Pet Peeve - Illegal Left Turns

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
July 9, 2008

Man, where are the cops when you want one?

As I drove south on Route 47 near the new Jewel-Osco late this traffic (about 5:40PM), traffic was moving pretty slowly at Calhoun. I intended to turn left onto Country Club Road, so I was in the left lane.

A large black pick-up in front of me was poking along in the inside lane and then he began to slow even more, even though the left-turn lane was clear in front of him. Suddenly, the driver hung a slow left and made an illegal left turn into the Jewel entrance drive roughly across from McDonald's and the Chase Bank.

The turn is clearly marked for No Left Turn, and an island is placed there for a right-in, right-out for northbound traffic. I pulled on forward to the stop bar and waited for a clear shot at making a (legal) left turn. The light changed, and I had to wait for the next left turn arrow.

I could see the pick-up truck moving through the parking lot, and pretty soon he drove up to Country Club Road just east of the new bank, stopped at the stop sign and then turned left to go on east on Country Club Road.

So - two violations: 1) left turn where prohibited, and 2) cutting through a shopping center to avoid a traffic signal.

This would be a great place for Woodstock's motorcycle officers to grab violators of this type. Hint, hint.

© 2008 GUS PHILPOTT