Unsafe turn in Concord, Ca.

[shigity]

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

Ok, i was at a stop light in the left turn lane, a car was next to me on the right and then the cop was next to him. So the cop was 2 lanes away. Anyway, light goes green, i start my turn and look down briefly at my leg because i felt something. I look up and notice i turned a little too sharply and ended up going a little close to another car sitting at the red light on the street which i was turning on to, but i correct for that and everything is fine. It was completely accidental. The cop then zooms up to me and rides my ass for about 3 blocks until i put on my turn signal to go left which he then turns on his lights. I end up getting an "unsafe turn" infraction (22107). So, is there any way for me to beat this BS ticket in court? This is my first ticket in my 17 months of driving.

 

[The Occultist]

Here is what you were cited with:

22107. No person shall turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway until such movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after the giving of an appropriate signal in the manner provided in this chapter in the event any other vehicle may be affected by the movement.

I suppose the argument you can raise in court is that no vehicle was affected by your movement. The officer, however, will raise the point that because of the correction required by your inattention to the operation of your vehicle, you did not make your movement "with reasonable safety".

My advice is to seek the aid of a traffic attorney. Local attorneys know best what the courts want to hear, and as such present the highest potential for yielding the most favorable results. Many attorneys will offer free/cheap consultations, so you should take advantage of this and sit down with a couple to see what insight they may have to offer.

 

[JETX]

I end up getting an "unsafe turn" infraction (22107). So, is there any way for me to beat this BS ticket in court?

Actually, that is NOT what CA Veh Code 22107 says. Here is the actual cite:
"No person shall turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway until such movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after the giving of an appropriate signal in the manner provided in this chapter in the event any other vehicle may be affected by the movement."

At this point, we don't know whether the officer cited you for "reasonable safety", or "appropriate signal" or whether another vehicle was "affected by the movement". Absent that CRITICAL information, no one can guess what you may have violated or not.

This is my first ticket in my 17 months of driving.

Wow... and some of us have driven for entire years without a ticket!!! Your 'whole' 17 months is something to be very proud of.

 

[shigity]

Wow... and some of us have driven for entire years without a ticket!!! Your 'whole' 17 months is something to be very proud of.

Exactly. I would be merely on my way to that but because of this ridiculous infraction that may be affected.

 

[The Occultist]

Exactly. I would be merely on my way to that but because of this ridiculous infraction that may be affected.

When I was your age, I certainly would have agreed that it was ridiculous. These days, I'm not so sure anymore.

Anywho, it's not what YOU find ridiculous that matters, it's what the courts think.