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Hello folks, I know lots you have had ticket experiences, and for things much worse than this.
Anyhow, my girlfriend was driving into the Lincoln Tunnel to NYC from NJ. For those of you that haven't been there, traffic is usually always at a standstill and this was no exception. Picture this... the tunnel entrance faces south with a fat road with tolls leading to it. On the east side of this road is another main road. This main road has 3 lanes going south but 2 of the lanes closest to the tunnel road do a U turn and go to the tunnel tolls/entrance.
______________ (L)
//_____________ (T)
//--------
\---------
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The dotted lines are southbound and the top ones do a U turn and go back the other way to the tunnel entrance.
Well, my Tamara hasnt driven through there much and she was in the left lane that goes straight and does not do a U. Unfortunately, there are solid white lines so you cannot merge into the U turn lanes. The signs there can be very confusing and she didnt know if she could get back to the tunnel if she went straight. Traffic was moving very slowly and she signaled to merge and another driver gave her the OK to move in. She did and right away a bunch of low-life cops who sit there waiting told her to pull over. They made her wait 45 minutes, did not speak to her whatsoever and then threw a ticket at her and walked away. She yelled "excuse me!" and asked what the ticket was for and he said something like "failure to obey the solid line" and walked away again.
Obviously she broke the law, but this is a $78 ticket with 3 points (i think!). She wasn't endangering anyone, traffic wasnt even moving. She didnt know what to do in the situation.
Anyhow, I told her to take it to court and attempt to plead to a lower offense. She has a clean driving record and is 21 so this might help. Does anyone reccomend this? What would be the process in this situation? Maybe she can explain the situation to the local prosecutor or the judge? Will the cop have to be present?
I have attempted to fight a stupid equipment malfuntion ticket and the cop didnt show up and I had to come back and then he still didnt show up and the prosecutor acted like an arse and I just paid the ticket.
Any advice? Thanks.
-Ian Whelan
86 SPG (sorry for the long post)
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