Signaling in a turn lane

[6th Gear]

Is it a moving violation not to signal when turning in a decated turn only lane? If not is there a vc # or something to use? A couple of days ago I was on my motard on Saratoga Ave turning right onto 280S when there were about 5 cops there pulling people over. He pointed to pull me over. As he came over I asked why he pulled me over. He told me I didnt signal when turning?? I told him I didnt think I had to. then he got defensive so I back off I didnt want any trouble. He check my licence registeration and insurance. Told me my front blinkers were illegal (I already knew that. I crashed while dirtriding the bike and installed those because they were cheap and available) So overall did I do something wrong by not signaling or do you think he just wanted to check things out? He let me go, with a warning

[JackTheTripper]

Turning Movements and Required Signals

22107. No person shall turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway until such movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after the giving of an appropriate signal in the manner provided in this chapter in the event any other vehicle may be affected by the movement.

Amended Ch. 1996, Stats. 1959. Effective September 18, 1959.

[Razel]

Originally posted by JackTheTripper
Turning Movements and Required Signals

22107. No person shall turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway until such movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after the giving of an appropriate signal in the manner provided in this chapter in the event any other vehicle may be affected by the movement.

Amended Ch. 1996, Stats. 1959. Effective September 18, 1959. Doesn't that relate to making turns onto intersecting streets and lane changes? I think the original question was related to a dedicated lane that's going off to a different direction, a lane you are not getting out of to complete your direction change. Kind of like you're not turning, you're following the road...

[6th Gear]

Originally posted by Razel
Doesn't that relate to making turns onto intersecting streets and lane changes? I think the original question was related to a dedicated lane that's going off to a different direction, a lane you are not getting out of to complete your direction change. Kind of like you're not turning, you're following the road...
Exactly....what is the rulling on this?

[JackTheTripper]

I took it to mean "any time you're changing your direction" whether it be changing lanes, turning onto or off of a road way (say, to/from a drive way) or moving from one roadway to another.

[wilit]

FWIW, my mom got a ticket for not signaling in a left hand protected turn lane. The cop wrote up the violation as the one JackTheTripper posted.

[Brash47]

No no no. You do not have to signal a turn, if you are in a turn lane making the required turn.

Read the bottom of that section...where it says "In the event any other vehicle may be effected by the movement."

I say this is right because the Alameda County District Attorney himself (back in 1993) gave me a verbal slap to the face for doing that very thing.

I was watching an intersection. The car was in the left turn lane that was clearly marked by a left turn arrow on the ground. The car turned without signaling. I stopped the car for not signaling, got consent to search the car (where I found a police scanner, 2 guys wearing bullet proof vests, and 1 loaded gun in the glove box), and arrested the owner of the car (since no one claimed ownership of the gun.

I lost that case because the DA told me point blank....no other vehicle was going to be effected by that move. The arrow is clearly on the ground, every other driver should already know that, because you are supposed to see traffic signage.

Every person driving a car there should reasonably assume that you are going to obey the law and make that turn. The only way other vehicles would have been effected would have been if the car DIDN'T turn.

I hope that helps. If you ever get a ticket for that, fight that till the end, due to the relevence of the last sentence in that section.

brash

[deaconblues]

Brash: feel better, brah, at least you fucked up somebody's nefarious plans for the day. Maybe even the week.

(note to self - ask if having a scanner in a vehicle is legal in this state - had one in Washington, don't have it anymore, someone ripped it off....)

U-tuns should still be signalled, tho, right? because the protected turn 'lane' doesn't extend that way?

[6th Gear]

Originally posted by Brash47
No no no. You do not have to signal a turn, if you are in a turn lane making the required turn.

Read the bottom of that section...where it says "In the event any other vehicle may be effected by the movement."

I say this is right because the Alameda County District Attorney himself (back in 1993) gave me a verbal slap to the face for doing that very thing.

I was watching an intersection. The car was in the left turn lane that was clearly marked by a left turn arrow on the ground. The car turned without signaling. I stopped the car for not signaling, got consent to search the car (where I found a police scanner, 2 guys wearing bullet proof vests, and 1 loaded gun in the glove box), and arrested the owner of the car (since no one claimed ownership of the gun.

I lost that case because the DA told me point blank....no other vehicle was going to be effected by that move. The arrow is clearly on the ground, every other driver should already know that, because you are supposed to see traffic signage.

Every person driving a car there should reasonably assume that you are going to obey the law and make that turn. The only way other vehicles would have been effected would have been if the car DIDN'T turn.

I hope that helps. If you ever get a ticket for that, fight that till the end, due to the relevence of the last sentence in that section.

brash
Thats what I figured....thanks Brash!

[Brash47]

Just as a safe measure, I still signal all turns....especially that u-turn!

Guys, although the info I gave you is the correct information, there are cops out there, including myself that don't know all there is to know about the Veh. Code. It's a big book.

Don't rub the information in the cops face...thereby making him mad and getting you a ticket. Just politely ask...Hey, my understanding about that section was that the turn has to effect other drivers. If it is a clear turn lane, marked, and all other driver's should reasonably know you are turning, is it really effecting other drivers?

It may make the guy think, but just be polite. If you get the ticket, come to court with a copy of the Veh. Code and read the code to the judge. He might get annoyed, but you are showing evidence that you know that code and were meeting the requirements of the code.

Case law in california has shown that all drivers are expected to follow the vehicle code and ALL DRIVERS AROUND YOU are expected to follow the vehicle code. When those other driver's don't, the blame is on them, not you.

brash

[JackTheTripper]

So that explains it for a left. But how about for a right. If I'm making a right hand turn on a red doesn't that affect other traffic? Say oncoming traffic turning left onto the same roadway I'm about to turn onto? Or cross traffic? Or even pedestrians?

[Brash47]

Yes, you need to signal that turn. It does effect traffic if they are turning on a left hand turn signal and you make that turn after stopping at your red. It is effecting other traffic.

It is effecting the cars behind you and in front of you.

brash

[deaconblues]

if the right turn is dedicated AND signalled (contra costa and monument, pleasant hill, for an example) then the same provisios apply.

same for a lot of freeway exit ramps - the right hand lane is often a turn-only lane with a signal.

and yeah, it's not like you'd get a ticket for using the turn signal, unless you failed to turn the way you were indicating...

[arnoha]

Originally posted by JackTheTripper
So that explains it for a left. But how about for a right. If I'm making a right hand turn on a red doesn't that affect other traffic? Say oncoming traffic turning left onto the same roadway I'm about to turn onto? Or cross traffic? Or even pedestrians?

The explanation I once got for this (I think it was from a Mr. Roadshow column in the Merc) was that you don't need to use the signal if no one is there to see it. However...if the cop saw it...he was obviously there to see it and be affected! One of those odd instances where it really is legal if no one sees you. :laughing