Night Turn at a Signed No-Left Junction
At 8:40 p.m. on a rainy Thursday you are driving south along the Roseau Bayfront approach to a junction near the cruise ship berth. Visibility is poor: wipers are on fast and street lights reflect off standing water. You intend to turn left into a narrow one-way side street. At the corner you see a circular sign with a red border, a black left-pointing arrow and a red diagonal slash. A police officer in a high-visibility vest is standing in the junction and waves you to turn left anyway. The side street is narrow, with a Give Way line painted at its exit and a pedestrian under an umbrella stepping off the pavement 15 metres ahead. Your passenger says the officer's wave means the sign does not apply. You have not yet entered the junction. The road surface is slick and a minibus is approaching from the right with headlights on.
1. What does the sign mean, and does the officer's wave permit you to turn left?
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The sign is a regulatory no left turn sign: red circle, black left arrow, red slash. It prohibits that movement at that junction, not merely during busy periods. A police officer directing traffic can lawfully override a static sign, so the wave may permit the turn for this movement now. But the passenger is wrong to say the sign 'does not apply': the officer's direction is temporary and specific. Before moving, confirm the officer is signalling you rather than the minibus, make eye contact, and check the minibus from the right and the pedestrian ahead. Signal left, reduce speed to walking pace, and be ready to stop if the officer's intention is unclear. If there is doubt, stop and ask; do not turn on a passenger's interpretation alone.
2. What speed and road position should you use as you enter the side street, and how should you deal with the pedestrian?
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Enter at walking pace. The street is narrow, the surface is wet, and an umbrella can hide the pedestrian's view of you as well as your view of them. Keep well left of the centre if the street is two-way beyond the entry, and avoid the standing water near the gutter so you do not splash the pedestrian. Select a low gear and use gentle braking; harsh braking on slick asphalt can lock a wheel or start a skid. Watch the pedestrian's feet, not just the umbrella. If they step off the pavement, stop and give them time to cross. Do not assume they have heard you. Also watch for vehicles emerging over the Give Way line at the far end; a vehicle that has not stopped may not have seen you.