Question about a ticket i got... PLEASE HELP!!

[spliffsta]

Hey guys, i'm kind of in a real "messed up" situation... I got pulled over on a normal road while switching lanes ?- without using a blinker -? ok... but this is how it happened.

It was a sunday morning, around 8, and i was driving down a normal 2-lane commercial road. The speed limit of the road was 40mph, ok. So I was driving on the right hand side and infront of me but in the left lane was a cop... the cop was going at 35 or less and i was driving at a normal speed of 40mph... so eventually i passed the cop and when i passed him he started to kind of keep up with me... we were driving like this for a while, with me a good 1.5 car length infront of him, until i realized i needed to make a left turn at an upcomming light (which was still a good distance away)... so i slowly accelarated going at maybe 43mph just so i can get into the other lane and keep a good distance between me and him. Mind you, I was being VERY careful in not making any mistakes, when i got in his lane... 5 seconds later the sirens went off... and we pulled over. He came out the car and asked me for my proper documentation... while getting the stuff he wanted and being really confused to why i got pulled over, i asked, "excuse me officer, did i do anything wrong?" and he gave me a wierd look and said give me your stuff first... so i gave it and he said I didnt use my blinker while turning! but being as CAREFUL as I was, I know i didnt make that mistake, because, as i mentioned earlier, I had to make a left at the signal which was now like a few feet infront of me and i remember having kept my blinker on because i had to make a turn at the light, so i just left it on even after switching lanes. But the officer said i didnt give the blinker.

In anycase, he gave me a ticket/fine, to which he didn't know the amount, and told me I had to call a number on the back to find out the amount... well i called today and it is EIGHTY ONE DOLLARS!!! (no points thought) I'm sorry, but that is a lot of money for me - I am a student right now and I pay about 7 thousand a semester for my university plus books and other expenses and this really hurts! I asked some other people on what to do but everyone said if you go to court and if the officer comes and says i switched lanes without a blinker... thats it for me and my case and then i have to not only pay the fine but court fees aswell... because its my word agaisnt his...

I really need some advice on how to handle this - does ANYONE know a way in which I can reduce this fine or anyother way to approach this... im so confused and dissapointed!

and P.S. I do have a clean record... i have had NO previous tickets, points or anything (except parking tickets) but other than that my record is clean!

[K9Cop]

What state did this occur in? Might help in answering your question.

[gijoeyl33]

if you go in there trying to fight a ticket that is not going to put points on your license, everyone is gonna laugh and look at you like u have three heads

Hey guys, i'm kind of in a real "messed up" situation... I got pulled over on a normal road while switching lanes ?- without using a blinker -? ok... but this is how it happened.

It was a sunday morning, around 8, and i was driving down a normal 2-lane commercial road. The speed limit of the road was 40mph, ok. So I was driving on the right hand side and infront of me but in the left lane was a cop... the cop was going at 35 or less and i was driving at a normal speed of 40mph... so eventually i passed the cop and when i passed him he started to kind of keep up with me... we were driving like this for a while, with me a good 1.5 car length infront of him, until i realized i needed to make a left turn at an upcomming light (which was still a good distance away)... so i slowly accelarated going at maybe 43mph just so i can get into the other lane and keep a good distance between me and him. Mind you, I was being VERY careful in not making any mistakes, when i got in his lane... 5 seconds later the sirens went off... and we pulled over. He came out the car and asked me for my proper documentation... while getting the stuff he wanted and being really confused to why i got pulled over, i asked, "excuse me officer, did i do anything wrong?" and he gave me a wierd look and said give me your stuff first... so i gave it and he said I didnt use my blinker while turning! but being as CAREFUL as I was, I know i didnt make that mistake, because, as i mentioned earlier, I had to make a left at the signal which was now like a few feet infront of me and i remember having kept my blinker on because i had to make a turn at the light, so i just left it on even after switching lanes. But the officer said i didnt give the blinker.

In anycase, he gave me a ticket/fine, to which he didn't know the amount, and told me I had to call a number on the back to find out the amount... well i called today and it is EIGHTY ONE DOLLARS!!! (no points thought) I'm sorry, but that is a lot of money for me - I am a student right now and I pay about 7 thousand a semester for my university plus books and other expenses and this really hurts! I asked some other people on what to do but everyone said if you go to court and if the officer comes and says i switched lanes without a blinker... thats it for me and my case and then i have to not only pay the fine but court fees aswell... because its my word agaisnt his...

I really need some advice on how to handle this - does ANYONE know a way in which I can reduce this fine or anyother way to approach this... im so confused and dissapointed!

and P.S. I do have a clean record... i have had NO previous tickets, points or anything (except parking tickets) but other than that my record is clean!

[K9Cop]

Have you checked to see if your turn signal light might be out? Even though you might have thought you turned it on, the bulb or entire light system, depending on the model of your vehicle could have been defective.

Our ADA's, at least from what I've observed in court, are given some discretion on infractions - and I've personally observed more then a few citizens have their infractions dismissed with no court costs (which is probably the majority of the $81.00 you refer to). In this instance I don't think you have much to lose other then the time spent by going to court, the worst that could happen is you have to pay the entire amount.

