What's the law?

Gamma Sherri's picture

It's 4:00 in Fayetteville. Southbound traffic on GA-85 is stopped. My friend is turning left onto Hambersham drive. The folks headed south stop, and wave him on so he can turn left. As he's turning (everybody is stopped in both lanes), he gets broadsided by a car traveling *on the shoulder* south. The white line was solid before Habersham, "breaks" at the entrance, and not even ten yards past the entrance turns into a turn lane for CVS and Checkers.

There were no skid marks where she was braking. Both cars were taken off by a wrecker. No major injuries. The officer at the scene cited my friend because he was turning left.

Is that true? Someone running down the shoulder is in the right?

I know there are some ex-cops (and current ones, too) on the boards. Was just curious as to what was current law.

Thanks!

Gamma

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Submitted by wildcat on Thu, 01/14/2010 - 8:24pm.

That same exact thing, in the same exact spot, happened to someone I know about 12/13 years ago. I remember it well because she was in the later stages of her pregnancy. She was cited (the baby was fine).

bad_ptc's picture
Submitted by bad_ptc on Thu, 01/14/2010 - 7:24pm.

Google, ‘Habersham Dr, Fayetteville, Fayette, Georgia 30214’, select maps and then click on the ‘Street View’ icon.

The solid white line continues north from Habersham Drive until you get to the Hoffman Tire and Alignment store some 400 feet north.

As per the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, (MUTCD)
Does a solid white lane line prohibit crossing to change lanes on the approach to an intersection?

“MUTCD Section 3B.04 says to use a single solid white line to "discourage" crossing the lane line and a double white line to prohibit crossing it. A single solid white line is used for a variety of lines that drivers should be discouraged from crossing in "normal" situations but which drivers do need to cross in some situations. An example is the "edge line"---the line that separates the rightmost travel lane from the shoulder. The single solid white line discourages crossing onto the shoulder but does not prohibit it because it is obviously desirable and/or necessary to cross it in some situations. The MUTCD sets the national standards for pavement markings, but it does not establish what the laws of the individual States may define as the legal meanings of various types of lines in each State. Some States may have laws that prohibit crossing a single solid white line in specific circumstances. Some states also have laws that go beyond just the meaning of the lines, by making certain driving maneuvers illegal under certain situations regardless of the markings, such as changing lanes when it is "unsafe to do so”.

I didn’t see where the GADoT has any specific reference to the actual meaning of a ‘solid white line’. There may in fact be something on it, I just didn’t find it.

It may or may not be worth your friend’s time and money to challenge the ticket in court.

I do know that the double wide solid white line, approach to the 74 Exit from I-85 southbound, means "DON'T CROSS" but I'm probably the only one that knows that based on what I've seen people do there.


Gamma Sherri's picture
Submitted by Gamma Sherri on Thu, 01/14/2010 - 6:21pm.

The turn lane had to be longer than 10 yards past Habersham Drive -- the old Wendy's is there, so the turn lane for Checkers and CVS starts after Wendy's.

Make a difference for your grandchildren - recycle!


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