5/4 FIGHT YOUR TICKET IN CALIFORNIA
VC § 21453(a). A driver facing a steady circular respectively turning right or left, except at certain in-
red signal alone shall stop at a marked limit line,
but if none, before entering the crosswalk on
the near side of the intersection or, if none, then
before entering the intersection, and shall remain
stopped until an indication to proceed is shown.
Although the elements of this offense are pretty
much the same as those for driving through a stop
sign, more needs to be said about this one because
stoplights have a nasty habit of changing from green
to yellow to red before you know it.
It is not illegal to deliberately drive through a
yellow light. VC § 21452(a) says that a yellow light
means only that traffic facing the light is “warned”
that a red light will soon follow. As long as the front
of your vehicle entered the intersection or passed the
crosswalk or limit line before the light turned red,
you haven’t broken the law. And unless the officer is
sitting right at the intersection on the cross street and
has a view unobstructed by other waiting vehicles,
you’re in a better position than he is to judge that.
Reminder: Never tell the officer who stops you
that it was a really short yellow light. That comes
pretty close to admitting that you did indeed enter
the intersection when the light was red.
B. Improper Turning
(VC §§ 22100–22106)
Since tickets are less frequently handed out for un-
safe turning and related offenses, we’ll briefly cover
the possible infractions and offer a few pointers.
Note: As you read these sections remember that
the term “highway,” as used throughout the Vehicle
Code, means any public road or street (VC § 360).
1. The Turn Itself
You can be cited for failing to make a proper turning
movement, as the following (sub)sections describe.
a. Staying to the Right or Left Edge of the Road
(VC § 22100)
This violation consists of failing to keep as close as
practicable to the right or left edge of the road when
tersections when you’re initially on a one-way street.
VC § 22100. Except as provided in Section 22100.5
or 22101, the driver of a vehicle intending to turn
upon a highway shall do so as follows:
(a) Right Turns. Both the approach for a right-
hand turn and a right-hand turn shall be made
as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or
edge of the roadway…[except at certain unusual
intersections].
(b) Left Turns. The approach for a left turn shall
be made as close as practicable to the left-hand
edge of the extreme left-hand lane or portion of
the roadway lawfully available to traffic moving
in the direction of travel of such vehicle, and,
when turning at an intersection, the left turn
shall not be made before entering the intersection.
After entering the intersection, the left turn shall
be made so as to leave the intersection in a lane
lawfully available to traffic moving in such direc-
tion upon the roadway being entered…[except
at other unusual intersections].
Though you should read the entire code section
if you’re cited for this, a key element is usually the
phrase “as close as practicable.” Local conditions at
the time (such as bike riders several feet out from the
curb) may make “as practicable” pretty far away from
the curb.
b. Turns Prohibited by Signs or Marked Lanes
(VC § 22101)
VC § 22101(a). The Department of Transportation
or local authorities, in respect to highways under
their respective jurisdictions, may cause official
traffic control devices to be placed or erected
within or adjacent to intersections to regulate or
prohibit turning movements at such intersections.
(b). When turning movements are required at an
intersection, notice of such requirement shall be
given by erection of a sign, unless an additional
clearly-marked traffic lane is provided for the
approach to the turning movement, in which
event notice as applicable to such additional