Mysterious Sign

[slacker]

Irregular News for 05.04.07

 

Orange County, FL -- A traffic sign appeared and then disappeared, but not before dozens of people are pulled over. No one knows who put it up or who took it down.

 

The "no left turn" sign was posted at a busy intersection at Waterford Lakes Town Center, but it was gone Thursday. Those who were pulled over want to know, was it put there legally?

 

The mysterious sign was placed at one of the exits to the shopping plaza off Alafaya Trail and no one will admit to bolting it below a stop sign and a local man is ready to take it to court.

 

A snapshot was taken by the Orange County Sheriff's Office showing the no left turn sign. But, just as quickly as it was put up, it was taken down.

 

"I think that's reprehensible," said ticketed driver Joel Rosen.

 

Rosen has 115 reasons to be upset. He was one of a dozen people to get a ticket. More than 50others were also stopped.

 

"What I would like to find out is, who put the sign up and who took it down?" Rosen said.

 

No one knows. The Orange County Sheriff's Office said it's not responsible and the Orange County Traffic Division said it wasn't them.

 

"That sign was installed at an exit to a shopping center. That means it was a private sign," said Ruby Rozier, Orange County Traffic Division.

 

The company that owns the property was bombarded with complaints and put out a letter saying, "We did not give anyone approval to install a 'no left turn' sign."

 

That lack of responsibility has Rosen saying all the tickets should be thrown out.

 

"If we could figure out who put the sign up and there was a valid reason for the sign to be there, absolutely pay the fine and be done with it," he said.

 

More infuriating, car after car can now go left with no penalty.

 

"We are just not in a position to do any enforcement activity on it now," said Capt. Mark Strobridge, Orange County Sheriff's Office.

 

The Orange County Sheriff's Office stands behind the tickets, taking each case to court. Eyewitness News also contacted the Florida Department of Transportation. Officials said workers from their department did not put up or take down the sign.

 

source

[AR Husker Fan]

Wait a minute. If it wasn't placed there by the proper authorities, then it is not legally valid traffic signage and any citations issued pursuant to it are, by definition, in valid.

 

Why take them to court just to lose?

[rawhide]

sic'em AR I smell contingency in the air.