Is A Left Turn Legal From Right Lane At A T-Intersection in NY?

by **jasper** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 4:06 pm

I just received a ticket for this today, but I'm questioning it. There are no signs or street paint posted to say you can't, and the entire flow of traffic makes a left turn from the right lane.
It is a two-way street, but it's at a t-intersection. You can go left or right, but not straight. There is a traffic light there, and there are two lanes (each way) for traffic to use after making the turn.
The Bronx street is heavily used, with 95% of all traffic in the right lane making the same left turn I did.
As I was getting my ticket along with two others, maybe 50 cars made the same turn. I have been taking this way to work for over 2 years now, and have never seen this enforced previously.
NYS law states to keep right at all times, until making a left. The left turn comes after a 90 degree bend in the road, and you can't even see a left coming up.
Is this something I could fight in court?

by **culley96** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 4:09 pm

The cop was correct. In any state the only legal left turn is either from the left lane or center lane, AND there is a sign with two arrows, one pointing left and the other straight.
Being in NY, I am sure that the practice you did has been going on for years but the cops seldom enforced it.
Seeing other cars doing the same as you were being ticketed means they were wrong also. However the cop can only stop/catch so many at one time.
It is the same as being caught/pulled over in a speed trap. Other vehicles are speeding as you are waiting for your ticket. The cop can only ticket so many at a time. However, if he sees someone really going super fast, he/they will often leave you and chase that one. Because it is more endangering lives than you were.

by **newyddilyn60** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 4:24 pm

maybe there was a green arrow for left turns that you didn't see
what exactly did the ticket state?
illegal left turn, failure to keep rt.? ect

by **leland** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 4:33 pm

You made your left turn from the far right lane of your two lane hwy? That would be a violation you need to be in the left lane of your two lane hwy.

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