Wednesday, April 23, 2008

On a lighter note...my traffice ticket.

So yeah, I got a traffic ticket. It sucks, I was even in tears and he still gave it to me. I don't feel it was fair so I am going to court to plead not guilty. It probably wont do any good, since it will be my word against a police officer. But it's worth a shot and at least I will keep him in court and off the streets that morning so he doesn't harrass any other commuters.

I am actually having fun with this(hmmm... I'm weird. maybe I should have been a lawyer?) I prepared my arguement. I will take pictures of the scene and everything so I look all professional. It will be spectacular.


I OBJECT! :)


My argument:


According to the Oregon Driver’s Manual: A steady yellow signal means that you should prepare to stop since the signal is about to turn red.
Do not enter an intersection against a steady yellow light if you can stop safely.

On the morning on Tuesday April 15th 2008 at approximately 8:30am I was on Club preparing to turn right onto Coburg Road as I do every morning on my way to work.

I could not stop safely as there was another car right behind me.

I entered the intersection on a yellow and would have made it through. At the intersection of Club and Coburg Road, the yellow light lasts_______seconds.

The line of cars in front of me suddenly started slamming on their brakes when they saw the motorcycle officer, as he was creating a traffic hazard.

Once on Coburg Road I had to apply my brakes as well to avoid an accident with the drastically slowing blue car in front of me. This left me stranded in the intersection, I couldn’t go backward as there was a car right behind me and I was already on Coburg Road. To stop there and not complete the intersection would have caused me to become a traffic hazard. I couldn’t go forward until the line of cars began to proceed past the officer.

I was probably still in the intersection when the light turned red (I was no longer in a position to view my light to be certain); however, that was only because the officer was there instigating traffic to slam on their brakes.

There was another SUV vehicle to my left in the other lane who was also turning right and who suffered in the same predicament I did that morning. This vehicle was even slightly behind my position in the intersection. I feel that I was unfairly singled out because of my old ugly car.


Comments? Suggestions? Have you even contested a ticket in court? I never have, so I could use any advice.

2 comments:

Margaret said...

My dad's a cop. I got a ticket for an illegal left turn in Eugene when I was 18. I talked to my dad about it. Told me how I thought it was wrong. I took pictures of the scene and had my argument ready and the cop never showed up. I never had to pay for it. Apparently, that happens a lot if they are busy. But he may show...good luck!

WASHINGTON SOUTHWORTHS said...

Sounds like you've got a pretty good argument going. I've heard that even just showing up and pleading your case will at least get you a reduced fine, though that probably will not give you the justice you deserve. Sorry!