atlantacommuter
New Member
Is it legal to warn other motorists in Midtown Atlanta, GA of Atlanta Police Department officers that are taking advantage of poorly placed traffic signs, and stopping a que of cars to write failure to obey a traffic signal device tickets? What would be legally permissible for a concerned and vigilant civilian to do to alert these motorists of the Atlanta Police Department actions? I have provided more background below.
Many drivers were pulled over by the Atlanta Police Department at the intersection of 17th Street and Peachtree Street NE for failure to make a right or left turn on June 21, 2011. The issue is that the signage making going straight illegal is placed so that most drivers have a difficult time viewing and reacting to it, especially with high traffic volume.
A photo would be worth a thousand words to describe the layout of the signage that I referred to above. I will do my best to make this clear. There are three traffic signs in each of the two lanes in question. None of these signs are visible when you are at a complete stop at the intersection. The two lanes in questions have a left turn arrow and right turn arrow with the word only painted on the left lane and right lanes respectively. These painted lane signs are typically obstructed by other vehicles. On the traffic light closest to the stopped traffic there are two signs above each lane. Two of the signs state the same verbiage as what is painted on the lane. There are also two additional signs above each lane showing a straight arrow with a circle and a cross to signify that going straight is illegal. These signs I believe were just added, and getting most people. Given the setup of the road and traffic signs, most drivers are not seeing this signage making going straight illegal and are falling victim to police traffic enforcement actions.
I think that the city of Atlanta is being unfair to motorists with its signage. I also believe, but I cannot confirm, that they recently added a sign with a red circle and slash on straight arrow; before they only had the black and white right and left turn only signs. This black and white right and left turn only signage does not indicate to the average motorist that going straight is illegal.
The Atlanta Police Department is aware of the poorly placed signage, and is entrapping motorists. I personally witnessed two Atlanta police officers on motorcycles write about 20 citations in the hour that I was present on June 21, 2011. If the city of Atlanta clearly wanted motorist to obey the signage laws they would place the signs on the far side of the intersection and make it more clear that going straight was illegal, or place a barrier to make 17th Street inaccessible from Peachtree Street NE.
So could a person stand at the corner dressed up as something unusual, like the "Statue of Liberty," with a whistle and a large sign that would catch motorist's attention? It would notify them of the traffic rules and help them avoid a ~$200 ticket in Fulton County for failure to obey a traffic signal device.
I have a feeling that if nothing is done, the Atlanta Police Department will be setting up a daily traffic enforcement sting operation at the above mentioned intersection because it is lucrative for them to do so.
Many drivers were pulled over by the Atlanta Police Department at the intersection of 17th Street and Peachtree Street NE for failure to make a right or left turn on June 21, 2011. The issue is that the signage making going straight illegal is placed so that most drivers have a difficult time viewing and reacting to it, especially with high traffic volume.
A photo would be worth a thousand words to describe the layout of the signage that I referred to above. I will do my best to make this clear. There are three traffic signs in each of the two lanes in question. None of these signs are visible when you are at a complete stop at the intersection. The two lanes in questions have a left turn arrow and right turn arrow with the word only painted on the left lane and right lanes respectively. These painted lane signs are typically obstructed by other vehicles. On the traffic light closest to the stopped traffic there are two signs above each lane. Two of the signs state the same verbiage as what is painted on the lane. There are also two additional signs above each lane showing a straight arrow with a circle and a cross to signify that going straight is illegal. These signs I believe were just added, and getting most people. Given the setup of the road and traffic signs, most drivers are not seeing this signage making going straight illegal and are falling victim to police traffic enforcement actions.
I think that the city of Atlanta is being unfair to motorists with its signage. I also believe, but I cannot confirm, that they recently added a sign with a red circle and slash on straight arrow; before they only had the black and white right and left turn only signs. This black and white right and left turn only signage does not indicate to the average motorist that going straight is illegal.
The Atlanta Police Department is aware of the poorly placed signage, and is entrapping motorists. I personally witnessed two Atlanta police officers on motorcycles write about 20 citations in the hour that I was present on June 21, 2011. If the city of Atlanta clearly wanted motorist to obey the signage laws they would place the signs on the far side of the intersection and make it more clear that going straight was illegal, or place a barrier to make 17th Street inaccessible from Peachtree Street NE.
So could a person stand at the corner dressed up as something unusual, like the "Statue of Liberty," with a whistle and a large sign that would catch motorist's attention? It would notify them of the traffic rules and help them avoid a ~$200 ticket in Fulton County for failure to obey a traffic signal device.
I have a feeling that if nothing is done, the Atlanta Police Department will be setting up a daily traffic enforcement sting operation at the above mentioned intersection because it is lucrative for them to do so.
