integra-r

during rush hr today, i was driving on the reserved lane during prohibited hrs and can't get out of it for about two lights. i though i'll have a chance to get out right after the third light, but the cop pull me over.. i almost run him over too cause i was paying more attention to my blind spot.. any idea on how to fight it off?

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

he'll prolly wanna know what you were doing in the reserved lane to begin with... definitely talk to the prosecutor, and offer a reasonable explanation, stressing the fact you did not intend to stay in that lane, but you used in order to not block traffic while looking for a niche in the lane you SHOULD have been in.

integra-r

the location north of eglinton on don mills. i was in that lane because i made a right on eglinton and never got the chance to get out.

integra-r

anybody that ever been in similar situation or anyone know some outcomes?

motti

Yup. Conviction.

The usual allowance to get out of a reserved lane is 100 to 200 meters or so.

From Eglinton and Don Mills for a couple of lights is a very long way. You might have some difficulty convincing a judge that you "just couldn't find a way out of the reserved lane" in all that distance.

I would bet dollars that the cop who tagged you will testify that he observed you pass several vehicles in that span, and that there was no obvious attempt or signal indicating that you were trying to clear the reserved lane in all that time.

integra-r

there is no way he can see me signalling cause there were another car infront of me. but it was me he stopped.

motti

Oh that's still not a problem. He'll just testify that you passed several vehicles while in the reserved lane and made no apparent effort to merge into that traffic.

And you did pass several vehicles, right?

integra-r

yep, but there is no gap that i can merge in, you know what i mean?

integra-r

another question is that does this ticket affects my insurance? and is there any points dedution?

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

it's cool that we have a resident expert now

motti

Did you get charged for "disobey legal sign"? If so, it's two points. It's not a moving violation in the usual sense, so I don;t know that you would face an insurance ding. What's the rest of your driving record like over the last three years?

If you got charged under a city bylaw infraction instead, it's no points and won't affect your insurance at all.

motti

If you're passing several cars while looking for that gap, the judge is just going to roll his or her eyes, and then comment that it's hard to find a gap, let alone fit into it, while you're travelling twice as fast as the lane you're supposedly trying to get into.

Judges tend to see beyond the BS. It comes from lots of experience listening to it every day.

imported_gatherer

well you make a gap .... simple as that .. it's like when I go ontop the DVP south from the 401 west there is one lane that ends just after crossing the 401 ... in rush hour traffic... there is never a "gap" to move into ... all I do is indicate my intentions with a single and then let one car pass me and move ... 100% of the time a gap was created or ussually is when they see I ain't waiting for the world to pass me by

ok seriously merging ain't that hard ... use your turn signal and wait for traffic to slow beside you ...move at the sped of the traffic that your trying to merge with slowly move to the side of your lane and 9 times out of 10 the guy behind you in the other lane will stop to let you in.....

imported_gatherer

Motti has a point.....

if you want to merge you have to be travelling the speed of the lane your merging into ... regardless of how clear the lane is your in current .. regardless of the people honking behind you because they are being held up.....

imported_Shazza

oh man! i got the same ticket today on eglinton just b4 birchmount. i got this same ticket less than a yr ago but just paid it off. i'm planning on taking it to court. i told the cop that i wuz gonna make a right onto birchmount, but she still gave me a ticket. also, the cop like stepped into the lane to catch me and scared the **** out of me so i swerved into the next lane and she said that i shouldnt have done that cuz i almost caused an accident...well, wut the hell am i supposed to do when someone steps onto the street from behind trees?! hit them?! plus i knew where the car in the next lane wuz and i knew i wouldnt hit them. i got caught at 9:45am...i can understand if it wuz during real rush hour...but 9:45am isnt quite rush hour to me, but i guess the sign does say til 10am.

i'm gonna take it to court and hope the cop doesnt show. but i dont know wut to say in the case that she does show. i mean...i wuz in the right lane...but wuz planning on turning right at the lights. help.

imported_Shazza

btw, the cop told me 40m...last time the cop told me the distance b/n 2 lamp posts. which is it for crying out loud?!

imported_Shazza

btw, can i make a court date over the phone? or do i have to go to the place?

Cynikal.Mindset

u gotta go in to the court house to file for a court date...thats how they deture people from fighting tickets, especially in places that arent close to home

imported_Shazza

thanks...

imported_Shazza

so should i bother taking it to court? its an $80 ticket with no demerit points. its a "by-law fine" as the cop put it. last time this happened the cop said it wouldnt show on my record.

but if i take it to court this time and i lose...does that mean i'm convicted and it goes on my record and my insurance company can see it? and wut r the chances of the cop showing? crap. i dunno wut to do...$80 is a lot to me.