OHTA.ca

Hello everyone;

I just got a ticket for improper right turn . it happens on HY403 and Eglinton - Mississauga.

I'm from London,ON, the cop did not ask any questions and he came back with a ticket and he said "you are from London,ON!" I said yes. Then he said something I did not understand but then he said "you might be lucky".

Dose this mean I could go back to London court and Plea not guilty? then because it is far there is a chance the cop will not show up ?

Can someone tell???

Thanks

You have to attend court in the jurisdiction where the offence occured.

The cop likely said something like "you should file option #3 and attend court, ..... you might get lucky" When people hear this they usually think what did he mean by that? maybe he doesn't plan to show up. Actually as far as I know cops are paid to attend court and possibly will get overtime. Thats not to say that the police always show, you might get lucky.

Please explain exactly what happened for you to get the ticket. Perhaps someone here may be able to help you with a defence. Remember just because a police officer gives you a ticket does not mean your guilty.

Let me guess: you exited on Eglinton but traffic was severely backed-up. You decided to go arround it and made a turn from a lane that was intended for a left turn. Officer was right there at the center lane waiting.....

Traffic Law wrote:Let me guess: you exited on Eglinton but traffic was severely backed-up. You decided to go arround it and made a turn from a lane that was intended for a left turn. Officer was right there at the center lane waiting.....

yep you are right. Do you know if there is any way I can get a way with it ? maybe take off the points??

I really don't want my insurance to increase. Please help.

Thanks

Get away with it? Only if the officer does not show up for trial. Peel Region Police are normally pretty good with attending court dates. You could try to plea-bargain down to a municipal by-law infraction, depending on the Prosecutor. That would prevent an insurance increase, because they look at your driver record. Municipal offences don't go on your driver record. As for demerit points, there are only two ways to avoid them when you are charged with an HTA offence:

1. Get the charge dismissed, stayed or be found not guilty (no conviction)

2. Plead guilty to an offence that does not carry demerit points

Demerit points are automatically tacked on to your record by MTO. The courts have no control over them.

I was caught at the same location last week.

What I don't understand about the supposed transgression at this location is that there is no posted sign specifically preventing the turn. The only sign a left turn arrow on the roadway itself before the intersection.

Is this grounds for a ticket? I was in the right lane and made the turn safely on a green light, so I fail to see the "danger" that I created, although I do understand that this is not the indicated lane for turning right. I hope someone can explain this to me.

And now a bit of a rant: What really bothers me about this type of ticket at this spot is that the officer knows that drivers get frustrasted at the long lineup to turn in the indicated lane. I don't mind waiting in line, but it really gets my goat that there are hoards of rude drivers that run up the left turn lane and then want to cut into the right turn lane - this is brutally bad and rude and should only be the exception for drivers that don't know the area. I find it more proper to turn as I did than cut into somone that has courteously been waiting in the the turn lane. The police know this and the officer should be standing out on the island in the intersection ticketing those people or forcing them to continue on the left lane and learn their lesson.

santost wrote:The only sign a left turn arrow on the roadway itself before the intersection.

If there was no sign, the charge would be "disobey lane marking."

Do you think can i can get it dismissed since the ticket quotes section 141.2?

Thanks

Radar Identified wrote:

santost wrote:The only sign a left turn arrow on the roadway itself before the intersection.

If there was no sign, the charge would be "disobey lane marking."

Just google mapped this intersection....there is painted arrows on 2 lanes to go left, and the other lane arrow painted to go right x 2. PLUS there is a sign posted with the same lane indicators as the painted arrows x 2. Totalling 4 notifications per lane indicating specifically a left or right turn.

Thanks for pointing out the 4 signs but I don't agree with you that the posted signs are for Hwy exiting traffic. The two one way arrows are for the Eglinton east and westbound drivers, so that the don't enter the exit ramp - that's the use of one way signs.

In the google map you can see "proper" no-turn signs on the light posts for the Eglinton eastbound traffic. That would be the right sign to use for the 403 exiting traffic if a right turn is a violation - there should be no doubt in a drivers mind.

hwybear wrote:Just google mapped this intersection....there is painted arrows on 2 lanes to go left, and the other lane arrow painted to go right x 2. PLUS there is a sign posted with the same lane indicators as the painted arrows x 2. Totalling 4 notifications per lane indicating specifically a left or right turn.

santost wrote:Thanks for pointing out the 4 signs but I don't agree with you that the posted signs are for Hwy exiting traffic. The two one way arrows are for the Eglinton east and westbound drivers, so that the don't enter the exit ramp - that's the use of one way signs.

In the google map you can see "proper" no-turn signs on the light posts for the Eglinton eastbound traffic. That would be the right sign to use for the 403 exiting traffic if a right turn is a violation - there should be no doubt in a drivers mind.

hwybear wrote:Just google mapped this intersection....there is painted arrows on 2 lanes to go left, and the other lane arrow painted to go right x 2. PLUS there is a sign posted with the same lane indicators as the painted arrows x 2. Totalling 4 notifications per lane indicating specifically a left or right turn.

Signs and paint I saw on google map is for traffic leaving Hwy 403 onto Eglinton

I got a ticket there to and I go to court in April.

Im from out of town also and did not understand why the back up or what the lane usage is as most of the 403 and 410 ramps all have a middle lane that gives the option of right or left turn, when I got closer I realized I had to move over but no one would let me in.

I decided to turn left instead and perhaps find a spot to flip a U turn as I dont know the are well enough to find an alternate route.

My light was red so as I waited I looked to my right and couldnt really see why the traffic was backed up, I looked ahead and the traffic seemed to be moving fine at the next light. I looked up and I saw a sign that clearly stated Eglinton Ave west with an arrow pointing to the right and East pointing to the left. At this point I am in the right lane as there is an island on my right. So now Im thinking is it legal to turn right from here or not? There is absolutely no signage that says "no right turn" just a direction sign saying if you want Eglinton west turn right and that sign is staring at me in the face, that sign can not be read from the other right turn lane or ramp so whom is it there for?

So when the light turned green I went right instead.

Sure enough there was a Peel Officer and he waved me over to the middle of the road. This is one of those times I wish I had a smart phone and because of this guy I went out and got one. If only I could have taken his photo or video.

First off he was wearing his regular uniform and no reflective vest as he was jumping out in front of traffic, the middle lane where he had me park was too narrow and twice I thought someone was going to hit me as cars sped by on my left side. He had three of us pulled over at the same time and he was pleased as punch with himself. When he got around to me he had a huge smirk on his face, I started to tell him about the signage but he just said with a huge grin "youre going to get a ticket" and walked away my papers. His car was black and unmarked and he did not have any lights on he was in and out of his car a few times and a car almost hit his door once.

While I was sitting there for about 25 minutes I noticed that the biggest reason for the back up at that intersection was him. Everyone was slowing down to a crawl not knowing what was going on with 4 cars pulled into the middle lane and some not very straight and sticking out into traffic a little. And him dancing around with no vest on walking in around all the cars, I was in disbelief and when he came to give me my ticket I told him I would see him in court.

Its one thing to give someone a ticket for being unsafe, it is another to screw over hard working people and enjoying yourself doing it.

As I was putting my papers away I looked up and he was standing in the west bound passing lane putting on his reflective vest. Someone must have said something to him or almost loosing his door woke him up.

I ordered a new smart phone the next day, incase that happens to me again.

I am 55 years old and hold a class AZ drivers license, I can not afford the points or the charge on my license, I have met hundreds of police officers in my years but this guy is one of the few that gives the rest a bad name with the public. From what I have been reading there is a real problem with that intersection and the city should be looking to solve not make it worse and make money from it.