Traffic ticket help: parked blocking an ally or driveway?

Hi,

Im 17 yrs and just recieved my first (and hopefully last) ticket. Heres what happened....



I was driving northbound in heavy traffic. I was approaching an intersection and the traffic light was green; so i proceeded to cross the intersection. Cars cut into this lane because this is the only lane to turn left. I made it under the light with my foot on the brake and my car barely rolling. The light ahead was green aswell but traffic was not flowing. In the oposing lane (southbound) there was a big dump truck( i quess his light had changed and it was his turn to go) because he started honking and cussing at me. i kept on looking ahead barely rolling. I was only in his way for 3 seconds i counted and my traffic began to flow. (might i add that the only reason i was blocking him was because he was driving a big dumptruck and could not make the wide turn he needed)had it been a passenger vehicle they would have had space. When i made it to the light to take my turn i saw a motorcycle cop put on his lights. I made the turn and proceeded in my lane. He signaled for me to pull over. He asked for liscence and registration. At this point i was very scared i didnt know why i had been stopped. And the officer did not tell me why i had been stopped. As i handed him my registration i asked him why i was stopped. And he told me i was blocking the intersection (which i wasnt). I tried to explain to him the circumstance and told him that i didnt know and apologized and asked if i could please just have a warning. He told me %26quot;no, definately not you will be recieving a citation.%26quot;. I took the ticket thanked the officer(dont ask me why i was very scarred and was trying to be as calm and polite as i could be) and went on my way.



Later when i was looking at the ticket it said parked blocking an ally or driveway which is contrary to what the officer told me i first recieved the ticket for (blocking an intersection). I wasnt parked and was in a congested intersection not an ally. Is this legal??

i am going to plea not guilty and need help with this.

the officer didnt tell me why he stopped me (i had to ask him)

the ticket is wrong

and he didnt tell me how to better handle the situation.



I need help with this what do you all think?



Thanks, Matt

ps oh and i live in texas incase you need to know what state laws are

thanks again



Traffic ticket help: parked blocking an ally or driveway?This is an excerpt I found from the Texas Transportation Code, you can check out the link to read the full version:



搂 544.007. TRAFFIC-CONTROL SIGNALS IN GENERAL. (a) A

traffic-control signal displaying different colored lights or

colored lighted arrows successively or in combination may display

only green, yellow, or red and applies to operators of vehicles as

provided by this section.

(b) An operator of a vehicle facing a circular green signal

may proceed straight or turn right or left unless a sign prohibits

the turn. The operator shall yield the right-of-way to other

vehicles and to pedestrians lawfully in the intersection or an

adjacent crosswalk when the signal is exhibited.



according to (b) sounds like you should have yielded to the dump truck and given him the room to turn.



Tickets suck, especially when it is your first one and the cop won't give a warning. From my experience (in Maryland) I would go to court since your record is clean and maybe the judge will give you a PBJ, Probation Before Judgment. All you would end up paying is the court fees, no ticket fee, and no points to your license.

GOOD LUCK!Traffic ticket help: parked blocking an ally or driveway?believe me pay the ticket. if you go to court. the only way you may win is if the officer does not show up. but it is not looking good. but if you want to take a chance. go for it.Traffic ticket help: parked blocking an ally or driveway?Pay the ticket and get over itTraffic ticket help: parked blocking an ally or driveway?If he gave you a parking ticket, that is much better for you than a traffic ticket, so you should not fight him on this.



He is not required to tell %26quot;how to better handle the situation%26quot;.



You are not supposed to enter an intersection (even with a green light) when traffic is moving slowly enough that you are going to have to stop in the intersection, because the light might turn red, and then you would be blocking the other street.



You are supposed to wait (not in the intersection) until the cars ahead of you are moving, and then go (if the light is still green).Traffic ticket help: parked blocking an ally or driveway? He saw you so pay the ticket