Fail to yield to oncoming vehicle (21803a).. on a roundabout California
I would like opinions on if I should fight this ticket or not. Last time I fought a ticket in traffic court I lost, loosing my chance to receive traffic school as well as having my fine doubled. It was a rainy night and I lost traction at an intersection, but I regained control. It was almost like an unexpected drift. The officer cited me for crossing a double yellow line, which was false.. just not possible, and the judge took their side throwing the officer bones in the courtroom. My opinion, in the past, neither here nor there... Anyways
So I only want to fight this ticked if I have a sure chance at winning. I don’t want a repeat of what happened before. I still feel wronged about the past events. Onto the more recent topic and ms paint PICTURE INCLUDED!!
The weather was clear and sunny and time was close to 2pm. I was traveling northbound towards a roundabout (I’m the red car). During my approach to the roundabout I was applying breaks slowing my speed down from the roads limit and was roughly at 15 miles per hour coming from a 35mph zone (officer marked my speed as 20-25mph with a safe speed of 5mph…) coming toward my direction was a small semi-like truck towing a 10-12 foot trailer (purple truck). The truck had his right turn indicator on and when I saw him initiating his turn, toward my direction, I felt there was no longer a need to stop, feeling I could no way impede his right of way and safely enter the roundabout. There was a sheriff on my left, coming from the west, who appeared to be stopped at the yield (the red cut away expedition). I recall looking to my left in the direction of the stopped sheriff SUV when I entered the roundabout and was unable to see his vehicle because it was obstructed by the box trailer the truck was towing. This is also how I made my decision to not come to a stop and continue through the roundabout.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/Jimb0_o/intersection.jpg?t=1256251856
I continued through the roundabout exiting northbound. The sheriff entered the roundabout after the truck and followed me out. The SUV was roughly 25-35 feet behind me upon his exit and turned on his lights. I immediately turned onto the side of the road, rolled down my windows, and turned off my car.
The officer said that I failed to yield for his vehicle. He also said that the car following me almost failed to yield as well, but that car was able to apply his breaks in time. The sheriff said that this other car would have hit him if he hadn’t stopped. His explanation of roundabout laws was a bit sketchy to me saying that as soon as a vehicle enters the roundabout all other vehicles must yield for that vehicle, which I did. I understood that, but the rest sounded like it was meant for one car at a time. From what I understood that officer’s argument is that I entered the roundabout after he did and that he had the right of way because of that. My argument is that I didn’t come to a complete stop and continued through the roundabout because the truck was turning in my direction, and being unable to see any oncoming traffic, making it safe for me to enter.
All opinions are good opinions. Like I said I only want to fight this if I will win. I have a point on my record from my previous loss, and do not want two. If there is a possibility I will loose, I don’t want to chance it. I will also try a trial by declaration first.
I would like opinions on if I should fight this ticket or not. Last time I fought a ticket in traffic court I lost, loosing my chance to receive traffic school as well as having my fine doubled. It was a rainy night and I lost traction at an intersection, but I regained control. It was almost like an unexpected drift. The officer cited me for crossing a double yellow line, which was false.. just not possible, and the judge took their side throwing the officer bones in the courtroom. My opinion, in the past, neither here nor there... Anyways
So I only want to fight this ticked if I have a sure chance at winning. I don’t want a repeat of what happened before. I still feel wronged about the past events. Onto the more recent topic and ms paint PICTURE INCLUDED!!
The weather was clear and sunny and time was close to 2pm. I was traveling northbound towards a roundabout (I’m the red car). During my approach to the roundabout I was applying breaks slowing my speed down from the roads limit and was roughly at 15 miles per hour coming from a 35mph zone (officer marked my speed as 20-25mph with a safe speed of 5mph…) coming toward my direction was a small semi-like truck towing a 10-12 foot trailer (purple truck). The truck had his right turn indicator on and when I saw him initiating his turn, toward my direction, I felt there was no longer a need to stop, feeling I could no way impede his right of way and safely enter the roundabout. There was a sheriff on my left, coming from the west, who appeared to be stopped at the yield (the red cut away expedition). I recall looking to my left in the direction of the stopped sheriff SUV when I entered the roundabout and was unable to see his vehicle because it was obstructed by the box trailer the truck was towing. This is also how I made my decision to not come to a stop and continue through the roundabout.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/Jimb0_o/intersection.jpg?t=1256251856
I continued through the roundabout exiting northbound. The sheriff entered the roundabout after the truck and followed me out. The SUV was roughly 25-35 feet behind me upon his exit and turned on his lights. I immediately turned onto the side of the road, rolled down my windows, and turned off my car.
The officer said that I failed to yield for his vehicle. He also said that the car following me almost failed to yield as well, but that car was able to apply his breaks in time. The sheriff said that this other car would have hit him if he hadn’t stopped. His explanation of roundabout laws was a bit sketchy to me saying that as soon as a vehicle enters the roundabout all other vehicles must yield for that vehicle, which I did. I understood that, but the rest sounded like it was meant for one car at a time. From what I understood that officer’s argument is that I entered the roundabout after he did and that he had the right of way because of that. My argument is that I didn’t come to a complete stop and continued through the roundabout because the truck was turning in my direction, and being unable to see any oncoming traffic, making it safe for me to enter.
All opinions are good opinions. Like I said I only want to fight this if I will win. I have a point on my record from my previous loss, and do not want two. If there is a possibility I will loose, I don’t want to chance it. I will also try a trial by declaration first.