Should I fight this ticket?
#1
Should I fight this ticket?
I got my very first traffic ticket today
I was on my way to pick up my brother from school (El Modena High). This bloke slows to 1 mph to make a right turn into the student parking lot, so I do one of those deals where you go around him. Since I was going so slow already, I sped up and for a quick burst I was probably over the speed limit. Well a bike cop felt that was an "unsafe lane change" so now I have a ticket. Luckily he dropped the speeding charge because, "it didn't affect any children." Also probably because he didn't gun me which means he had no proof that I was speeding other than his judgement call.
I have no job, zero income, and from what my friends tell me, I can expect to pay $200-$300 for the ticket plus $50 for traffic school so it doesn't show up on my record. I can't let my parents know about it because.. well you'd have to know my dad. Anywho, I've started a "Save Randy's ****" fund locally...
I've been talking to a bunch of my friends and a couple of them said I should fight the ticket. They say if the cop doesn't show up (and they almost never do) the ticket is dismissed. I'm thinking of maybe fighting it but the whole prospect scares me. What do you guys think I should do? And has anyone ever been in a similar situation?
And here's the vehicle code section it's referring to:
21658. Whenever any roadway has been divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic in one direction, the following rules apply:
(a) A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from the lane until such movement can be made with reasonable safety.
(b) Official signs may be erected directing slow-moving traffic to use a designated lane or allocating specified lanes to traffic moving in the same direction, and drivers of vehicles shall obey the directions of the traffic device.
Amended Ch. 450, Stats. 1975. Effective January 1, 1976.
I was on my way to pick up my brother from school (El Modena High). This bloke slows to 1 mph to make a right turn into the student parking lot, so I do one of those deals where you go around him. Since I was going so slow already, I sped up and for a quick burst I was probably over the speed limit. Well a bike cop felt that was an "unsafe lane change" so now I have a ticket. Luckily he dropped the speeding charge because, "it didn't affect any children." Also probably because he didn't gun me which means he had no proof that I was speeding other than his judgement call.
I have no job, zero income, and from what my friends tell me, I can expect to pay $200-$300 for the ticket plus $50 for traffic school so it doesn't show up on my record. I can't let my parents know about it because.. well you'd have to know my dad. Anywho, I've started a "Save Randy's ****" fund locally...
I've been talking to a bunch of my friends and a couple of them said I should fight the ticket. They say if the cop doesn't show up (and they almost never do) the ticket is dismissed. I'm thinking of maybe fighting it but the whole prospect scares me. What do you guys think I should do? And has anyone ever been in a similar situation?
And here's the vehicle code section it's referring to:
21658. Whenever any roadway has been divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic in one direction, the following rules apply:
(a) A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from the lane until such movement can be made with reasonable safety.
(b) Official signs may be erected directing slow-moving traffic to use a designated lane or allocating specified lanes to traffic moving in the same direction, and drivers of vehicles shall obey the directions of the traffic device.
Amended Ch. 450, Stats. 1975. Effective January 1, 1976.
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JimW
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11-06-2000 01:43 PM