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Old 02-25-2021, 12:23 PM   #1
BsFaninCGY
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Default I just got the most ridiculous ticket

I was having a down morning and decided to use food to make me feel better. Went to The Submarine on Centre St (just south of McKnight - great people! great food!). Upon leaving the parking lot I looked both ways (it was quiet and barely no one around) and I crossed the south bound lanes to the north bound and waited at the now red light. Upon green, the SUV that pulled up behind me lit up and it was a ghost car. The officer said I had crossed the double yellow line and broke the law (paraphrasing). $243 ticket!!!

Now, I'm a good driver. One speeding ticket since 1998 and no accidents. I try my best and try and follow the laws. Admittedly, I didn't know this was against the law and I know that's no excuse.

I'm just so freaking mad. It seems so ticky tacky and like a cash grab at the end of the month. I'm shocked I didn't get a warning. What can I do? Other than pay it? Covid has decimated my work and I'm selling my belongings daily to make bills. One thing the officer did say was that he saw me 'pulling out of the Esso' - which I wasn't at. I was at the place next door. I have that on my dash cam. Is that enough to fight it?

I also said '#### you' to him as he walked away. He stopped, and I said 'yeah, you heard me' then I gave him the finger. Not my proudest moment, but I wanna paint both sides and be honest.

UGH.
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Old 02-25-2021, 12:29 PM   #2
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I thought that solid yellow lines only meant that crossing the line to pass or change lanes was not allowed but crossing the lines to enter a driveway or other roadway is acceptable.
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Old 02-25-2021, 12:31 PM   #3
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Man you are lucky that's all you got. It's ticky tack but a valid ticket nonetheless. You need better composure in a situation like that as your day could have got much, much worse.
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Old 02-25-2021, 12:32 PM   #4
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I think you're hooped. Turning left out of a parking lot as you describe and crossing double yellow is indeed a traffic violation. I actually wish they would enforce this one more often on some busy roads- it is extremely annoying when in high traffic some doofus tries to make a left turn to an alley or a parking lot across traffic. Not your situation but I digress.

I recently got a speeding ticket (totally deserved.) What I found was that my options for talking reduction were completely out the window- it used to be that going to the counter when there was still much time left before your trial was almost guaranteed to result in some type of deal for you in a good behavior type of vibe. But with counters closed, I tried emailing the provided addresses.

I will just leave it as a dead end. I actually found them quite rude. Ended up just paying the full fine amount.
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Old 02-25-2021, 12:33 PM   #5
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I thought that solid yellow lines only meant that crossing the line to pass or change lanes was not allowed but crossing the lines to enter a driveway or other roadway is acceptable.
Not supposed to left turn over a double yellow, it's usually painted that way when they don't want you stopping traffic in a driving lane to cross multiple lanes of traffic.

Lots of people do it all the time though, sounds like OP was unlucky here.
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Old 02-25-2021, 12:33 PM   #6
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That's... not a ridiculous ticket. You committed a violation of traffic rules. That's exactly the sort of thing they're supposed to give you a ticket for. And if this was an AITA post, well, I'm afraid you're an ####### for beaking off at a police officer who was just doing his job.
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Old 02-25-2021, 12:33 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by BsFaninCGY View Post
I was having a down morning and decided to use food to make me feel better. Went to The Submarine on Centre St (just south of McKnight - great people! great food!). Upon leaving the parking lot I looked both ways (it was quiet and barely no one around) and I crossed the south bound lanes to the north bound and waited at the now red light. Upon green, the SUV that pulled up behind me lit up and it was a ghost car. The officer said I had crossed the double yellow line and broke the law (paraphrasing). $243 ticket!!!

Now, I'm a good driver. One speeding ticket since 1998 and no accidents. I try my best and try and follow the laws. Admittedly, I didn't know this was against the law and I know that's no excuse.

