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Ticket for failure to signal??

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parkingtick3t

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
NY


Ok, so I got a ticket for failing to signal on a lane change.

It was almost 4 AM. No cars WHATSOEVER on the street (besides the cop car behind me). Raining hard, vision isn't that great either so I can't see who's behind me.

I'm driving home with 3 other witnesses in my car.

There's only one car on the road as I mentioned, and it's tailgating me. What I noticed about this car is that it only has one working headlight and it's been tailgating me for the past 10 blocks or so.

I'm also driving through a bad neighborhood.

I'm basically afraid. It's 4 AM and there's a car tailgating me for the past 10 blocks?? The whole road is EMPTY! 2 free lanes and this car feels content on riding me...

I immediately make a right without signaling and slow down a bit. I want this car as far away from me as possible. Next thing I know lights flash and I'm being pulled over for not signaling.

I'm planning on fighting this, but I want your opinions on the matter. Should I? Do I have a chance? Is it really a violation if there are no cars around and the only car that IS around, is tailgating you with one broken headlight? I thought it was some dangerous individual looking for trouble.

Am I in the wrong? Or should I just bend over and let the corrupt few take advantage of me for something so minor? I mean really, 4 AM and you're instigating drivers by tailgating them without proper lights. Do cops do this on a regular? I'm still dumbfounded by the whole ordeal.

And I've never gotten any points. Always follow the law. Worst I've ever gotten was a stupid cell phone violation while I was driving out of my driveway!! That's a whole 'nother story... It seems to me that I am really unlucky. I always drive safely, follow the laws, but it seems to me like I always get the short end of the stick. Getting pulled over for worthless stuff.
 
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FlyingRon

Senior Member
Your point is contradictory. It's raining so hard you can't see anybody else *AND* there is a police car and you think that the road is deserted enough that signaling is not necessary? Nope, that's not going to fly. You have to signal even if there are no apparent other cars just as you must stop at stop signs and red lights as well. If there was nobody around, there would be no one to write you up. You stop / signal in these places for the people you didn't notice.

I hate to point out to you that following cars in the early morning and finding an excuse to pull the over to see if they perhaps are drunk is what passes for good police work in much of the country.

You're free to bring up the equipment violations of the police car but as your mommy told you, two wrongs don't make a right.
 

Octo

Junior Member
I hate to point out to you that following cars in the early morning and finding an excuse to pull the over to see if they perhaps are drunk is what passes for good police work in much of the country.
FlyingRon, you are funny. I agree though. The OP will have to hope the cop does not show up at trial. Otherwise, he'll be paying out the three million dollar fine. What a loser cop; he probably thinks he is saving the world out there.
 

cyjeff

Senior Member
FlyingRon, you are funny. I agree though. The OP will have to hope the cop does not show up at trial. Otherwise, he'll be paying out the three million dollar fine. What a loser cop; he probably thinks he is saving the world out there.
It is not a three million dollar fine.

This is not a loser cop. From what I understand of their job description and duties, it is to patrol looking for folks breaking any number of laws including violations of the traffic code.

Changing lanes/making a turn without a signal on a rainy night with a car close on your bumper is dangerous. Yes, that danger was certainly compounded by the actions of the other car, but a responsible driver takes such things into account.

The OP says that there wasn't another driver on the road. This tells me that the OP couldn't see the police car... unless the police car was the car missing a headlight.... the post is unclear.

Yes, the officer might have been looking for an excuse to pull over a car at 4am. doesn't make the stop an illegal one.

OP, go to court. through yourself on the mercy of that court and you may just be able to talk your way into a warning. Good luck.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
As any number of police officers will tell you, it is EXACTLY this kind of stop that can catch the bad guys. For some reason, people stupid enough to commit the big crimes are stupid enough to ignore the small rules too :rolleyes:
 

parkingtick3t

Junior Member
Your point is contradictory. It's raining so hard you can't see anybody else *AND* there is a police car and you think that the road is deserted enough that signaling is not necessary? Nope, that's not going to fly. You have to signal even if there are no apparent other cars just as you must stop at stop signs and red lights as well. If there was nobody around, there would be no one to write you up. You stop / signal in these places for the people you didn't notice.

I hate to point out to you that following cars in the early morning and finding an excuse to pull the over to see if they perhaps are drunk is what passes for good police work in much of the country.

You're free to bring up the equipment violations of the police car but as your mommy told you, two wrongs don't make a right.

It wasn't raining hard enough for visibility to be 0. I just wasn't able to see the car that was directly behind because he was tailgating the hell out of me.

There were no other cars around. Half-mile radius from what I saw in front of me and side-view mirrors.

Two wrongs actually do make a right sometimes. The world is not as black and white as people actually think. It's mostly gray.


Inciting civilians by acting like a ruffian or thug in a car isn't exactly my ideal "policing". I'm ashamed for my country.


FlyingRon, you are funny. I agree though. The OP will have to hope the cop does not show up at trial. Otherwise, he'll be paying out the three million dollar fine. What a loser cop; he probably thinks he is saving the world out there.
My point exactly. What a loser cop. :rolleyes:

Never attacked the cop. He seemed like a nice guy. He probably thought I was drunk so he decided to have a gander inside the car. When he found out that it was about as clean as any law-abiding citizen's car, he decided to be a little petty and give me a ticket for something else.

That stings a bit.



It is not a three million dollar fine.

This is not a loser cop. From what I understand of their job description and duties, it is to patrol looking for folks breaking any number of laws including violations of the traffic code.

Changing lanes/making a turn without a signal on a rainy night with a car close on your bumper is dangerous. Yes, that danger was certainly compounded by the actions of the other car, but a responsible driver takes such things into account.

The OP says that there wasn't another driver on the road. This tells me that the OP couldn't see the police car... unless the police car was the car missing a headlight.... the post is unclear.

Yes, the officer might have been looking for an excuse to pull over a car at 4am. doesn't make the stop an illegal one.

OP, go to court. through yourself on the mercy of that court and you may just be able to talk your way into a warning. Good luck.
I don't mind it. He was obviously looking for drunk drivers. Too bad he found nothing so he decided to take it out on me by giving me a petty ticket.

NEVER been in an accident (and hopefully will never be in one). I am confident in my ability to drive. Always signal, blah blah blah... But there was nothing dangerous about what I did. He was WAY too close to change lanes quick enough for it to be dangerous.

And the cop had ONE headlight.



As any number of police officers will tell you, it is EXACTLY this kind of stop that can catch the bad guys. For some reason, people stupid enough to commit the big crimes are stupid enough to ignore the small rules too :rolleyes:
I didn't mind the stop. It was 4AM and drunk drivers are dumb. Hate them. However, he should have let me go with a warning at the end. Was he bitter that he guessed wrong? I don't know and I don't care.

It's not really about the money. $120+ for a failure to signal is excessive though!!! It's mostly about the principle.
 
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