Is there even a point in fighting the citation and going to court?

Question

I was in the middle lane of traffic. it was backed up for about 2 miles. so i drove up the right lane (2 miles back it is NOT posted right turn only). theres a toyota minivan of some sort in front of me. the light turns green, and he floors it and cuts the guy off in the middle lane (merges in the intersection so he can continue straight. a real dick head move to cut off traffic) well, i was proceeding and about to turn right, when i look to my left and see no one in the middle lane. there was a guy a few car lengths back who didnt go so i signalled got over into the middle lane, and went straight. the cop pulls me over and issues a citation for "driving straight through a right turn only lane". but i merged into the middle lane BEFORE the intersection, it was unethical sure, but certainly not illegal. hes saying i merged IN the intersection. its now a he said he said case im going to have with the cop with judge. is there even a point, or will the judge see it his way?

let me add

sorry, let me elaborate... i dont udnerstand whyt he cop pulled ME over, and not the toyota, who CLEARLY was the one making the violation. i mean, i could just shut up and pay my fine, but its about dignity. i know what i did. i said, its unethical to bypass traffic - the cop even said to me, its unfair everyone else was waiting. since when in this country can you be fined for being unfair? WHEN I DID NOTHING ILLEGAL!? i cannot plead guilty to the citation he issued as that is something i DID NOT do! i told him i did not want to offfend him but i was probably going to plead not guilty. then he said okay we will leave it up to the judge to decide. so now its going to be me and him in a he said/he said argument over what move i made during rush hour traffic. it was pouring, so do i have a defense in saying his vision was skewed because of this? i know i merged prior to entering the intersection. theres no proof i did otherwise. the judge wont side with him b/c hes a cop, will he

Answer 1

You never can tell how that will go without a witness of evidence.

I would go back to the sight, take some photos and have them blown up large enought to add arrows and points of where you cut back in line before the intersection.

It's still not proof but it may impress the judge with your passion for justice.

Answer 2

Depends on where you were when you "merged" into the other lane. Were you at the point where the painted arrows indicate "turn right only", with a solid white line marking the lane? If so, then the judge will probably agree with the cop. Best you can hope for there is a break on points. I had a similar experience once; it was my first ticket. This was before radar guns and the cop thought I was speeding. He pulled me over and gave me a ticket citing the speed he had to drive to catch up with me. But I'd only traveled 1 block while he was traveling 2! Obviously, I was not going at that speed or he would never have caught up with me! I decided to fight it. Shoulda known -- the judge couldn't be bothered with the laws of physics and believed the cop.
Good luck.

Answer 3

You shouldn't argue with cops. They are always right, even if they are wrong. You know that, I know that, life is unfair, get over it.

IF you decide to go to court, keep your mouth shut. Don't try to make the judge or the cop understand why you did something stupid on the road. Your stupidity could have caused an accident. Ever hear that saying "Two wrongs don't make a right?"

The best you can hope for is that if you go to court, they will drop the points, but you will still have to pay the fines. If it is important to you not to get the points, tell the judge that you are willing to pay the fines and do community service in exchange for no points. Don't whine, don't complain, don't argue.

It's a crappy deal. I hate it too, but that's just how it is and there is no point in fighting it.

Answer 4

I'm pretty sure changing lanes over the solid white lines dividing the turning lanes is considered changing lanes in an intersection, but I'm not sure. Also, considering you WERE unethical in what you did, I doubt you'd get much help from a judge trying to knock down the price of the tickets.

Answer 5

Probably not worth fighting. Normally, the judge will go with the officer. Then you add court costs to the ticket cost and you are even further in debt.