Failure to drive on right half of roadway

[Thrillin]

I live in Missouri, and got ticketed for "fail to drive on right half of roadway".

I have a few questions: would it be worth to show up to court to fight/waive/reduce it? It's $250 (which seems excessive, seeing as my last speeding ticket was that much, and that was going 12 over) I've heard that if the officer doesn't show up in court, it could be dismissed. Hopeful, but not banking on that.

I briefly read about nolo contendre/no contest, will that help me here?

I plan on showing up for court, if for nothing else than to explain the situation. It was late at night, no one else was on the road (cop tried saying I could be endangering another driver/myself) and I only veered to the left slightly. He was behind me and had gotten over right as I veered. I had just gotten in a huge fight, and left an abusive situation, so I was bawling my eyes out and was grabbing for napkins in my middle console. Literally was just a slip of the wheel, nothing crazy or anything.

 

[adjusterjack]

I live in Missouri, and got ticketed for "fail to drive on right half of roadway".

This:

https://law.justia.com/codes/missouri/2017/title-xix/chapter-304/section-304.015/

would it be worth to show up to court to fight/waive/reduce it?

That's up to you to decide.

I've heard that if the officer doesn't show up in court, it could be dismissed. Hopeful, but not banking on that.

They get paid to show up and they schedule all their citations for the same day.

I only veered to the left slightly

Just enough to get you killed had there been an oncoming car or truck.

I had just gotten in a huge fight, and left an abusive situation, so I was bawling my eyes out and was grabbing for napkins in my middle console.

Then you shouldn't have been driving. And that's not an explanation that will go over well in court.

Take traffic school if you are eligible. If not, then either pay it or plead not guilty and see what happens when you get to court.

 

[Zigner]

I briefly read about nolo contendre/no contest, will that help me here?

Just to answer this specific question: No contest means that you are admitting guilt, but that it can't be used against you in future civil proceedings. Another way to say it is that you are admitting that the state has enough evidence to convict you, so you are not going to contest the matter. It's functionally equivalent to a guilty plea.

 

[Thrillin]

This:

https://law.justia.com/codes/missouri/2017/title-xix/chapter-304/section-304.015/


Just enough to get you killed had there been an oncoming car or truck.

Then you shouldn't have been driving. And that's not an explanation that will go over well in court.

Take traffic school if you are eligible. If not, then either pay it or plead not guilty and see what happens when you get to court.

No oncoming traffic, I was on a two lane highway. And it was late at night, I was the only one on the road (save for the cop). No need for "what ifs". Also, I didn't realize tears made you incompetent to drive? Driving wasn't the problem, it was me reaching for something.

Plan to ask about community service or traffic school, thanks for the reply.

 

[Zigner]

No oncoming traffic, I was on a two lane highway. And it was late at night, I was the only one on the road (save for the cop). No need for "what ifs". Also, I didn't realize tears made you incompetent to drive? Driving wasn't the problem, it was me reaching for something.

See, you ADMIT to not paying attention to the road. Your rationalization is that your eyes were full of tears, so you HAD to reach down, which caused you to (however briefly), lose control of your car. Why not just pull over for a moment to compose yourself?

 

[Thrillin]

See, you ADMIT to not paying attention to the road. Your rationalization is that your eyes were full of tears, so you HAD to reach down, which caused you to (however briefly), lose control of your car. Why not just pull over for a moment to compose yourself?

Because what you deem as "loss of control" was literally the car inching onto the white line. Yes, illegal by the terms stated or whatever, but I was in no way endangering myself, or anyone in the left lane--had there been someone in it. I'm not here to argue my reasonings, lol, me grabbing for napkins is no different than the times I reach for a drink from my cup holder or change the station on my radio. I only stated I was crying because that's what was happening, not using it as an excuse. I was stopped right before the exit I needed, so didn't get the chance to.

 

[Zigner]

... the car inching onto the white line. Yes, illegal ...

Exactly.

 

[HighwayMan]

Exactly.

And endangering someone is not an element of the offense.

 

[Thrillin]

Lol the fixation he has on that is weird, and yes completely unrelated to the offense.

Anyway, I plead guilty with an explanation. So you were 0/2. Officer wasn't even there and the story did, in fact, go over well, the Judge showed compassion. Got my ticket reduced. All in all a good, and hopefully last, court experience. Thanks for the help.

 

[not2cleverRed]

The OG effect is alive and well in 2019.

 

[Eekamouse]

Lol the fixation he has on that is weird, and yes completely unrelated to the offense.

Anyway, I plead guilty with an explanation. So you were 0/2. Officer wasn't even there and the story did, in fact, go over well, the Judge showed compassion. Got my ticket reduced. All in all a good, and hopefully last, court experience. Thanks for the help.

Did that understanding judge tell you you're a great driver and that mean ol' cop is an over-reacting jerk who should lose his badge, too?

 

[Thrillin]

Did that understanding judge tell you you're a great driver and that mean ol' cop is an over-reacting jerk who should lose his badge, too?

Actually, she did look over my driving record and commented on the fact that since I haven't had any incidents or priors that it goes to show it wasn't a reoccurring thing, so in a sense, yes she did. The losing his badge comment was a little reaching, to be honest.