I'm just so freaking mad. It seems so ticky tacky and like a cash grab at the end of the month. I'm shocked I didn't get a warning. What can I do? Other than pay it? Covid has decimated my work and I'm selling my belongings daily to make bills. One thing the officer did say was that he saw me 'pulling out of the Esso' - which I wasn't at. I was at the place next door. I have that on my dash cam. Is that enough to fight it?

I also said '#### you' to him as he walked away. He stopped, and I said 'yeah, you heard me' then I gave him the finger. Not my proudest moment, but I wanna paint both sides and be honest.

UGH.

sorry man. I know it's likely a way you'd never respond 99.9% of the time, but I understand just snapping when you feel you're losing everything.

you are lucky you didn't get taken to task for snapping, though.

good luck to you. sorry it happened.
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Old 02-25-2021, 12:34 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by Ahuch View Post
Not supposed to left turn over a double yellow, it's usually painted that way when they don't want you stopping traffic in a driving lane to cross multiple lanes of traffic.

Lots of people do it all the time though, sounds like you were unlucky here.
Plus snow on the road, faded lines, people in a rush or oblivious, etc. It's not a rule that gets enforced a lot so that does suck. It feels like a warning would have been appropriate but what do I know.

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Old 02-25-2021, 12:36 PM   #9
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My sister got one of those. She had it thrown out in court after saying the lines were covered in snow.

Just sayin
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Old 02-25-2021, 12:37 PM   #10
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That's a fair ticket, I can't stand people that cross double yellows
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Old 02-25-2021, 12:41 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague View Post
That's... not a ridiculous ticket. You committed a violation of traffic rules. That's exactly the sort of thing they're supposed to give you a ticket for. And if this was an AITA post, well, I'm afraid you're an ####### for beaking off at a police officer who was just doing his job.
Completely. No argument. A bad day got worse and I couldn't keep my cool. I'm looking into what could have happened after that now and I guess I'll consider my luck changed at that moment and my day got better. Would have been an embarrassing call to the wife...

That said, man, how many traffic violations have I seen with a cop nearby and...nothing. Ignored. It's like hockey - if they called every infraction there would never be 5 on 5. Like, cut me some slack man. Give me a warning or a lesser ticket for a dirty license plate or something. I'm just venting. Sorry.
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Old 02-25-2021, 12:42 PM   #12
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Damn. I would have said to fight it in court. There is always a chance that he doesn't show up, or he does show up and his notes suck so bad it gets thrown out, or at least reduced.

Since you mouthed off to him, I think he is preparing to potentially see you in court to fight it.

I have had a few tickets, some perfectly valid, and others questionable or due to extenuating circumstances. I got one in Thunder Bay before for driving down the middle of the street when there were huge snow banks on each side of the road and the road itself was covered in now. I was going about 30 km/h on a residential street at 4 am, so there was no traffic either. I think he pulled me over to see if I was drinking and then ticketed me for whatever because I was perfectly sober. I fought it in court and got it reduced at least.

Had another one in Lethbridge for going through a yellow light. It literally turned yellow right when I got to the light and I had no chance to stop. I went to court and got that one reduced as well (and no points taken off).
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Old 02-25-2021, 12:45 PM   #13
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sorry man. I know it's likely a way you'd never respond 99.9% of the time, but I understand just snapping when you feel you're losing everything.

you are lucky you didn't get taken to task for snapping, though.

good luck to you. sorry it happened.
Definitely. I work with cops every now and then and see a lot of the good they do. I'm not anti-cop or anti-CPS. I realize there's bad apples in any group, and I know this cop wasn't one of them - I worked with him many years ago (he has a memorable name). Just a bad moment. Learn from me, everyone. Don't do what I did.
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Old 02-25-2021, 12:46 PM   #14
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Not supposed to left turn over a double yellow, it's usually painted that way when they don't want you stopping traffic in a driving lane to cross multiple lanes of traffic.

Lots of people do it all the time though, sounds like OP was unlucky here.
This is why I was somewhat confused as outside of urban areas you can make a left turn across double yellows but in an urban area you can only cross a single yellow.

