Cutting Through Gas Station / Parking Lot to get around light

[Bradley]

At the end of my neighborhood, there is a controlled intersection with a traffic light, with a sign saying you can't turn right on red between certain hours (AM/PM rush hours). There is also a gas station on that corner, which people love to cut through to to bypass the right turn traffic.

This aggravates me to no end, because I've been in that gas station getting fuel, and nearly been hit by people speeding thru the parking lot. :doh:

I've been told this is *not* illegal, but from unreliable sources. Can anyone confirm?

Thanks in advance,
Brad

[CivvieInNY]

Brad,

FWIW, it IS illegal here in New York. I know that doesn't help you much out there but, in the interest of keeping the thread alive, I figured I'd respond. I have to believe it's illegal out there, too.


§ 1225. Avoiding intersection or traffic-control device. No person
shall drive across or upon a sidewalk, driveway, parking lot or private
property, or otherwise drive off a roadway, in order to avoid an
intersection or traffic-control device.

Like I said, FWIW.

[G-Man]

While there is nothing in the vehicle code that explicitly states that you cannot turn through private property to pass, there are section on improper passing. Here are some sections which the driver my be in violation of:

21750. The driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle or abicycle proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left at asafe distance without interfering with the safe operation of theovertaken vehicle or bicycle, subject to the limitations andexceptions hereinafter stated.

21951. Whenever any vehicle has stopped at a marked crosswalk or at
any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection to permit a pedestrian to
cross the roadway the driver of any other vehicle approaching from
the rear shall not overtake and pass the stopped vehicle.

21952. The driver of any motor vehicle, prior to driving over or
upon any sidewalk, shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian
approaching thereon.

21754. The driver of a motor vehicle may overtake and pass to theright of another vehicle only under the following conditions:
(a) When the vehicle overtaken is making or about to make a leftturn.
(b) Upon a highway within a business or residence district withunobstructed pavement of sufficient width for two or more lines ofmoving vehicles in the direction of travel.
(c) Upon any highway outside of a business or residence districtwith unobstructed pavement of sufficient width and clearly marked fortwo or more lines of moving traffic in the direction of travel.
(d) Upon a one-way street.
(e) Upon a highway divided into two roadways where traffic isrestricted to one direction upon each of such roadways. The provisions of this section shall not relieve the driver of aslow moving vehicle from the duty to drive as closely as practicableto the right hand edge of the roadway.21755. The driver of a motor vehicle may overtake and pass another vehicle upon the right only under conditions permitting such movementin safety. In no event shall such movement be made by driving offthe paved or main-traveled portion of the roadway.

When all else fails, the business may have signage posted for no trespassing 602pc. Depending on how bad the business owner dislikes people cutting through his/her property they can press charges. Typically, Officers who work a specific area, RD, or beat are familiar with such businesses know the owners and know who will/will not want to file charges.

[Bradley]

Very informative, thank you Sir.

[sonBPTCHIP]

This was discussed on this forum previously, however for the life of me I can find the thread. In the previous thread the argument of "who's to say you didnt pull into the station to get gas, didnt like the prices as you drove by and conveniently left out the side exit" or "I just turned into the wrong strip mall, the Subway is in the other one" etc was brought up. Now not to play devils advocate but that sounds like alot of reasonable doubt. I would imagine it would be hard to prove the ticket in court, if the receiving party was just a little bit educated on the justice system.

As personal opinion it ticks me off when people do this, but I also dont see how there could be an enforceable law on the subject

[Bradley]

I did search around here a bit before posting - I didn't see anything either.

And, for what its worth, I hear you loud and clear. I, myself, have pulled into a gas station, found that every pump was full, and then continued on my way.

The people in this instance, almost always barely slow down, tires screeching as their wheels change attitde over the driveway. :doh:

Oh well.

Someone also mentioned that there *might* be a local ordnance preventing this .... short of asking a local PD, is there anywhere online to research?

Once again, thanks for all your help, Gentlemen.

This is the City of Santa Monica.

[G-Man]

This is the City of Santa Monica.

Santa Monica has a Municipal code for everything short of having long hair and carrying a guitar on your back. :biggrin: They probably have something. I don't know any website that has all of their muni codes. Try city hall.

[G-Man]

This was discussed on this forum previously, however for the life of me I can find the thread. In the previous thread the argument of "who's to say you didnt pull into the station to get gas, didnt like the prices as you drove by and conveniently left out the side exit" or "I just turned into the wrong strip mall, the Subway is in the other one" etc was brought up. Now not to play devils advocate but that sounds like alot of reasonable doubt. I would imagine it would be hard to prove the ticket in court, if the receiving party was just a little bit educated on the justice system.

As personal opinion it ticks me off when people do this, but I also dont see how there could be an enforceable law on the subject

It all comes down to what the Officer sees, if the person chirps their tires going up the curb and rips through the gas station, where they really looking to buy something?

It is not our job to find people guilty of anything. However, it is our job to pull people over for unsafe driving and take appropriate action (whether it be a ticket, verbal warning)

[Bradley]

Santa Monica has a Municipal code for everything short of having long hair and carrying a guitar on your back. :biggrin: They probably have something. I don't know any website that has all of their muni codes. Try city hall.

