This is my first ticket since I was 16 (10 years ago). I was in the left lane of a 4 lane road, I took a left. The cop pulled me over and said I made an illegal left turn at the previous stop light and wrote me a ticket without even questioning me. ARG that upset me and ruined my night, my city is #1 in crime in the U.S. and he’s writing tickets for illegal left turns! Now I’ll probably owe $100, and I’m sure my insurance will go up (any guesses as to by how much?)
Anyway, I went back to check out this turn, and the sign saying “don’t turn left” (the left arrow with a circle and a line through it) was on the RIGHT side of the street on a pole a few feet off the ground, unlit, far from the left lane. Call me crazy but shouldn’t the “don’t turn left” sign be above the LEFT lane, dangling above the intersection?
I plan to make an appearance in court in a month - I’ve never been to court, does anyone have advice on how best to fight this ticket, and my chances of succeeding?
Take a picture of the area, including the sign. If you can’t convince the DA to drop the charge, perhaps you can get the judge to kick it. If not, 1 ticket in 10 years really shouldn’t put your drivers license or insurance premiums in jeopardy.
But I want to point something else out. Your comment about how your city has high crime and this cop is writing traffic tickets is based in ignorance (no offense. I know it sucks to get nailed). Many criminal arrests are made from incidences arising from traffic stops. Also, traffic stops are often the #1 way people with warrants are captured. Traffic stops are a valid, effective crime fighting tool. Also, traffic patrol is a real way of inducing behavior modification of the masses. If the police never, or rarely made stops of traffic violators, the roads would be filled with people going nuts. How fast would you drive if you felt you weren’t going to get pinched? Be honest!
Simple. Take pictures of the site. Take pictures of sites that have the “no turn” sign in the proper position. Take pictures to judge, argue that improper sign positioning caused you and, very likely, other motorists to make that same mistake. If you really want to show your concern, write a letter to the chairman of the planning commission (or whoever has the job of sign placement) and show that to the judge. If you receive a reply, show that to the judge.
If you don’t fight, you don’t win. If you fight and lose, you don’t pay extra - and you get to piss off the cop that ticketed you because he now has to spend his damn morning in court on a stupid ticket (at least that’s how it worked in Georgia). So the answer is obvious.
Oh, when you go to court: Always say “Sir” or “Your Honor”. Wear a tie and slacks - even khaki’s and a pressed shirt will make you stand out and look like an upstanding citizen. Get your story straight, and don’t interrupt the cop when he makes his case. As a matter of fact, you’ll want to be calm and cool regardless of what happens.
I wouldn’t worry too much about your insurance. If this is your first such violation in years, you really don’t have anything to worry about.
Take me, for instance. I have a notorious history of tickets and moving violations from a few years ago. Yet, after about 3 years of staying clean I got a ticket worth 4 points on my record, which should indicate that I was friggin’ flying, and my insurance shows no surcharge.
The insurance companies, while not averse to taking the shirt off your back, generally don’t bother unless it becomes a trend or it’s a really heinous violation like Reckless Driving or some such charge. Too many people get busted to bother, and sometimes a ticket is just a ticket.
Anyway, good luck with your situation. Hope you win and all that, since I loathe traffic cops. Especially the ones that hide and try to get you for speeding, but that’s a rant for another time.
Thank you everyone, you have all helped calm my anger (especially towards raising insurance, that was my biggest fear since I don’t have that much money).
Yes, I still plan on going to court, and will attempt to figure out who is in charge of sign placement in Memphis, thanks for the advice. I’ll post how it goes in March.
When I get bullshit tickets I always go to court and enter a “no contest” plea. The judge then asks if I have anything to say. This gives me the opportunity to state my case clearly and concisely and on the record.
My results have been good.
Once I was found not guilty. Two other times I was levied with a mere $5 fine plus cost each time.
If the potential savings in fine costs are as large or larger than the value of your time to go there and fight, then I say go there and plead “no contest” rather than paying the ticket.
