Need advice of failure to yield to the right citation

[Crawn2003]

Hello all,

Long story short, I failed to yield to the right for CHP (California Highway Patrol). They weren't after me but the cop drove right up to my bumper with a red/blue light on. I, unfortunately, moved the left because of the long stream of cars to the right of me and the CHP being on my tail.

I originally thought he was pulling me over for something (I wasn't speeding or anything else) but couldn't figure it out. I honestly don't have anything on my record so this is my first time figuring everything out!

Now my options are:

1. Pay up to $150 fine and go to a 1 day driver school.

2. go to court and try to lower everything from the fine to the driver class. (If I do go to court, what do I plead? Guilty or no contest?)

Thank you for advice. If everyone could refrain from the "well, you're guilty, deal with it", that would be great. I know I didn't yield, I don't need to be told that. I just need advice on how to deal with my guilty situation.

Thank you,

Crawn

 

[ucfgrad93]

Depends. How important is $150 to you? The time in court vs. time in drivers ed. is a wash. Personally, I'd go to court, and plead not guilty. Explain yourself to the judge and hopefully he or she will be reasonable and dismiss the ticket.

Good luck and let us know what you end up doing.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Technically you where in the wrong. The law is if you can not move over to the right you just stay where you are and the cop will go around you on the left.

Reason for this is so they always have the option to get around people and have very predictable clear lane of traffic to the left.

personally I say just pay the fine and go to traffic school. Reason for it is because it just not worth the time and trouble to try to get it reduced and as I pointed out above they have a clear case on you.

Is it worth giving up a day on a hope that it might get reduced and in the end you still end up with the same result as option one. I would plea no Contest and taking option 1.

 

[pseudobrit]

2. go to court and try to lower everything from the fine to the driver class. (If I do go to court, what do I plead? Guilty or no contest?)

Go to court and take whatever deal they offer you.

 

[donga]

it really depends on the time you're willing to spend and how far you're willing to go. you could contest it in court (would take time away from work/school/something else) and the worst they could say is: pay the fine, but potentially they'd agree with you.

you could also pay it and go to traffic school (i think this won't go on your record for a first timer, but i'm not sure if the offense is covered or not)

or you could just not spend any time at all, send your fine money in, and then have it on your record