Except Marijuana apparently.

Coincidentally, I spoke with an officer friend of mine the other day (SMPD) regarding my neighbors smoking weed all day / every day. He gave me the phone number of a narcotics detective, who promptly referred me to a "Neighborhood Relations" Sergeant. I guess residents voted to make it *almost* legal to use Marijuana inside their residences. Oh well. :noidea:

[gabriel]

Except Marijuana apparently.

Coincidentally, I spoke with an officer friend of mine the other day (SMPD) regarding my neighbors smoking weed all day / every day. He gave me the phone number of a narcotics detective, who promptly referred me to a "Neighborhood Relations" Sergeant. I guess residents voted to make it *almost* legal to use Marijuana inside their residences. Oh well. :noidea:

Hey, look on the bright side, you get to get high for free!!! :rolleyes::rolleyes:
(yes, someone has actually made that argument before)

[AyatollahGondola]

Hey, look on the bright side, you get to get high for free!!! :rolleyes::rolleyes:
(yes, someone has actually made that argument before)

I have this problem too. My neighbors are just a few feet away and they smoke pretty religiously. the smell pools up in our garage mostly, but that's only if they don't use it in their back yard. We've had some words on this, but one of 'em has a perscription, and that pretty much negates any real law enforcement action.
The cutting through gas stations was a bad habit of a friend of mine when I was a kid. He'd use any possible opening to avoid stopping at a light, including rocketing through the alley's of downtown Sac.
If that old Rambler of his is still in one piece, you could probably find a few of my fingernails embedded in the door handle

[LadyVol@330]

This brings to mind a favorite story from the mid-60's from a friend of mine who worked at the same company I did. San Carlos, corner of ECR and Holly was the gas station. My friend filled up there regularly and got this story from the manager who just got sick and tired of the blond in the red convertible breezing through the back part of the station every morning to avoid the traffic backed up to go around the RH corner. I guess she thought it was a pretty cool way to outsmart all the dummies who waited patiently in line while she glided through and came out the other side and slid into traffic. Anyway, he finally came up with a solution. Knowing the approximate time she came through his station every morning, he parked a truck in the back and stood behind the truck with a bucket of used oil and waited for the high sign from one of the workers. As she flew by, he let go with the oil and it went out all over her back seat and floor. She was furious and called the police, of course. He had an explanation ready --that he was oiling down the back section to sweep in to hold down the dust (or something like that) and had parked the truck there to protect his customers. That was fine with the officer and she was never seen again! We used to get a big laugh out of that one. :badgrin::badgrin:

[PTR-Jason]

When I was a police officer in Arkansas, we could write them for reckless driving if they cut through a private parking lot or other area to avoid traffic.

[zanev]

When I was a police officer in Arkansas, we could write them for reckless driving if they cut through a private parking lot or other area to avoid traffic.

How is it reckless though?

[PSDGirl]

How is it reckless though?

Speaking just as a motorist (not an officer) I would say it can be very reckless. If one is so impatient that they are unable to wait at a light, and feels the need to 'jet' through the parking lot to save a few seconds, that could be dangerous for pedestrians walking through that parking lot or pedestrians on the sidewalk at the other end.

[PTR-Jason]

Speaking just as a motorist (not an officer) I would say it can be very reckless. If one is so impatient that they are unable to wait at a light, and feels the need to 'jet' through the parking lot to save a few seconds, that could be dangerous for pedestrians walking through that parking lot or pedestrians on the sidewalk at the other end.


Exactly. And it can be the same thing as leaving the highway or driving on a shoulder to pass vehicles in traffic. It is an act of being reckless and held up in court on numerous times.

[E53501]

I read all the posts and I can't believe no one mentioned that there is an implied stop when entering a roadway and/or crossing a sidewalk. In otherwords when a moron cuts through a gas station they don't makes stops before while exiting. I do not know the VC but if my memory serves (and yes its bad!) that is what we used to write those that cut through corner parking lots and gas stations.

[zanev]

I read all the posts and I can't believe no one mentioned that there is an implied stop when entering a roadway and/or crossing a sidewalk. In otherwords when a moron cuts through a gas station they don't makes stops before while exiting. I do not know the VC but if my memory serves (and yes its bad!) that is what we used to write those that cut through corner parking lots and gas stations.

If there is no stop sign then legally you shouldn't have to stop.

[Yzeman]

I read all the posts and I can't believe no one mentioned that there is an implied stop when entering a roadway and/or crossing a sidewalk. In otherwords when a moron cuts through a gas station they don't makes stops before while exiting. I do not know the VC but if my memory serves (and yes its bad!) that is what we used to write those that cut through corner parking lots and gas stations.
um....No.

If this was the case, a driver would be required to stop in the roadway prior to entering most parking lots, driveways, and businesses because they would be crossing a sidewalk. Sorry, no 'implied stop' law in California.

When you say "...what we used..." who is 'we'?

[bcjack]

um....No.

If this was the case, a driver would be required to stop in the roadway prior to entering most parking lots, driveways, and businesses because they would be crossing a sidewalk. Sorry, no 'implied stop' law in California.

When you say "...what we used..." who is 'we'?

We have a Municipal Code section that requires a complete stop prior to crossing a sidewalk from private or public property to a street.