Moving Violation translation from CA to TX?

1500 is a drop in bucket compared to economic losses being unhireable for three years scraping minimum wage in my time. I'll risk the 1500.

 

Absolutely, if you can get the attorney to do it. However are you willing to take that kind of chance? If that attorney or the person making you plea don't show up it is YOU that gets their CDL suspended! And even if you get your attorney to do it, YOU still have to be there for the main trial. Hey, I'm with you when it comes to the courts. Most Diesel cops know that the average trucker won't fight them for this very reason. This has frustrated me for over 30 years. It frustrated my father and his generation. However, unless you have a great employer going to court EVEN at home in almost every case is going to cost you income.

 

Not in my case. if I remember correctly my 7-year history was clean and one of those 2 charges was a none moving violation, the other was a failure to maintain lane ticket. I fought them because that idiot deputy Sheriff peeved me off. Even if I had been convicted those tickets would not have affected my job. You need to understand what my point was. I said you the driver must decide what is best. The point is in most cases you are going to lose income.

 

I appreciate you when you help me with a sticking point now and then like this one. Where I came from trucking companies see the offenses and simply refuse to hire you at all. That's my story. Is it possible for me to have fought them? Eh maybe. I tell you this. Im thankful that parking tickets had no weight. I made 7 policemen in Phillpsburg sit on my rig which itself was parked on a pile of knocked down no parking signs for 70 dollars fine. I paid it before I left town for their trouble. But since the offense was somewhat outrageous making them wait two hours while I finished a leisurly dinner I was somewhat afraid I would be a hunted man. But it is all well that's well.

 

I want to make sure my position is understood. A truck driver's livelihood is that CDL and their employability. No reasonable person would try to argue a driver should not be protecting the CDL. On the more serious charges, I think it is best to hire an attorney. In fact with charges like DUI/DWI and reckless driving in most states you don't have a choice. You MUST appear. What I am talking about is the minor things like my charges. There is a point where the cost to fight has to be taken into account. For the typical OTR driver what are the chances, the carrier can get you back to that same place on the right date? Slim to maybe! You can easily spend $1000 just getting there not counting lost income. My point is a driver should take all aspects of the situation into account. Like I said in a previous post. This has been a thorn in the flash of truckers for over 60+ Years now.

 

That third lane violation could cost you about $450.
It cost my brother $497 on the Grapevine heading north to Bakersfield.
Since it's a moving violation if you dont fight it, it could also cost you up to 3 points on your CSA.

 

A few years ago my brother was ticketed for the same thing on I-15 near Temecula. He chose to...I'm not sure if I remember this correctly...use the Declaration option on the ticket. That's where instead of appearing in court you pay the ticket AND send in a declaration of what happened.

I helped him research and write his statement to the court. In his case two bottom dumps from the same company were going about 45 mph in the right two lanes, side by side, blocking traffic. They were slinging mud and rocks from whatever job site they had been on. My brother opted to get in the hammer lane to pass, to avoid a broken windshield or other damage.

I found a law on California's books that states you can't block the flow of traffic. In our declaration (statement) to the court we cited that law and noted that the officer should have cited one or both of the drivers blocking traffic, instead of citing my brother trying to extricate himself from a bad situation.

A month later my brother received a check in the mail from the court, refunding his payment of the fine. On the check it said, "Exonerated". Sometimes the little guy wins, without having to resort to lawyers.

 

It all depends on the court system. Some courts will allow you to plea to a lesser charge (as long as you retain a lawyer of course.) I got the same lane violation in Indiana. I paid $300 to retain a lawyer and he will plea it down to a non moving violation for which I will pay about $250 - $300 in court costs and fines. But the $600 bucks is worth it to me in order to protect the CDL. Lesson learned though!

 

Remember: If you're pulled over in the left lane you always go to, " The guy in front of me locked them up... I was avoiding a collision."