Want to Fight "Didn't Signal Before Turn" Ticket

[sam9477]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? OHIO


I noticed a police car somewhat tailgating me as I was about to make a right turn into my parents' development. I slowed down to remain cautious and alert. I have a squeaky clean driving record. Because the officer was so close, I became extremely nervous and focused on her patrol car's proximity to my car instead of turning my right signal on before making the turn. She stopped me and wrote me a ticket. I did not argue or say anything but simply took the ticket. Its my fault but I have the time and will go to court on this Thursday at 10 AM and plead Not Guilty, simply to avoid paying the $175 penalty which I can not afford. I assume they will then set a future date for me to appear. Lets assume on that date the officer appears. What would be your best - routine - proven strategies to attempt to beat this ticket? What are the possible outcomes? Thanks!

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? OHIO
... What would be your best - routine - proven strategies to attempt to beat this ticket? What are the possible outcomes? Thanks!

Dress nicely for court (a suit if possible or professional work attire), do not smell of smoke or heavy cologne, be polite and contrite, do not argue, do not talk over the police officer or the judge, address the judge as Your Honor, do not take a cell phone into court ... realize that the judge wants his courtroom respected and, if you respect it, he will be more likely to respect you.

The possible outcome for a ticket that appears from what you say to be legitimate and deserved? A $175+ fine.

 

[sam9477]

Thank you

but I see no strategy in your reply ---- at all. it kinda reads like be a good boy and eat your ticket. I don't think anyone would call that an idea or a strategy or anything. Thanks, no other reply needed....Geez...

 

[cbg]

See, that's where you're making your mistake. You're assuming that the purpose of this board is to help people escape responsibility when they are admittedly guilty of the offense they were ticketed for.

And it's not.

 

[sandyclaus]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? OHIO


I noticed a police car somewhat tailgating me as I was about to make a right turn into my parents' development. I slowed down to remain cautious and alert. I have a squeaky clean driving record. Because the officer was so close, I became extremely nervous and focused on her patrol car's proximity to my car instead of turning my right signal on before making the turn. She stopped me and wrote me a ticket. I did not argue or say anything but simply took the ticket. Its my fault but I have the time and will go to court on this Thursday at 10 AM and plead Not Guilty, simply to avoid paying the $175 penalty which I can not afford. I assume they will then set a future date for me to appear. Lets assume on that date the officer appears. What would be your best - routine - proven strategies to attempt to beat this ticket? What are the possible outcomes? Thanks!

Dress nicely for court (a suit if possible or professional work attire), do not smell of smoke or heavy cologne, be polite and contrite, do not argue, do not talk over the police officer or the judge, address the judge as Your Honor, do not take a cell phone into court ... realize that the judge wants his courtroom respected and, if you respect it, he will be more likely to respect you.

The possible outcome for a ticket that appears from what you say to be legitimate and deserved? A $175+ fine.

I concur. You already acknowledge that the ticket was legitimately earned. There's no defense if you did what you are being ticketed for, and you have no real excuse for doing it.

but I see no strategy in your reply ---- at all. it kinda reads like be a good boy and eat your ticket. I don't think anyone would call that an idea or a strategy or anything. Thanks, no other reply needed....Geez...

Sorry, buddy. You asked for advice on what you should do. Pull up your big boy panties and take it like a man. If you had a legitimate excuse for getting out of the ticket, such as you didn't do or couldn't have done what you're being ticketed for, that'd be one thing - but you don't. Appear before the judge, act respectfully, and they *MIGHT* dismiss the ticket (but plan on paying it anyway, because that's pretty unlikely).

Can't afford the ticket? Then you should have been paying attention to the road and your driving procedures instead of focusing on the cop behind you. If they had an issue you, they would have let you know without you having to watch them like a hawk. One might even presume that if you were that fearful of the police, you must have been doing something wrong already, but we won't go there.

 

[quincy]

but I see no strategy in your reply ---- at all. it kinda reads like be a good boy and eat your ticket. I don't think anyone would call that an idea or a strategy or anything. Thanks, no other reply needed....Geez...

Sorry, sam9477. Being nervous when driving is not a defense to a traffic violation. You admit that you failed to signal and the officer was right behind you to notice this failure. If the police officer attends the hearing, I do not see a possibility of the ticket being dismissed.

For violating ORC-4511.39, you add 2 points to your license. It is considered a minor misdemeanor. You can check out the following link to read the code under which (I am assuming) you were ticketed: http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/4511.

If you cannot afford the fine, courts will often work to arrange smaller payments to fit your budget until the fine is paid in full.

 

[sam9477]

Hey sallyclaus

I concur. You already acknowledge that the ticket was legitimately earned. There's no defense if you did what you are being ticketed for, and you have no real excuse for doing it.



Sorry, buddy. You asked for advice on what you should do. Pull up your big boy panties and take it like a man. If you had a legitimate excuse for getting out of the ticket, such as you didn't do or couldn't have done what you're being ticketed for, that'd be one thing - but you don't. Appear before the judge, act respectfully, and they *MIGHT* dismiss the ticket (but plan on paying it anyway, because that's pretty unlikely).

Can't afford the ticket? Then you should have been paying attention to the road and your driving procedures instead of focusing on the cop behind you. If they had an issue you, they would have let you know without you having to watch them like a hawk. One might even presume that if you were that fearful of the police, you must have been doing something wrong already, but we won't go there.

Get off my post and stop talking like a little girl. You sound so brave with the safety of the of the web, I wish you were physically in front of me. I don't think you'd be mouthing off and attacking me like you are - you don't know me . And if you did, you wouldn't be using words like panties and insinuating I might be doing something wrong. I don't care if if I get kicked off this site if jerk offs like you are permitted to give so called advice. Its too bad because there's probably decent people on the site that clowns like you get in the way of.

 

[sandyclaus]

Two words for you, Sam...

Bye-bye.

Reporting those comments. Just because you didn't like that we couldn't tell you how to get off without paying, that's no reason to pull out your ugly stick and start spewing that filth.

Please go away. FAR away.

 

[quincy]

Two words for you, Sam...

Bye-bye.

Reporting those comments. Just because you didn't like that we couldn't tell you how to get off without paying, that's no reason to pull out your ugly stick and start spewing that filth.

Please go away. FAR away.

Ah. I missed some nastiness, did I?

I hope for Sam's sake that he does not show any attitude in court because a judge will be far less amused by ugly sticks and filth-spewing than we are here.

 

[sandyclaus]

Ah. I missed some nastiness, did I?

I hope for Sam's sake that he does not show any attitude in court because a judge will be far less amused by ugly sticks and filth-spewing than we are here.

Nah, you didn't miss much. At least not much that you wouldn't hear coming out of a grizzled sailor's mouth when someone wakes them up too early.

Sam was just disappointed that he wasn't going to hear what he wanted. We all know how that turns out for certain high-strung, entitled folks.