Tricky Signage on Fort Hamilton Parkway Entraps Drivers

As NYC increasingly designates lanes on the city’s streets as right-turn-only or straight-only, police often lie in waiting to catch drivers who disregard or miss the traffic instructions.

But a traffic signage at the intersection at Fort Hamilton Pkwy and 37th St takes things to a new level. A new sign placed at some distance from the intersection tells drivers that upon nearing the light, the right lane is right-turn-only and the left lane is straight-only, but there is no sign at the intersection explicitly telling drivers that left turns are not allowed.

To add to the confusion, only the right lane has “right-turn-only” painted on it approaching the light, while the left lane has been left completely unpainted, leading many drivers to erroneously miss the fact that left turns are not allowed, and allowing the police to snag more traffic violations.

Drivers in the Boro Park area should be on the alert for the tricky signage and avoid making a left turn which may land them a ticket from authorities who are capitalizing on the misleading instructions.