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(3) Notwithstanding subsection (1) and unless prohibited by a traffic control device, a person driving a vehicle may, whether within or outside of an urban area, drive the vehicle on a highway so as to cross a single solid line or, if outside an urban area, a double solid line for the following purposes:

(a) when necessary to turn left onto a highway or into a private road or driveway;

(b) when necessary on entering the highway from a private road or driveway;

(c) when necessary to enter a parking lane on the right side of the centre line.
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Old 02-25-2021, 12:47 PM   #15
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Completely. No argument. A bad day got worse and I couldn't keep my cool. I'm looking into what could have happened after that now and I guess I'll consider my luck changed at that moment and my day got better. Would have been an embarrassing call to the wife...
As long as you kept it to exactly what you said as presented, almost nothing would have happened. Cops hear worse than that the every single day they are on shift. Hell, I hear worse than that every shift. Folks don't like being held accountable for their actions, and it makes tempers run high. Especially if someone's in a bad state to start with. You learn to water off a ducks back it (though some days are much, much harder than others, honestly speaking).

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Old 02-25-2021, 12:47 PM   #16
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I never knew this was against the law in Alberta honestly. I see people do it all the time.

It's legal in BC

Quote:
Turns in the middle of a block
Most drivers expect other vehicles to turn at an intersection.
Sometimes you might want to turn left in the middle of a block
— for example, into a driveway. You may turn left — including
turning left over a solid double yellow line — if you do this
carefully and safely and don’t impede other traffic, and there
are no signs prohibiting such turns.
https://www.icbc.com/driver-licensin...s/drivers4.pdf
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Old 02-25-2021, 12:49 PM   #17
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I am certain it is legal in Ontario to turn left over a double yellow line.
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Old 02-25-2021, 12:57 PM   #18
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Back when there was the Husky station on 14th St south of 5th Ave NW, I lived across the alley and would watch CPS regularly set up and nab people turning in and out of the gas station across the double yellow to NB 14th. They did a pretty steady business there.
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Old 02-25-2021, 01:00 PM   #19
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I think the way you have to look at traffic tickets is the amount of things you get away with vs the amount of things you get caught on. If you're like the vast majority of drivers, the former far exceeds the latter, so when the latter comes, you just smile, take it on the chin, and go on with your day.

Everyone always wants to fight everything, people always seem to be mad they got caught, but why? Fighting stuff has merit sometimes, but most times you should just be happy the balance is still in your favor and move on. Mad you got caught? That should be the expected result. I make an illegal turn and just assume a cop is going to appear out of thin air.

You broke a pretty reasonable law, got a reasonable ticket, and acted unreasonably. I'd say you're in a good spot, all things considered. But I also have huge sympathy for you. Financially right now for you, myself, and countless other people, an unexpected $200-$300 expense is just a punch in the stomach when you're already on life support. It sucks, and I don't blame you for losing your cool. Sorry you're in this situation man.
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Old 02-25-2021, 01:04 PM   #20
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I think the way you have to look at traffic tickets is the amount of things you get away with vs the amount of things you get caught on. If you're like the vast majority of drivers, the former far exceeds the latter, so when the latter comes, you just smile, take it on the chin, and go on with your day.

Everyone always wants to fight everything, people always seem to be mad they got caught, but why? Fighting stuff has merit sometimes, but most times you should just be happy the balance is still in your favor and move on. Mad you got caught? That should be the expected result. I make an illegal turn and just assume a cop is going to appear out of thin air.

You broke a pretty reasonable law, got a reasonable ticket, and acted unreasonably. I'd say you're in a good spot, all things considered. But I also have huge sympathy for you. Financially right now for you, myself, and countless other people, an unexpected $200-$300 expense is just a punch in the stomach when you're already on life support. It sucks, and I don't blame you for losing your cool. Sorry you're in this situation man.
I don't disagree with anything you just posted. Just wanted to reply and say you are the only poster on here I continuously agree with. I appreciate the thought you put into your responses and I'm a big fan of what you bring to this online space. Thanks for always being so reasonable and well spoken.
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