Okay so I was going down a street looking for a place and i passed it. No biggie right? Bust a legal bit ch and get back on track... WRONG!

I'm super OCD about my car so when i pull into a legal turning lane, i wait for the opposite side to completely leave so i can get a full view of the road, i make sure there are absolutely no cars on the road and execute my U-turn. Immediately after i do so (i went to the far left lane after the U turn so it was pretty wide) I look behind me, I can see a motocop from a distance gain speed like a mother and get RIGHT up to my bumper. "oh no this cop is gonna pull me..." as i was gonna finish my sentence he lights me up. I was really close to the upcoming light and being on the far left, i decided to wait and make a left, then pull into a plaza right after the light. The officer later pointed out i should have pulled over to the right... even though i was almost at the light and there was traffic in the way?...

The first thing that runs through my mind is "oh shi t no front license plate".... I made sure to park so he cant see the front. But u know what he said when he came up to my car? "We're you trying to send me to the hospital tonight?" or something to that equivalence... I was super confused. Then he went on to say "You almost hit me earlier! Got right in front of me!".... There was not a soul in sight when i made the U! My friend also in the car agreed she saw no one. After seeing my expired registration information (oops) and license. He handed me a ticket and pretty much left... Didn't explain anything. So i tried to ask him what exactly i did since he quoted me as doing "an unsafe lane change" and from what i got from his explanation, i almost hit him doing the U turn?... He says he had to slam on the brakes. But if he had to slam on the brakes, then why did i see him at least 5 or more car lengths behind me, catching up suddenly? Did he stop to regain his composure then floor it? But there were cars coming... how would that be possible?

As you can see... im very confused. From the way i THINK it is, a very lazy cop just jipped me by giving an easy ticket... what do u guys think? sorry if it's a bit confusing... im a bit confused myself

 

If you've got the time, fight it. You'll probably get a reduced fine, worse case, you waste a few hours and pay the same fine.

 

You can fight if you want, I don't see why you shouldn't. Chances are the cop won't show up for this citation.

 

I've heard that before, but it's not true in my experience . . .

That's a tough situation, and really boils down to your testimony vs. the cop's. How much evidence do you have to corroborate your side of the story? Other than your friend riding with you, none. So unless the cop has a history of throwing bogus tickets at the court, there aren't many judges that won't back up the officer in that kind of case.

Best of luck . . .

 

You may well have cut him off prior to the U-turn. Did you have your stereo on? Loud? Were your windows up or down?

I like to drive without the stereo on, and the windows open at least a crack. I like to HEAR what is going on around me, beside me. I like to hear motorcycles before they get to me, because sometimes they will lane-share. I want to be sure to give them the room they need to get by.

If you did almost cut him off due to a blind spot and not hearing him, he probably was shook up.

Unsafe lane change would have been before the U-turn? Did you move into another lane? Towards the center of the road to make the U-turn from a lane nearer the right side?

If you were busy looking for a particular place, and you missed it, you could have missed seeing him too. Like in your haste to turn around and go back.

Get your car registered. Put on the dang front plate. Most of the rest of us do it. Why do people often try to "get away with something"? I just don't get it.

I wouldn't fight it if you did have the stereo up and the windows up. You may have cut him off, and not even KNOW you cut him off, which would look REALLY bad in court.

Besides, let this be your one and only warning on cutting off motorcycles. A ticket is nothing. You cut off a Harley rider like that, and you'll get a Doc Marten imprint embedded in your door. Or worse. You could kill someone.

 

Just got sent a red light ticket from a camera... If I knew how to fight it I would.

one good thing my Fit looks real nice and clean in the pics.. I think I washed it the day before... lolol...



I'd fight the ticket. The few tickets I've had I've fought all of them, and had a good success rate. It doesn't hurt to try.

 

Most times where I live they might reduces your fines but usually not but they almost always reduces your points if you appear in court. I also will always show up to court b/c I had to do to an accident a few yrs. back and the cop never turned in the paperwork therefore I got off with nothing on my record and we didn't even have to pay the ticket. Insurance still went up thou.

