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.
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…
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.