Traffic ticket, should I fight it? (dangerous, assess, cars)

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by NovaZombieDrivers

I would have told the cop he can follow me to the hospital and give me the ticket once I arrive. If one of my family members are in serious danger, I'm not stopping for anyone, not even a cop. They can sort out the mess once I get to the hospital.

If you are going to give advice give better. If you feel the need to keep going you should call 911 and let the dispatcher know what's happening. Just don't keep going and hope it all works out well.

[Chelito23]

I work in different Traffic Courts somewhat frequently and I have heard countless excuses/justifications for failueres to obey the vehicle code in all sort of circumstances-and so have the judges and officers. I think you have minimal chances of winning at trial if you "fight" it, even with the evidence you mentioned. A judge will tend to say that if the person's health was so delicate, you put it in more danger by risking your own as you were parked in a travel lane, and if hit, would not only delay his need for urgent care, but most likely incapacite you and your ability to get him help. Then there is the same questions others posed here, the car had other occupants who could have entered the GPS info, or you simply could have entered the information before you left. Simply negletcting to do so at that time may have been an oversight, but it doesn't exonerate you for this case. Likewise, your argument about the emergency situation will do little, since ultimately you experienced this delay and the gentelman's health was not compromised. So the officer made a good call after considering whatever you said and he saw at the time.

Something tells me you were cited by an officer who was simply unimpressed or unconvinced of the urgency of your trip. It sounds doubtful a judge will be either. Remember, most people sincerly believe they are innocent of their infractions, your situation will be NO different than the majority of the people entering a not guilty plea to a traffic violation. And the vast majority of people who pleade not guilt in traffic court are found guilty because the judge only needs a proponderance of evidence to determine guilt or inocence, since the threshold is less with civil infractions vs. violations to the penal code.

With all of that said, some jurisdictions allow you to plead guilty with an explanation, which means you may tell the judge how and why this happened (without a trial) and hope he sees things in your light and reduces the fine minimally. That reduction may or may not happen.

The other alternative is to plead not guilty, have a trial and hope the officer doesn't show up (which happens some times) and your ticket would then in all likelihood, be dismissed.

If you have a trial, the officer shows up, and you are found guilty, you will have spent a lot of time and effort on the same outcome: paying a ticket. But if you fight it, you invest more time...but have a chance for a lower fine or dismissal. It just depends on how much time you have on your hands.

[ChristineVA]

Originally Posted by NovaZombieDrivers

I would have told the cop he can follow me to the hospital and give me the ticket once I arrive. If one of my family members are in serious danger, I'm not stopping for anyone, not even a cop. They can sort out the mess once I get to the hospital.

If one of your family members are in such serious danger that you have to disobey traffic laws and endanger people, you shouldn't be driving them. Period. If they are that bad, they need an ambulance with medical professionals escorting them to the ER. Not a bad driver.

[spencgr]

Hmm....I wondering about the seriousness of this emergency. While still at the hospital the OP's concern doesn't appear to be his grandfather; rather he's posting on CD asking if he can get out of the ticket.

[boyd888]

I don't get why you didn't just have your wife put information in the GPS or pull off ANYWHERE that wasn't a turning lane...shoulder, gas station, side street, etc. I would imagine cops pull people driving to hospitals over somewhat regularly so I doubt that excuse will get you anywhere. I don't see you winning this one and would just mail it in.

[FCNova]

I agree with some others, that what you did was fairly unsafe and probably warranted a ticket. I understand you did to to try to save time since you were on your way to the hospital. I wouldn't have as much issue with the cop ticketing me than I would with him taking his sweet time writing it up after you told him you were trying to get your grandfather to the hospital. I feel like some of these guys are on such a power trip.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by FCNova

I agree with some others, that what you did was fairly unsafe and probably warranted a ticket. I understand you did to to try to save time since you were on your way to the hospital. I wouldn't have as much issue with the cop ticketing me than I would with him taking his sweet time writing it up after you told him you were trying to get your grandfather to the hospital. I feel like some of these guys are on such a power trip.

I don't believe it took as long as he is saying. I'm sure it felt long, considering the ciscumstances, but a rookie doesn't take 20 minutes to write one summons. Keep in mind he first said "20 minutes" then I believe changed it to "10-15."

[vermonter16]

One thing....if it was enough of an emergency to warrant stopping in the turn lane on a highway....why wait a full 20 minutes for the ticket or take the time to try and figure out where the hospital is? If you were at your house before this - why not print out the directions quickly ahead of time instead of stopping in traffic?

[Margery]

Originally Posted by vermonter16

One thing....if it was enough of an emergency to warrant stopping in the turn lane on a highway....why wait a full 20 minutes for the ticket or take the time to try and figure out where the hospital is? If you were at your house before this - why not print out the directions quickly ahead of time instead of stopping in traffic?

That is my question also. If I am not sure about where I'm going I get directions before I start out. Also, the fact that the poster posted twice on City Data from the hospital is a bit odd. Who would take the time to post on a forum even once (he/she posted twice) when waiting to hear about a sick family member?

[ChristineVA]

Originally Posted by Margery

That is my question also. If I am not sure about where I'm going I get directions before I start out. Also, the fact that the poster posted twice on City Data from the hospital is a bit odd. Who would take the time to post on a forum even once (he/she posted twice) when waiting to hear about a sick family member?

Well, those ER wait times can be brutal, so I don't fault him for that. My guess is that if the OP was driving his relative to the ER, it probably wasn't a true "emergency." Most people involved in a true emergency automatically call 911. I'm sure the person was ill but maybe it wasn't that bad.