 

Keep the pics & post them


I fight every ticket & I get away with alot of them even when I knew I was wrong

 

To TaffetaWhite:

I like to drive without the stereo on, and the windows open at least a crack. I like to HEAR what is going on around me, beside me. I like to hear motorcycles before they get to me, because sometimes they will lane-share. I want to be sure to give them the room they need to get by.
If you did almost cut him off due to a blind spot and not hearing him, he probably was shook up.

"Light/Med" stereo, rear windows cracked, front FULLY DOWN"

Unsafe lane change would have been before the U-turn? Did you move into another lane? Towards the center of the road to make the U-turn from a lane nearer the right side?

"I went into a lane turnout thing, he claims that when i made the U-turn, i almost hit him while he was driving the opposite way??... I was in the far left lane on my side and i wanted to be on the far left lane after the U turn so my whole turn was quite wide. I made sure ALL cars turned in the turnout in front of me since my view was blocked by a large trunk and proceeded after i knew it was 100% clear. I just saw him in my rear view haul butt down the street... definitely over the speed limit and DEFINITELY too far away to almost hit me. He went from about 5 car lengths to RIGHT UPTO my bumper before hitting his lights, maybe to make it appear as if he was close to me the entire time?..."

If you were busy looking for a particular place, and you missed it, you could have missed seeing him too. Like in your haste to turn around and go back.

Get your car registered. Put on the dang front plate. Most of the rest of us do it. Why do people often try to "get away with something"? I just don't get it.

"my car does have correct registration, i mean the papers you need like proof of insurance and stuff, it wasnt up to date cuz i never pull it out"

I wouldn't fight it if you did have the stereo up and the windows up. You may have cut him off, and not even KNOW you cut him off, which would look REALLY bad in court.

Besides, let this be your one and only warning on cutting off motorcycles. A ticket is nothing. You cut off a Harley rider like that, and you'll get a Doc Marten imprint embedded in your door. Or worse. You could kill someone.

"I try my best to locate motos when i can, when i see them i even give them extra space on whichever side they are at. Trust me he was not behind me when i was turning, i looked in my rearview before and clearly saw multiple cars waiting with me but NO motorcycle"

 

fight it, that cop is a dick

 

Well, it sounds very strange then, that the policeman would say you almost hit him. Also sounds like you were cautious in making the turn. And that you do look out for other vehicles. So in that case, it might be good to go to court. Ask for clarification on the issue. Exactly WHEN and WHERE does he say that you almost hit him, is what you ask in court.

Also, write down everything you can remember, right now. The road condition, the weather, the time of day, where the sun was (was it in anyone's eyes?), how much traffic there was (was it very busy, or just a few cars).

All those basic notes can also help you to remember additional things later, when things aren't quite as fresh in your memory!

Whether or not the policeman shows up doesn't matter as much as you making a statement of facts on what YOU experienced, saw, heard during the time.

Because it's not just a fine, but it could affect your insurance. If the officer does show up, he'll grill you with similar things to what I said.

A large "trunk" was blocking your vision? Or truck?

 

Jason, Go ahead and fight it. Not much to loose. You won't win but you may get a reduced fine.
Dress nicely for court.
Go to traffic school to get it off of your record. I know its expensive but so are increased insurance rates.
Be real careful so you don't get pulled over again. They will be watching for you for a while.

 

Go back to the intersection and see if there were cameras at it. Maybe you can make them pull the footage if they still have it.

 

TaffetaWhite - Yes there was a large truck in the way so i waited for all the cars on the opposite side to turn first so i can get a full view. Thank you for your advice, i will write an essay tommorow and gather all my thoughts. My cousins recommended last night that i should send a letter in? i forgot the name of it, but you basically write an essay, turn it in and the cop has to write a rebutle. If i lose that i can still go in court BUT it's set at a new date, so the officer might be busy on the new scedule and may not come.

steve - it wasnt an intersection, it was a long road and i was in the turning lane. im positive there were no cameras