Dear Mahatma: I don't understand why so many drivers make illegal U-turns. In cities that have legal U-turns there are special lanes. I see U-turns made often on Chenal Parkway at several locations, especially annoying at Chenal and Wellington Hills Road. I've almost been hit several times. I even saw a big rig do it. If the city needs revenue, it should put an officer right there and write tickets en masse. -- Brenda
Dear Brenda: We must first dispense with the idea that writing tickets en masse to generate revenue is a good idea. It would be detrimental to the Police Department's credibility, the credibility of city government generally, and would surely invite blowback from constituents and city directors.
The mayor himself would likely suffer a fit of the vapors, an archaic and charming term for hysteria. In this case, political hysteria. As a smart guy once said, governments function properly only by consent of the governed.
Speaking of smart, we ran the matter of U-turns by Vic Fleming, the longtime Little Rock traffic judge. In addition to being a judge, Fleming is a cruciverbalist, someone who loves -- and in Fleming's case creates -- crossword puzzles. Assiduous research indicates that being a cruciverbalist is legal in most states.
Ha! That was a joke.
Judge Fleming actually did some legal research, causing our eyes to roll back in our head. We got the vapors ourselves when he mentioned Little Rock Ordinance 17,885.
Let's cut directly to the car chase, more or less.
Somewhere in the distant and misty past, the city board passed ordinances that effectively repealed a whole bunch of traffic violations parallel to state law, including U-turns.
Fleming also offered up Arkansas Code Annotated 27-68-103, which says it's a misdemeanor to "make a left turn or a semicircular or U-turn except through an opening provided for that purpose in the dividing curb section, separation, or line ..."
He also mentioned Arkansas Code Annotated 27-51-402, which doesn't specifically mention U-turns but tells drivers that "No vehicle shall be turned so as to proceed in the opposite direction upon any curve or upon the approach to or near the crest of a grade where the vehicle cannot be seen by the driver of any other vehicle approaching from either direction within five hundred feet."
What is the solution to U-turns on Chenal Parkway, specifically at its intersection with Wellington Hills Road? State law allows cities to put up signs that prohibit U-turns at specific locations. Such a sign may be requested by calling the city's traffic division at (501) 379-1800.
Also, call the Little Rock Police Department's northwest patrol division at 918-3500. Explain the problem, express the concern. Ask for enforcement.
Even if there is more enforcement, drivers should beware of U-turners anywhere. Safe drivers have eyes wide open at all times.
Vanity plate seen on Kavanaugh Boulevard: CARP3DM.
Fjfellone@gmail.com