Making A U-Turn On That Ticket

(I am out running errands in the afternoon with a friend and have passed my turn. We have to turn around, and there is a sign posted at the intersection forbidding U-turns between the hours of ten pm and six am. Directly across the intersection from us is a police cruiser. Knowing we’re fine, I make the U-turn, and not ten seconds later, there are flashing lights behind us. I pull into a parking lot and the officer approaches.)

Officer: “Hello. Do you know why I pulled you over?”

Me: “Honestly… no. Not a clue.”

Officer: *gestures back toward the intersection* “You made an illegal U-turn back there. There’s a sign.”

Me: *confused* “I don’t think I did. Are you sure?”

Officer: “Yes… I’m sure.”

(He does not sound 100% sure anymore.)

Me: “But it’s 4:30 in the afternoon. I’m pretty sure the sign said no U-turns from ten pm until six in the morning.”

Friend: “We checked the sign!”

(The officer is now looking just as confused as I am. He looks at his little clipboard and is clearly doing mental math.)

Officer: “Well, I’m just going to let you off with a warning. You have a nice day.”

(He walked back to his cruiser and drove away, still looking a little dazed.)