[gdowkpc]

Did you have a passenger in the car that could be a witness?

[Jynkxxie]

Would the availability of a dash cam be a stupid question?

[spliffsta]

lol... no, no dash cam and unfourtanetely no witnesses. I think it was too early to call any of my friends. And yea my lights did work, because I was so shocked and surpirsed when he told me that, i put them on and asked him to go check, and he said they worked. And I remember vividly that my blinker was on to the left side when he flashed me because i remember thinking to me self, "OH great!", and i remember pushing the signal up to put it back into neutral and then once more to put it into right to get back on the right side of the street to park. BUT i didnt say anything to him because I didnt want him to be like, "oh, is that right... well now your gonna get this and this and this..." and then i'd be really screwed, so i just shut my mouth and took it.

So K9Cop, your saying that I go to court because I have nothing to loose, but what would I say. (to be honest... I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN A COURT BEFORE) I mean, its my word against the officers right? and it just seems that an officers claim carries more weight than mine? I dont know...

[Jynkxxie]

Well I hear exactly what you are saying...I have been there and what I said didn't mean squat either. Trust me...

However, you are a citizen I am assuming, you should excersize (I never spell that right) this and go to court if you honestly don't feel you were in the wrong or that there may have been a mistake made. Just be prepared to pay the fine.

[spliffsta]

oh this is in response to K9cop... it occured in NJ.

[spliffsta]

well I have to go to class right now... but thanks to everyone who's given there feedback... really appriciate it!

[Toeknee112]

Pay your fine! It's funny how I can watch someone blow through a red light a good 2-3 seconds after the light change and SWEAR TO GOD that the light was yellow...or still green...or that I must have been looking the other way. I'm sorry, but I have to go with the officer who is trained to observe these things and not the citizen, who is all nervous and freaked out because there's a cop in front/in back of them.
But as everyone says you have the right to fight it in court. You've got nothing to lose.

[DltUNH]

who cares if people look at you like you have 3 heads. I am also a student and know exactly how much 80 dollars means to anyone in college. What do you have to lose, pay the fine either way, but at least you can know that you tried to make it easier on yourself

[gdowkpc]

Can't hurt to go in and fight it. However, if it ends up being that he says one thing and you say the opposite, you may lose.

But, if you are absolutely sure you are right, I think it would be good to fight it on principle regardless the outcome. Don't let the officer think he can write a bad ticket and let it go unchallenged.

[gijoeyl33]

what does it mean 3 saturdays at the bar, and two papa johns pizzas. give me a break. the officer already cut him some slack by giving him a non moving violation with no points. its not gonna get downgraded any furthers. in NJ its common practice to amend moving violations to non movers with no points. thats all they ever do. save the 35 bucks of court cost, and you can at least get one saturday at the bar, and maybe half a pizza

who cares if people look at you like you have 3 heads. I am also a student and know exactly how much 80 dollars means to anyone in college. What do you have to lose, pay the fine either way, but at least you can know that you tried to make it easier on yourself

[spliffsta]

Well, look, I am going to pay the fine, but i do not disagree with you (Toeknee112) on the part you said: "I have to go with the officer who is trained to observe these things." Not every cop is a 'good' cop... not all may be as dedicated as you. I have heard so many stories, some EVEN from cops, who are my friends friend's, who admit they abused their power - they JOKE about that stuff!! THAT is why US "citizens" are "nervous"!! We DONT have the power to do anything... if a cop puts his sirens on... i'm pulling over... thats it!! If he tells me to get out the car to frisk me... I DONT have a choice... because then he can arreset me and say what he wants and he can get away with it because he IS THE LAW!! And don't tell me that this is B.S because everyone knows it's true that there are cops who abuse their power - so how can you differentiate which cop is which and for that matter, side with a cop just because they are a cop without even considering another perspective... And just because an officer is trained to "observe these things" doesnt mean that they are flawless in their decisions - "training" should not be confused with experience. Although, I don't know how many years this dude was a cop... he looked pretty young... A perfect example would be: say you had a severe Myocardial infraction due to a artery blockage which HAD to be operated on and you had a choice of choosing between a surgeon striaght out of med. school or one who had 25 years of experience... who would you choose? Technically, BOTH know the theory part. BUT the surgeon with more experience knows WHAT he's doing and what to expect, AND is LESS likely to make a mistake.. that an inexperienced person may do.

I don't believe my situation is any different. BUT thats just my 2cents worth of it... and again either way... EVEN if he did make a mistake... I still hav to pay the fine!! And THATS what sucks!!!

Pay your fine! It's funny how I can watch someone blow through a red light a good 2-3 seconds after the light change and SWEAR TO GOD that the light was yellow...or still green...or that I must have been looking the other way. I'm sorry, but I have to go with the officer who is trained to observe these things and not the citizen, who is all nervous and freaked out because there's a cop in front/in back of them.
But as everyone says you have the right to fight it in court. You've got nothing to lose.