illegal u-turn and speeding

[anthonyb]

What is the name of your state? Washington State

I got pulled over last night for doing an illegal U-turn and apparently doing 80 in a 60. After waiting in frustratingly slow traffic for 20 minutes because the exit I needed to use was closed for construction, taking a detour and accidentally taking the wrong exit, I did an illegal U-turn on a 6 lane freeway on/off ramp (it was completely safe) and proceeded to go, at the most, 75 mph which was with the flow of traffic (I wasn't weaving or passing).

The cop turned on his sirens and he was harassing me to pull over when there was obviously no shoulder space on either side. When I finally find a place to pull over at the next exit he asks why I didn't pull over when he turned on his sirens on and I told him I was sorry, there was no place to pull over and I didn't know what to do because I had never been pulled over before. He literally told me he didn't care, to step out of the car, and he gave me an eye and breath test. He must have thought I was drinking initially because when he found out I was clean he was considerably less rude and more brief. He told me I did an illegal u-turn and was going 80 mph in a 60 and to wait in the car. He comes back and tells me that the ticket will be coming in the mail because his ticket printer is broken and that I need to "stay in the right lane and go the speed limit" and that's all. I was concerned with the lack of information but he was already getting in his car and I just wanted to go home. The cop didn't tell me whether he had clocked me or not but I'm sure that I wasn't going 80 mph.

I'm 17 and I've only had my license for a little less than 6 months - good thing the cop didn't notice because I had a passenger. Right now I'm just wondering what my options are and what I can tell my parents other than I'm getting a job... I've been reading about deferment but I'm not sure I would be found eligible considering my short driving time although my record was/is clean. I'm also not sure if you defer the ticket or just a single charge. Since I'm being charged with two offenses I would want to defer the speeding violation. Would my insurance premiums likely be affected by just a U-turn citation? About how much of a ticket am I looking at? Thanks in advance to anyone with advice or answers.

 

[The Occultist]

When you get your citation, please post back with the statute numbers you are being charged with.

 

[anthonyb]

Thanks for replying. I'm pretty sure for the U-turn it will be:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=47.52.120.

(1) After the opening of any limited access highway facility, it shall be unlawful for any person to: (a) Drive a vehicle over, upon, or across any curb, central dividing section, or other separation or dividing line on limited access facilities; (b) make a left turn or semicircular or U-turn except through an opening provided for that purpose in the dividing curb section, separation, or line;

instead they could charge me with: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=46.61.295
which I don't think I would be guilty of because it was a completely safe u-turn and there was a great deal of viability in both directions.

and for speeding: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=46.61.400

I'm not sure I want to contest the ticket by means of going to court because I had a passenger in my vehicle while I only had my license for little more than 5 months. This is against the law in Washington and they make it pretty clear from drivers ed that you are not to have any passengers under the age of 20 in your vehicle for the first six months of having your license. Although the penalty is a mere warning, I don't think it would help my case very much if this came to light during my court hearing. http://www.dol.wa.gov/driverslicense/teens.html

Is there any way I can pay the ticket and request a deferment for the speeding violation without going to court? Who would I ask? If not, I'm pretty sure it would be wisest to have an attorney argue my case. I think I have a pretty good chance to get a reduced citation but would like someone else's opinion. I could say it was late and I was frustrated with having to wait in traffic for about a half hour because the exit I needed to take was closed and then confused with having to take a detour which lead to me missing my exit and having to turn around at the next exit, where I irrationally decided to make a U-turn while not knowing the legality. And you know, I had to get my girlfriend (passenger) home, I just wanted to get home, having a bad night, ect...