# Ever got a ticket for this driving infraction? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 29, 2012, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-got-a-ticket-for-this-driving-infraction/642452 "2012-11-29T08:58:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![brad\_d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@brad\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brad_d)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-got-a-ticket-for-this-driving-infraction/642452/41 "2012-11-30T17:17:50Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Left turn > > 3 > 2 > 1 > … > … > …1 2 3 > > numbers are lanes. In a proper safe world imo 1 goes to 1 , 2 goes to 2 , and 3 goes to 3. If the number you are turning into is greater than the number you are turning from the same rule still applies and you change lanes AFTER you make the turn. If lanes 2 and 3 may not turn left at all, which is the situation I thought we were discussing, then I don’t see the issue. I think we disagree, and I’m OK with that. I’ll continue to make my left turns in a manner that is both legal and (in my opinion) safe in my jurisdiction, and I’m sure you’ll do the same. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2012, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-got-a-ticket-for-this-driving-infraction/642452/42 "2012-12-01T04:23:13Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > It isn’t complicated. The OP is talking about turning from left turning lane onto another street, without first going into the leftmost lane. Maybe[this image](http://imgh.us/sdmb-left-turn-illustration.png) will help. The blue dotted line illustrated the “correct” way to do it. The orange dotted line illustrates what the OP is wondering about: does anyone actually get a ticket for driving that way? > > BTW, the [original](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/imageserver/dmv/images/dlhdbk/29a.gif) of that image says that both are acceptable in California. ([context](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/turns.htm)) Okay, after a while I did begin to suspect that’s what the OP meant. But as far as I know there’s no law against that here, and people do it all the time, so… ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2012, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-got-a-ticket-for-this-driving-infraction/642452/43 "2012-12-01T04:36:32Z")
**Blackberry** , it would help to know the city & state where either the driver got ticketed or where your hypothetical situation is located. I don’t think that’s been identified. The laws are likely different by state, and also, the likelihood of being cited / enforced differs based on the location’s population density. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2012, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-got-a-ticket-for-this-driving-infraction/642452/44 "2012-12-01T04:51:16Z")
> [@echo7tango](#): > > **Blackberry** , it would help to know the city & state where either the driver got ticketed or where your hypothetical situation is located. I don’t think that’s been identified. The laws are likely different by state, and also, the likelihood of being cited / enforced differs based on the location’s population density. I live in Seattle. I’m quite sure it’s illegal here, the study guide for the written drivers’ test says not to do it, but not everything they say not to do is actually illegal I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2012, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-got-a-ticket-for-this-driving-infraction/642452/45 "2012-12-01T04:58:05Z")
Must be a slow day for a cop to stop and cite in that safe situation. What a dick. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-got-a-ticket-for-this-driving-infraction/642452.md?page=2)