Improperly issued traffic ticket on March 31

[Sandra in NC]

According to the law in North Carolina, only traffic following a school bus must stop if the roadway has 4 lanes or more with a center turn lane.

 

My husband followed this law, but a police officer gave him a ticket. (My husband was in the flow of traffic opposite the school bus on a 5 lane highway with a center turn lane.) He told the officer that he felt he was in the right, but the officer said, "No, you had to stop."

 

It was March 31. We suspect the officer had a quota to fill and there is probably no feedback loop for improperly issued tickets.

 

Has this happened to anyone else? What did you do?

[kalanamak]

 

Has this happened to anyone else? What did you do?

 

I'd take a photo of the place, a copy of the law, and have your moment in court.

[MamaT]

I would take it to court in order not to get points on his license. They are high (5 I think) for not stopping for a school bus. Points on your license would also raise your insurance.

[Danestress]

with photos. The ticket should have the street address where he was ticketed, so this shouldn't be too hard to prove. I would take it to the DA before court starts and state your case. He may well dismiss before a judge hears it.

[joannqn]

I agree with everyone else. Take photos of the location, a copy of the law, and go to court.

[Tess in the Burbs]

GO TO COURT!

 

The officer is wrong. get a copy of the law, take photos of the road and go show it to the judge. Be prepared for the judge to say, "are you calling the officer a liar?". Say yes and why.

 

If you really are unsure get a lawyer. but I grew up in NC and the law then was if it had that middle turn lane the other side could drive by. BUT, I don't think people really know this law b/c some would stop...some would keep going. so do push the issue. the judge will know the law :-)

[Tutor]

Definitely take photos and either show up at court or take it to whoever handles these types of things and see if you can get it taken care of without having to go to court.

 

Funny story:

My dh received a ticket for an expired meter when we were in college. We both knew he had fed the meter and checked it to make sure we hadn't stayed past the time we had paid for... that's when we discovered there were three parking spaces but four meters! We had paid the meter at the front of the space but apparently had been ticketed based on the reading of the meter behind us. We immediately went over to the address on the ticket for paying the fine and dh asked to talk to someone about how to fight the ticket. The woman told him, "You have to go to the mayor's office." (It's a small town.) When we got there, we were ushed into the mayor's office! (It was acutally a corner separated by a little partition from the rest of the town "offices".) My dh spoke to the mayor and explained the situation. The mayor walked over to the place where we parked, saw what had happened, and ripped up the ticket. We still laugh about having to see the mayor about a parking ticket. :D

[Hapax Legomena]

Call the district attorney and tell him that you would like some help with this matter because the officer made a mistake with respect to the law. The district attorney may help. If it is an obvious error, the district attorney may not want to waste time with this case before the judge.