PSA: Popular Left Turn Now Illegal

A route that is popular among Crown Heights residents returning from Borough Park and Flatbush has just been rendered illegal by the City’s Dept. of Transportation. Violators have been issued fines of $130 and received two points on their driver’s licence.

Traveling up Ocean Ave. along the eastern side of Prospect Park, many drivers would turn right onto Lincoln Rd., then left onto Washington Ave. and up into Crown Heights.

But earlier this week, signs have gone up making the left turn from Lincoln Rd. onto Washington Ave. illegal. (Turning left onto Flatbush Ave. is still allowed). Some have reported that the signs are difficult to notice.

Several Crown Heights residents who would usually follow this route have reported being pulled over by police, who have staked out the intersection to catch all the unknowing violators of this new regulation, slapping them with hefty fines and licence points.

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25 Comments

  • Turned off

    Sounds like harassment/discrimination to me!!! And without any advance notice.

    this is typical of our anti-outer boroughs and anti-car owners administration.

  • no left turn

    Also there are no left turns at nostrand and flatbush ave. By brooklyn college because of the bus lanes. on either side. Also cars are being pulled over on nostrand and rogers ave for being in the bus lanes.

  • elki

    As #2 said, “Thanks for the heads up.”
    #1 – not every law in anti-Semitic. Save that card for r”l it really is. The entire population of NYC hates the traffic laws and their enforcers.
    Try Manhattan. You could buy a new house with the money they collect from tickets. Anyway, it’s not even the police or traffic cops – the orders came from way about their ranks.

    Meanwhile, drive carefully.
    Happy Chanukah.

  • REALLY??

    Unfortunatly if signs are posted by the DOT for 5 mins or even 1 day it is the responsibility for all drivers to be cognizant of everything on the road. If the DOT places a new Traffic light, because its new would that mean you can still go through it and not stop. I drove by the intersection the other day and there were 4 FOUR “DO NOT ENTER SIGNS” and they were visible, Granted maybe add one of the yellow “NEW” signs under the DO NOT ENTER SIGN but hey what makes you think you will see that if you cant see the “DO NOT ENTER” SIGNS. If anyone wants to argue and say they didnt see it you should not be driving at all.

    • GOD

      in a normal society
      when change take place the right thing to do is INFORM the public and make it noticeable.
      We Are Creatures of Habit.
      when they changed the rule on Flatbush Avenue Big Signs Posted the word NEW .
      just to Change a rule and go give tikets next day is just nasty.

  • Bloomberg

    This is another step in the city’s plan to make having a car as difficult and expensive as possible.

  • Moshe

    In general, there is ALWAYS a cop parked at that busy intersection. Any turn there is usually illegal.
    Be careful.

  • GOOD RIDDANCE

    Where Bloomberg is concerned, all I can say is GOOD RIDDANCE TO BAD RUBBISH!!! He’s the one that raised all the fines to the ridiculous amounts they are now. I can’t think of one good thing he did for this city.

  • shl

    to #5
    your an idiot! i take that route every day and the signs are not visible unless u r looking for them. you most probably dont take that route everyday. for if u did then you would know that there are only 2 signs,. the other 2 signs which have been there forever are do not enter signs for Lincoln rd.
    even if a driver would c them, he would’nt think that they are for a no left turn.

    they are not inerested in keeping area safe. They r interested in giving tickets and generating revenue!
    If they were interested in keeping area safe they would give warnings. not tickets. and they would put easy to understand visible signs. BUT THEY ARE NOT!!!
    I have spoken to many people over the last few days who drive that route every day, and none noticed the signs.
    BTW- i agree that there should be no left turn there. It is a dangerouse intersection. PUT SIGNS THAT ARE VISIBLE AND UNDERSTANDBLE!!!
    $$$$$$$$ NOT SAFETY!!!

  • Bad Route

    Why would anyone want to go that way anyway? Much easier to keep going on Ocean Avenue to Empire Blvd.

  • declasse intellectual'

    #10,be careful for what you wish for The new man in charge has already stated he wants to levy more taxes to fund his pet projects and if make any money–you will get a greetings demanding money from this new administration

  • Lefferts Ave

    First of all – a big thank you for ch.info for the PSA.
    For people like me who live on Lefferts ave this is the most natural and shortest route home from BP or Flatbush. So many people live on East NY, Maple Midwood etc. I hope we can still take a left turn at least onto Flatbush, which means just going around the gas station but still ability to go to Lefferts without going thru Empire first.

  • Dovid

    They should put a “NO LEFT” sign. Where are the community leaders to fight these things?

  • Ticketed

    There is no sign that says NO LEFT TURN or even a sign that says New with an arrow showing that you cant turn

  • Yossel

    The NYC commissioner of DOT has been narrowing lanes, adding bike and bus lanes everywhere, and making turns illegal “left and right.”

    And yes, cops are standing by at every newly-enacted law restricting turns, this is a huge money-maker for the city.

    Janette Sadik-Khan HATES cars, and is doing everything to discourage automobile travel in NYC.

    Ms. Khan, if you want people to take subways, MAKE THEM SAFE!!! If you want people to ride bikes, TAKE THE CITY VEHICLES AND TRUCKS OUT OF THE BIKE LANES!! She’s right that there are too many cars in Brooklyn, but her approach isn’t making things better. People are not going to give up their cars just because the traffic commissioner wants them to.

  • Yossi A

    to #15

    You can take parkside to flatbush than you can make a left onto Lefferts. BTW if you take Maple st from Flatbush you can make better timeing..

  • slp

    Is there any reason WHY? Such a busy intersection. Already its blocked from going straight, and now this? I saw people there 2 nights ago getting tickets, i didnt know what it was about, and I passed them by. But now, I will keep turning right there, but it is just another useless situation…..

  • Mo H

    The 4 Do Not Enter Signs that #5 mentions are totally misleading and could refer to going straight into Lincoln Rd. One No Left Turn sign would be worth all 4 of those,

  • ari

    all you have to do is make the left turn onto flatbush and then cut through the gas station over there and you wont be affected at all

    • awacs

      Cutting through the gas ticket will get you ticketed, too. Turning on Lefferts sounds like a better idea.