My husband was recently making a delivery in a downtown area. He had to make a right turn and did so from the left lane.somewhere in the process of the turn a lady pulled up to go around him and his trailer clipped the front of her jeep. He got a $200 ticket for turning from the wrong lane. He told the officer that he still had to turn down that street to get to his delivery and the cop shrugged and said "just try not to hit anybody"
My husband is just resigned to paying the ticket but this is ridiculous in my opinion and not only having to pay the $200 but also knowing this will affect our own personal insurance, it ticks me off! Is this legit? Worth fighting it? Any thoughts?
Thanks!
question about a ticket
Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by deannaeg, Feb 9, 2013.
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I would call Roadlaw and ask them. OOIDA recommends them and they have have kept more than one ticket off my record.
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Fight it! Period!
One of our drivers had the exact thing happen to him.
Same deal,he got the ticket.
He fought it and it was thrown out of court.....no record.
Best to get a local Attorney,they have better luck getting things disposed of.Last edited: Feb 9, 2013
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Your huband should have took up both lanes to make that turn so noone can get in the right lane while he's making the turn.Improper right turn that was.I don't know if it's worth fighting..Just pay the ticket and learn from it.Doubt the judge would side with husband.What state was this?Also what did this strret look like?Maybe it was wide enough to stay in the right lane.But when making a right turn in a semi and it's too tight to stay in the right lane then he takes up both lanes and so noone can squeeze up beside him or around him.Four wheelers don't think when turning that semis needs all the available space to make turns.
Last edited: Feb 9, 2013
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It's not worth fighting...I speak from the stand point of being a former police officer. I don't know what state you're in, but I can tell you since your husband was found to be at fault for the accident he's more than likely going to lose. He made an improper turn from a lane that wasn't supposed to be turned from. IMO it isn't worth hiring an attorney to fight it b/c it will cost you more to fight it than the fine is worth with no guarantee of winning. Also it may cost more to hire an attorney than whatever your insurance premiums increase by. If your state offers defensive driving courses or point reduction courses to CDL holders that may be able to soften the blow to your insurance.
However, it doesn't hurt to show up. I know in the municipality I worked in if the other party didn't show up to testify and I didn't witness it, they dismissed the ticket. I think my municipality is in the minority and he may still get convicted. I think it would be an entirely different argument if he only took up half the right lane and then attempted the turn, but if he was entirely in the left lane, he failed to yield right of way to the proper "owner" of the lane.
I don't know if the legal plans will retroactively accept your case. Most of the one's I've dealt with won't represent you unless you had them before the incident.
A lot of it boils down to which judge hears the case. I'd plead my case, but expect to pay the fine.pattyj Thanks this. -
I would first call the DA's office for that jurisdiction & see if they will reduce it to a non-moving (unless you want to dismiss the whole thing & pay nothing). But, if your just interested in keeping it quite & dealing with it yourself & not involving attorney's, thats what I would do.... which I have done several times successfully.
Normally if you contact the DA & ask his office for help.... because you have a CDL.... they will most of the time help you.
Normally one of the following will happen.
They will reduce it to a non-moving & you pay the fine.
They will reduce it to a non-moving & you pay a bit more like $25 or $50 for their trouble.
They will reduce it to a non-moving & you pay the fine of the reduced charge.
They will reduce it to a non-moving & you have to sign an agreement which agrees, basically to a probational period, that you won't get another ticket in that jurisdiction within another 6 months or a years etc. However, if you do get another ticket in that jurisdiction, this charge & the original fine will re-instate & it will go on your drivers licence record.
I am sure that there are many other alternate ways that DA's work with you but this is the most common ways that I know of.
The good thing is... its a free shot in the dark. If it works, then your home free, it doesn't go on your record & no one knows anything about it. If it doesn't, you can always retain an attorney & try it that way.
Hope this helps... good LuckEZ Money and wideglide13 Thank this. -
Wow thanks for such quick replies!
A little more info - this was in Charleston SC and he was overlapping the lanes - not fully in the left lane
Thanks again -
Well It just so happens SC is where I was a police officer. Traffic courts do not have the authority to reduce the fines or the points for moving violation tickets. Furthermore, since he was in between lanes and did not have full control of either lane it will be a hard sell. When it comes to traffic offenses, DA usually don't get involved unless their is serious bodily injury or death coupled with DUI, or gross negligence. What state is your husband licensed in.
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He is licensed in Georgia. The company he works for, MBM, is based in NC
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