No Posted Restric
    Quote:

    Quoting JH-Engr
    View Post
    http://i57.tinypic.com/6dv6o8.jpg

    Signage is adequate.

    It looks like they are restricting left turns from the ramp because of the short distance to merge over 3 lanes. Most likely there have been accidents there.

    It just seems like there should be additional signage at the intersection. Perhaps "No Left Turn for vehicles exiting highway". Having never been through that area, I either did NOT see the signage at all....or I saw it and processed it as No Left Turn on Ecorse Rd. because the merge onto Ecorse Rd. was coming up. The smaller "No left Turn" about 30 yards or so after these two signs probably wrongly reinforced what I thought I saw in the first two signs. Officer did indicate that the signs are there because of the need to cross the lanes of traffic. I however proved that it can be easily and safely done due to the fact that there was light to now traffic when I came thru that area.
    Regarding my second question.....If I admit responsibility and explain my reasons for making the left turn at an informal hearing in hopes of getting the citation dismissed or reduced, can they decide to change the citation to Prohibited Turn rather than the Impeding Traffic that I was cited for? Thanks again.
  • 06-01-2015, 07:23 PM
    Speedy Gonzalez
    Re: No Left Turn Signage, but Intersection Has Left Turn Light with No Posted Restric
    It appears to be less than 200 feet between the end of the merge gore point and the beginning of the left turn lane. You must have had at least that much distance to have legally changed two lanes to the left, which is likely why the sign exists (that and the mention of possible accidents in that location in the past). Is the sign in a shitty spot? Yup. Does it suck that it was put that far back up the road? Yup. But, you missing the sign doesn't constitute a defense to having disobeyed a regulatory sign.

    The reason there is no other sign is because it is legal for traffic traveling West on Ecorse Road to turn left at Inkster Road.
  • 06-03-2015, 04:39 AM
    jmarus
    Re: No Left Turn Signage, but Intersection Has Left Turn Light with No Posted Restric
    Quote:

    Quoting Speedy Gonzalez
    View Post
    It appears to be less than 200 feet between the end of the merge gore point and the beginning of the left turn lane. You must have had at least that much distance to have legally changed two lanes to the left, which is likely why the sign exists (that and the mention of possible accidents in that location in the past). Is the sign in a shitty spot? Yup. Does it suck that it was put that far back up the road? Yup. But, you missing the sign doesn't constitute a defense to having disobeyed a regulatory sign.

    The reason there is no other sign is because it is legal for traffic traveling West on Ecorse Road to turn left at Inkster Road.

    Well I would've had to of seen the signs and processed them in my brain to have actually disobeyed the signs. LOL Yes, the signs are in a shitty spot. Well...good for them to take advantage of an area with poor signage to hand out tickets and boost their bank account.
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