Re: interesting question, for my fellow Arizonans.

On Jan 30, 9:05 am, "Justin Rhodes" <JustinKRho...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
This question came to mind last night when I was razzing a friend for
making a U-turn on a red arrow.

This person said, "It's legal, as long as you don't drive over the
crosswalk on the side street."

I laughed it off, and looked up the statute this morning, so I could
shoot a "heads up" email over to said friend for future reference.
Surprisingly, I was unable to find anything in Arizona revised
statutes or the Arizona Driver's manual that specifically prohibits U-
turns on a red arrow.

Any fellow Arizonans care to provide some insight? I personally
know(or I think I know, anyway) that U turns on a red left arrow are a
no-no, but until I can prove it, this friend of mine will likely
continue as-is until a ticket dictates otherwise.

It depends on how the cop and the judge read the following AZ
statute. The AZ statutes seem to refer to MUTCD as their standard.

28-644. Obedience to and required traffic control devices

A. Unless otherwise directed by a traffic or police officer and
subject to the exemptions granted the driver of an authorized
emergency vehicle in this chapter, the driver of a vehicle shall:

1. Obey the instructions of an official traffic control device
applicable to the driver that is placed in accordance with this
chapter.

Perhaps your friend is relying on MUTCD 4D.04.C.2 which says:

Vehicular traffic facing a steady RED ARROW signal indication shall
not enter the intersection to make the movement indicated by the arrow
and, unless entering the intersection to make another movement
permitted by another signal indication, shall stop at a clearly marked
stop line; but if there is no stop line, before entering the crosswalk
on the near side of the intersection, or if there is no crosswalk,
then before entering the intersection, and shall remain stopped until
a signal indication permitting the movement indicated by such RED
ARROW is shown.

His argument appears to be that the Red Arrow only applies to the
intersection and he made his left turn before the intersection.

If the cop and the judge think he's right, then the question is
whether he could legally make the U-turn anywhere else in that block,
prior to the intersection; if so, he skates; if not, he's just a
different flavor of toast.

.