Representing myself in court tomorrow.

Give us a link to the Google Maps picture of the location so we can play judge.

 

"i'm pressin charges, i'm pressin charges, i'm pressin charges, where doo rag at?"

 

That photo kind of looks like the judges bench along with the plaintiff's and defendant's table.

 

Seriously, if you argue that "ticket quota" stuff they are going to put you under the jail.

Post the google map location so we can see for ourselves. Jury of your peers.

Then (when) if we tell you that you are screwed you can go in tomorrow and request deferred adjudication.

 

There's a limited access boulevard in my neighborhood that has a 35mph speed limit. Motorcycle cops frequently hangout there, writing tickets nonstop. Why? Because almost no one goes less than 40. It has two lanes going each way, divided by an esplanade, with just a handful of streets, none busy, going into it. I've never gotten a ticket there (knock on wood!), partly because I put the car on cruise control at about 38mph. I know 2 people that got tickets for speeding, and anyone who goes less than 40 gets tailgated. Drives me crazy, because I use it all the time.

 

I don't know what the law says, but common sense dictates that you were okay there. I'd bring a print-out of the overhead view, show it to the judge, and explain what you did. Were I your judge, I'd let you off.

 

Based on the overhead/satellite view, it would be impossible to make that turn legally w/o partially going the wrong way in the opposite lanes (even if was only 10 feet). Thats just my HO.

 

If I had to put money on it, I'd say the ticket is going to be upheld on technicality.

If I were you, I'd go to that location and see if you can measure out the distance between the left curb of the burger joint entrance and the right curb of the median. If that distance is more than the wheel base of the car you were in, then you have a case that you didn't have to drive against traffic, even just a tiny bit, in order to enter the parking lot.

Basically, if your car can fit inside these red lines, you've got an argument.

 

I love their fries and mini burgers.

 

A word of advice (and I have a lot of sympathy for you!). Be incredibly respectful and polite. You are probably intending to be, but you haven't talked that way here, so I wanted to be sure you understood how to approach this. It is even possible, if you are lucky, that the cop won't even show up. If he doesn't, the judge will likely dismiss the case. Don't count on it, but just be sure and do the "respectful and polite" thing. If the judge gets the right vibe from you, he might cut you some slack.

 

I don't see signage. I see lots of tire marks from people doing what you did, as well as tire marks coming out of the entrance into the lane you were in.

Did you take a particularly sharp angle?