Tonight I got my first ever traffic ticket after driving for about 2 and 1/2 years or so, and I want to know if anyone else has been pulled over for something approaching the stupidity of this ticket. Or maybe you think this ticket is not that stupid, but anyways, I thought I would share my first ticket with everyone... I'm pulling into a Taco Bell parking lot on a road that has 6 lanes and a turn lane, 3 on each side. I'm in the turn lane, wait a little bit for an opening in traffic, and I turn into taco bell. I'm not actually eating at taco bell, i'm just turning around there...So while I'm pulling out of taco bell a cop follows me, flashes his lights, and pulls me over. Then the cop gives me a ticket for "failure to yield right of way" and tells me that a car had to slow down really fast to avoid hitting my car when I asked him why I got the ticket... I don't even remember seeing a car coming towards me, and I think I would have recognized a car having to slam on its breaks really hard to miss hitting my car. But anyways, should I just pay this ticket and go on or try to challenge it in court? What would I have to do if I went to court and what are the chances I could get the ticket dropped?
Well, if there really was a car, then it's not stupid. Personally, I'd just pay it rather than mess with it. My first ticket was for speeding. I was doing 30 in an unmarked 20. My driver's ed teacher always told us that if the speed is not posted, the speed limit is 30. But apparently that is not always true, at least not in Amarillo circa 1987. Of course, I also once got a ticket for "failure to yield right of way" when a woman crossed over into my side of the road and rammed into my stopped vehicle.
If you fight the ticket and the cop shows up for court, you're probably not going to win. It is your word against his...thisa equals you lose. The only thing is that since it is a moving violation, you can take defensive driving or have your insurance rates go up sharply. Good luck.
True, you could take defensive driving or just pay it. For the periodic tickets I do recieve, I get an attorney. The cost is usually $75 or so. I do this for a couple of reasons. First, I obviously don't want a moving violation on my record. Second, the cost of the ticket (if I chose to pay it) would be in the range of the attorney's fee. Third, the attorney can re-set the court date for you so you don't actually have to appear personally. Fourth, the re-set date (at least in my cases) had been pushed back so far, the officer didn't usually show up. Docket calls are usually separated by those who have counsel and those who do not...those with are usually disposed of first in the courts I've been in. Finally, if the officer did show up (happened to me last time) the attorney could probably get you deferred adjudication. This occurs, partially, because of judicial economy -- time and energy for a trial that afternoon, etc... You could obviously pursue the re-set, et al. on your own....it just requires your time. I just find it easier to handle it the way I have, however. I haven't been issued a ticket for a couple of years, but I went through a weird stretch where I had 3 in a year and a half.
Thanks for the reply, guys. The thing I hate about the situation the most here is I feel I didn't do what the guy gave me a ticket for and I've talked to a friend of mine thats in the police explorers program here and said the guy is ticket happy and once gave someone a ticket for loitering when the guys truck was really broke down in a parking lot. I want to challenge the ticket, but I just cant afford to be found guilty by a judge and have my insurence go up, so i'll probably just take defensive driving.
Yes I got a ticket for speeding which really sucked. I was coming out of a little bend in the road and the cop ran out into the middle of the road with his gun. I thought the cop has to be in plain sight to give you a ticket, but there was no way in hell anyone could see him on the road unless you were standing on the sidestreet he was hiding in. Is this true?
I have been pulled over like 20 or 21 times (I've lost count), and I have gotten 3 tickets out of it. Knock on wood - it has been awhile since I've gotten pulled over. I would just pay it unless you know someone, SCF, that could take care of that ticket. I wouldn't think your insurance would go up that much because it wasn't a speeding ticket, but I'm not for sure about that.
only 3 with that many "pull overs?" you're too lucky man... i'm knockin' on wood over here after just reading that! i've averaged 1.5 tickets a year for the past 8 years... i've only gotten off from a ticket 2x in the past 8 years... so guess i'm 12/14 which translates to a .857 batting average!!!! (gotta put a happy spin on it somehow!)
Don't ever estimate the powers of having 2 parents that were teachers. All the cops that have pulled me over loved having them as teachers! LOL!
I've been pulled over three times before...but not for speeding. New Jersey really has a racial profiling problem, and it surely was a problem when I got pulled over because I "matched a description" of someone 5-0 was looking for. I'm sure i'm not the only one on this bbs who's had this happened to them. Other than that, I've never been pulled over for speeding. Cod
..and the truth comes out...Manny is actually a cute, 21 year old girl. WTF? I've been pulled over twice and got a ticket both times. That's BS!
Naah, she must be older. The 21yr olds would not have the 3 tickets...she's older and headed downhill....
Well, I talked to the secretary at my insurence agency and she said it shouldn't make my rates go up, so it looks like i'm just gonna end up paying my ticket off. I'm still pissed at this, I talked to the police chief at my old school and he said he's never even heard of someone giving out a ticket for failure to yield right of way when there hasn't been an accident... OH well.
I wish there was one waiting for me when I get home tonight. But it would probably be one that Behad described...a lot older...
My first ticket was for speeding. I was going 140 in a 90 zone (KM/hr). It ended up costing about $150. It happened while crossing the border from Labrador into Quebec. Damn French cops!
