Well, not quite empty, but the car closest car in the next lane was at least 3 car lengths back. This was less than 200 yards from my house. I was going to 38 MPH in a 35 MPH zone. I didn't make a sudden lane change at all. When the officer stopped me, she asked me when was the last time I got a ticket. I told her early 1995. She replied, "Well, you can afford to go to traffic school then". BITCH!!!!! I am SOOO pissed off. SOOO PISSED OFF!!!!!!!

Mike

n

I notice that the state/local cops here in PA hardly ever use their signals when changing lanes, yet they ticket us!

If you know her and follow her to were she doesn't use the turn signals changing lanes....go to court and state her error and you'll probably get out of the ticket.

I really don't know whether I signalled or not. I may have, I may not have. I usually ALWAYS signal, so I don't really pay attention to the whole thing. I do it by second-nature. Since it's the officer's word against mine, and I'm not really sure, I'm not sure what I could achive by taking this to court. I've had friends go to court to ask to be allowed to go to traffic school, but that option is already open to me. I just hate the cost involved here. My record is totally clean. I got an illegal u-turn ticket a month after I got my license when I was 16 years old, and nothing since. I'm a very careful driver as I drive 15,000 miles a year and haven't gotten a ticket in nearly 5 years until now.

Mike

I am actually impressed that you got a ticket for that. I would much rather cops give tickets for lousy driving - like failure to use signals, or other bad behavior instead on focusing on speed alone. This way we could go faster and safer having lots of fun at the same time.

it's a VERY tiny town. Only one street comes in and out. Most of the time, that street is a single lane. There are only 3 or 4 total police units in the town. How does such a small city keep a private police force that drives HUGE ASS Chevy Tahoes? Donations and super high taxes. My parents donate a large amount of money to the police department yearly. In return, I get a ticket for not using my blinker (when I actually may have, I usually do it ALL the time). I wasn't swerving in and out of traffic. There was actually very light traffic on the street. The closest car to me was at least 3-4 car lengths back and travelling at least 15 MPH slower than the speed limit. What is super upsetting is this feeling that after all we do to support the police department, they're making their monthly budget by hitting their ticket quota at my expensive. Driving 3 MPH over the speed limit and making a perfectly safe lane change to get out of the faster of two lanes. Although I drive over 15,000 miles yearly, I have not received a ticket in nearly 5 years. My last ticket was when I was 16 years old. I rarely speed and I drive carefully, but I get picked up on SUCH a nitpickity ticket.

Mike

...of the things you can get ticketed for these days! There are people driving 10 MPH under the speed limit, making left turns from the right hand lane, changing lanes without looking, blocking traffic, not moving out of the way of emergency vehicles, etc, etc., but you get a ticket for not signaling when it obviously seems that it was unnecessary. Tickets need to be given more for dangerous activity and less for stupid things like this. Believe me, I see enough dangerous activity every day that I'm sure the cities could still bring in necessary revenue!

Charles

You say:

My parents donate a large amount of money to the police department yearly. In return, I get a ticket for not using my blinker (when I actually may have, I usually do it ALL the time).

You've gotta be kidding, right? Fact is: do you want to buy your police, or is it a donation? Are you supporting the police to keep offenses low, or to buy you a free ticket thru town? If you are in an affluent neighborhood, your crime is probably already low, so your "worst crime" actually may be people not signaling.

Fact is, you didn't signal. People make fun of me signaling in the middle of the desert; when I get caught going 114, I quietly pay. Same with 72 in 65. Either you are guilty or innocent - the fact that the cops don't signal is a sad fact but not an excuse. Bring the cop to court by video filming him / her not signaling or speeding, but that won't make your offense any less. It doesn't say "turn signal to be used only 6am-9pm on busy roads", sorry.

- Stan (not a believer in "Invest in America - Buy a Congressman")