3rdtimesacharm
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? WA
I received a ticket this morning for $1,062 in Washington state for Failure to Yield to an Emergency Vehicle.
Pulled over by a motorcycle officer, I was a little surprised when he told me what he was pulling me over for. Wish I could draw a diagram; I'll try to describe what happened instead.
I was getting ready to pull out of a gas station, waiting to turn right onto a busy, 4- lane arterial. I was approximately 25-30 yards from a busy intersection. As soon as I executed my right turn, I saw an ambulance on the opposite side of this intersection.
I was traveling in the inside lane and immediately tried to move to the right but couldn't, as other vehicles were in the way. My front wheels were now in the intersection and the ambulance was no longer moving forward in the direction towards me, but was now moving into the turn lane to make a left-hand turn across the front of me. With 3 kids in car seats in my vehicle, I had only a second to make a decision. I could brake hard in the intersection itself and stop there, or hit the gas, go through the intersection, and pull over to the curb on the other side of it.
As you may have guessed, I chose the latter. I did tell the officer that I couldn't pull over in the intersection, that it was too dangerous, especially with kids in the car.
He told me he "could see that ambulance clear down the road at Home Depot". (A location approximately 1/2 mile away from the intersection). I then explained that I didn't doubt he COULD see it from that far away, but that I was getting gas and then trying to get out of a parking lot so I didn't see it or even hear it until I pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road.
I told him I immediately tried to get over to the right and couldn't. I told him I made that decision to NOT stop in the intersection bc it was dangerous. I said "You had to have seen me try and get over if you were behind me. You had to have known I couldn't get over." He didn't answer.
Now I have a ticket for over $1,000. So here's my question. What are the odds I can contest this and win? How can I prove my "conduct was necessary to avoid harm" in a manner that will meet the legal standard?
Since this was a VERY subjective call on the officer's part (he thought I was on the road the entire time and had ample time to pull-over), does this very subjectivity come into play here?
Thanks for any advice you have. $1,000 is a TON of money to me and I have no idea how I will pay this ticket. I can't even afford school supplies for my kids right now.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
I received a ticket this morning for $1,062 in Washington state for Failure to Yield to an Emergency Vehicle.
Pulled over by a motorcycle officer, I was a little surprised when he told me what he was pulling me over for. Wish I could draw a diagram; I'll try to describe what happened instead.
I was getting ready to pull out of a gas station, waiting to turn right onto a busy, 4- lane arterial. I was approximately 25-30 yards from a busy intersection. As soon as I executed my right turn, I saw an ambulance on the opposite side of this intersection.
I was traveling in the inside lane and immediately tried to move to the right but couldn't, as other vehicles were in the way. My front wheels were now in the intersection and the ambulance was no longer moving forward in the direction towards me, but was now moving into the turn lane to make a left-hand turn across the front of me. With 3 kids in car seats in my vehicle, I had only a second to make a decision. I could brake hard in the intersection itself and stop there, or hit the gas, go through the intersection, and pull over to the curb on the other side of it.
As you may have guessed, I chose the latter. I did tell the officer that I couldn't pull over in the intersection, that it was too dangerous, especially with kids in the car.
He told me he "could see that ambulance clear down the road at Home Depot". (A location approximately 1/2 mile away from the intersection). I then explained that I didn't doubt he COULD see it from that far away, but that I was getting gas and then trying to get out of a parking lot so I didn't see it or even hear it until I pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road.
I told him I immediately tried to get over to the right and couldn't. I told him I made that decision to NOT stop in the intersection bc it was dangerous. I said "You had to have seen me try and get over if you were behind me. You had to have known I couldn't get over." He didn't answer.
Now I have a ticket for over $1,000. So here's my question. What are the odds I can contest this and win? How can I prove my "conduct was necessary to avoid harm" in a manner that will meet the legal standard?
Since this was a VERY subjective call on the officer's part (he thought I was on the road the entire time and had ample time to pull-over), does this very subjectivity come into play here?
Thanks for any advice you have. $1,000 is a TON of money to me and I have no idea how I will pay this ticket. I can't even afford school supplies for my kids right now.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?