Topic

Left Turn Into Parking Lot "prohibited U-turn"?

Author: Harmony


Post Reply
Harmony
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 6:25 pm

Left Turn Into Parking Lot "prohibited U-turn"?

Unread post by Harmony »

I received a ticket today from the Hamilton Police. I was northbound on Hwy 6 and turned left to proceed west on Hwy 5 (in Clappison's Corners). I was attempting to get into the Tim Horton's parking lot on the south side of Hwy 5, but there is a boulevard which ends just west of the entrance to the parking lot and a no u-turn sign is posted as well as a no left turn sign. I proceeded another 65 metres down the road past the sign (I measured it on Google Earth), and turned left into a parking lot on the south side of Hwy 5. I turned around in the parking lot (which also had a no u-turn sign posted just before it), went back to the road and turned right to proceed east on Hwy 5. When I pulled into the Tim Horton's parking lot, there was a Hamilton Police officer sitting there who waved me over.


She told me that I was not permitted to make a u-turn and there was signage saying so. I told her that I hadn't pulled a u-turn and she told me that what I did was still prohibited due to the no left turn sign (65 metres ahead of the lot I turned into). She told me "nobody sees the sign and everyone does it. It's like shooting fish in a barrel" :roll: . She then proceeded to give me a ticket for "make prohibited u-turn". She told me that she wrote it up as a By-Law violation instead of the more expensive OHTA violation so that there were no points associated with the ticket and the fine is less expensive.


A couple of questions, if you would be so kind as to give me your input:

1) Does what I did still constitute a "prohibited u-turn" if I left the highway, entered a parking lot, turned around in a parking lot then re-entered the highway?

2) If what I did is NOT a u-turn, then will the fact that the ticket says "prohibited u-turn" work in my favour (since I turned left and did not make a u-turn) if I should choose to fight this in court?

3) I know there are regulations as to where signs must be posted for prohibiting certain types of turns - 65 metres in advance seems a little far to me and I feel like it was more meant for people doing a partial u-turn to enter the Tim Horton's parking lot, not a turn further down the road - does anyone know what the regulation for sign location is for a no left turn sign?


Thanks in advance for any input or advice you can provide! :)

Stanton
High Authority
High Authority
Posts: 2111
Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2011 8:49 pm
Location: Ontario

Posting Awards

Re: Left Turn Into Parking Lot "prohibited U-turn"?

Unread post by Stanton »

From your description I would say you did not make a u-turn.

User avatar
Radar Identified
High Authority
High Authority
Posts: 2881
Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2008 8:26 pm
Location: Toronto

Re: Left Turn Into Parking Lot "prohibited U-turn"?

Unread post by Radar Identified »

Agree with Stanton. A left turn into a parking lot is not a U-turn. If you turn around in the parking lot and turn right on to the roadway, it's still not a U-turn. The U-turn has to occur on the highway (public road)... which, you didn't do, from the sounds of it. You made a left turn on the highway but that's it.

* The above is NOT legal advice. By acting on anything I have said, you assume responsibility for any outcome and consequences. *
http://www.OntarioTicket.com OR http://www.OHTA.ca
Post Reply
  • Similar Topics

Return to “Prohibited turns”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest