Any Lawyers in NC that know traffic laws

osidak · 09-09-2004, 07:14 AM

If so please email or PM me.

Got a ticket for merging later than sooner

djmcmath · 09-09-2004, 07:22 AM

Merging late? Is that like the spot where everyone's waiting in line, and you blow past in the unmerged lane to try and cut farther ahead in line? Or is that like a 200ft merge zone at the end of the on-ramp, and you merged towards the end of it, where the cop would have rathered you merge at the beginning?

Dan

osidak · 09-09-2004, 07:31 AM

I was getting on to I-85 and the on ramp turns in to the on ramp for I-485. I ran down the ramp and merged closer to I-485. He was setting right at the intersection and pulled me and one other.

Never changed lanes.

Said it was a moving violation

jhelgesen · 09-09-2004, 07:43 AM

Did you pass anyone on the right in the process?

Sounds like revenue generation to me.

osidak · 09-09-2004, 08:21 AM

Well yeah I passed the slower moving traffic on the I-85 lanes but I was still "Merging" onto I-85 myself.

Unless the law states I have to merge as soon as possible I would tend to agree it is revenue generation.

DavidI · 09-11-2004, 05:08 AM

What was the specific vehicle code violation? I am sure you can access the violation in its full text on the net. The codes are very specific.

Good luck, David

Randy Webb · 09-11-2004, 03:02 PM

"I passed the slower moving traffic on the I-85 lanes but I was still "Merging" onto I-85 myself."

- sorta sounds like you did something that looked dangerous or actually was or might have been... and he wrote you up for something close to that. Legally you may be able to get out of it.
But was this really a wise thing to do?

Jim Smolka · 09-11-2004, 03:11 PM

The nice thing about NC is that the Lawyers send you letters in the mail stating that they can help you.... and they really do great job.

In two cases, I have used the system.

Clocked doing 83 in a 65. $100 fine + insurance jump $. Rcvd a letter from a lawyer, talked to him and then sent a check for $200. Waited a week, then rcvd a letter that the case was dismissed

.

Rcvd a ticket for out of date inspection sticker (silly). $100 fine, rcvd letter from another lawyer, sent him $50, case dismissed.

OK, OK, maybe my proudest moments, but hey, it is the system.

Halm · 09-11-2004, 03:23 PM

Omar,

Know that merge well. Suspect that you were not going 25 mph like most people. The ticket sucks! Good luck.

ScottKelly911 · ScottKelly911's Garage

I could be completely wrong on this, but it sounds like you were passing cars on the right while merging, thus sharing the same lane. If I'm right, then sounds like you were in the wrong and completely deserved the ticket. Infact why should you be able to "merge" late while everyone else was waiting patiently. Merging properly onto a busy freeway is pretty simple, staggered. Proper merging ettiquette: Car in slow lane goes, merging car goes, car in slow lane, car merging...etc. Sounds like you didn't want to wait your turn. If that is the case I'm glad you got a ticket, I hate people who do that, it's unnecessary and dangerous. I'm not trying to be mean to you and this is not a personal attack. If I'm wrong, and you simply merged into the lane late on a open road (which it doesn't sound like since you PASSED traffic) then it could be a revenue ticket. It does amaze me how many tickets police hand out that are very easily beat however, they're just banking on the fact that most people don't want to go through the hassle of fighting a ticket especially in rural areas where they ticket people who tend to be just passing through on their way to somewhere else (here in CA the 395 up to Mammoth is infamous for this). If you were in the wrong, you got what you deserved and hopefully wont do it anymore. If you were in the right, Good luck, I'm sure you can beat it. Either way because it sounds like it was a judgement call by the officer you should be able to beat the ticket as you can possibly state that merging earlier was unsafe because of cars that didn't want to let you in and if you hadn't continued in your path then an accident would have been unavoidable or you would have impeded traffic. I'm not a lawyer, so take my opinion for what it's worth, which is about the same as half of a goats toe nail. Good Luck.
Scott aka Mouse

osidak · 09-11-2004, 09:31 PM

Well traffic was going 25 - 30 mph and I was running maybe 30-35 mph.

I was not blowing past a line of stopped cars. I will get a lawyer and fight it.

kstar · 09-11-2004, 10:13 PM

On a simple on-ramp, I was always told/taught to use the full length of the merging lane (ramp) and try to join the traffic at the traffic's speed; that it was not as safe or beneficial to the traffic flow to -not- use the full merging lane.

Sounds like your merge may have been more complex since your merge was compounded by an exit or off-ramp to another freeway - if I understand correctly.

All that I can think of is what type of lines were painted on the raod at the point you merged? Beyond a blatent blast of speed to pass on the right around traffic (which you say you didn't do) I might guess the officer either wanted to generate some revenue or didn't like Porsches . . .

Seems like if you did not accelerate too fast, cross a solid line or enter a shoulder, you should have a good case. Of course, it's your word vs. the officer's.

BR,

Kurt

Jim Smolka · 09-12-2004, 01:57 AM

Osidak,

IMHO, it is best to determine one's objective. Whether one is 'right' or 'wrong', has very little to do with the traffic law. What matters is that the case should be dismissed, thus no points or nor increase insurance premiums. A good attorney should be able to help you acheive the dismissal objective.