Ticketed in Louisiana

[jay_merrill]

Re: Ticketed in Louisiana

THis is just my opinion........
For an out-of-stater to consider contesting a ticket is probably not the best bet----if only due to the fact that you would probably spend more time and money showing up to contest it than the ticket is worth. Also, what would be the basis for the contestation?
It's one of those "learning experiences" that one pays dearly for!!
It happens,
JBJ

I have to disagree. In just about any court in Louisiana (or anywhere else, for that matter), all those who show up in court, will first talk to the prosecutor in a "pre-trial." Except for tickets involving very seruous offenses, such as DUI, reckless, speed way over the limit, etc., the prosecutor will bargain down to a non-moving violation. The particular non-moving violation will be chosen to match up with the fine that would have been collected anyway. The reason why this is done, is because for the most part, traffic tickets ceased to be about safety, a long time ago. They are now about money and traffic courts want to process as many tickets as they can, each day/night that they are in session.

I would just about guarantee the OP, that if she shows up in court, the prosecutor will give her a "seat belt violation," run her through the court process "lickity-split," take her money and send her on her way.

So, why take the time to do this? Because a non-moving violation doesn't get reported to her insurance company! While this is a significant issue, no matter what her age, if she is a teenager and is still on the OP's insurance, this could be worth far more than the expense of handling the matter in court.



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[jtmarten]

Re: Ticketed in Louisiana

Sorry, but I'm glad it's being enforced. Nothing more irritating than slower drivers blocking the left lane. Way too many of them here in Colo. I'm betting too that the LEO was wanting to get somewhere. She should have accelerated 5-10mph to slowly pass the truck.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Ticketed in Louisiana

So she was suppose to break the law by speeding, so she could get out of the way?

Totally unacceptable.

She actually needed to slow down and slide in behind the truck.
Now that really would tick you off, would't it?

And more than likely, before she had enough room to safely pull in and follow the truck, the car behind would have been tootn the horn or pull right, passing, and dangerously squeezing in front of her.

Can someone show me the law that says you can speed to pass, or to gain access to a lane?

 

[slia67]

Re: Ticketed in Louisiana

So she was suppose to break the law by speeding, so she could get out of the way?

Totally unacceptable.

I know someone who did just that. Because the officer came up on him rather quickly, he thought he had better get out of his way. After he moved to the right lane, so did the cop and flipped his lights on. He received a ticket thinking he was doing the right thing by getting out of a cops way.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Ticketed in Louisiana

One of the things that I find to be both amusing and wrong about the position that people are taking about the girl's failure to speed up or get out of the way, is that it has been stated that she was driving at the speed limit. That being the case, anyone behind her, would have to break the law to go any faster than she was. What the cop should have done, is to slow down, maintain a proper interval and obey the law.

IMO, this is a stupid law that does nothing but waste an entire lane, thereby causing unnecessary traffic congestion.



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[waterinthefuel]

Re: Ticketed in Louisiana

My daughter got a ticket will driving in LA. The offence was staying in the left lane too long!! according to her, she was on the left lane trying to overtake a truck and she was going at the speed limit but the truck on the right lane did not slow down nor did she speed up to over take. An undercover highway police was right at her tail and after about 3 or 4 minutes on the left lane he turn on the light and pull her over and gave her a ticket for being in the left lane too long. Is there a law about being on the left lane for a certain amount of time in Louisiana. That sucks!!

I live in Louisiana and they just passed a law that says the left lane is for overtaking only. Signs are posted at regular intervals regarding this issue. "Keep right except to pass" is pretty clear. Your daughter was breaking the law and she got a ticket. Suck it up.

 

[cheburashka]

Re: Ticketed in Louisiana

So she was suppose to break the law by speeding, so she could get out of the way?

Totally unacceptable.

She actually needed to slow down and slide in behind the truck.
Now that really would tick you off, would't it?

As a matter of fact, no. It took her three to four minutes to figure out that she was going the same speed as the truck? In that case she should have slowed down and dropped in behind him. Me? In that situation you won't find me in the passing lane for more than 30 seconds. Pass or don't pass, but don't hover in-between.

As for the argument that leaving the left lane open causes congestion, I completely disagree. If she was going the same speed as the truck, she was causing congestion rather than preventing it. A row of cars in one lane moving at the speed limit is not "congestion."

The rule is pretty clear, although I can see how she would not understand it if she wasn't used to the rules in Louisiana. The rule states: "Upon all multilane highways, no vehicle shall be driven in the left-hand lane except when directed otherwise, preparing for a left turn at an intersection or private road or driveway, overtaking or passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction, or when right-hand lanes are congested; however, no vehicle being driven in the left lane except when directed otherwise or preparing for a left turn at an intersection, private road, or driveway shall impede any other vehicle that is traveling in the same lane and behind that vehicle."

In other words, by impeding the officer--regardless of whether he wished to go above the speed limit or not, she was violating the law.

 

[mscher]

Re: Ticketed in Louisiana

So she was suppose to break the law by speeding, so she could get out of the way?

Totally unacceptable.

She actually needed to slow down and slide in behind the truck.
Now that really would tick you off, would't it?

And more than likely, before she had enough room to safely pull in and follow the truck, the car behind would have been tootn the horn or pull right, passing, and dangerously squeezing in front of her.

Can someone show me the law that says you can speed to pass, or to gain access to a lane?

No, it would not tick other drivers off at all. What would tick them off, is a driver holding up a passing lane for several minutes.

Turn on the right turn signal, slow down, wait for an opening (if there is not one) and pull in behind the truck. It will take less than 10 seconds.

BTW, most people probably don't even know where their horn button is, unless they live in NYC, Boston, or Philly.

 

[avenger79]

Re: Ticketed in Louisiana

I actually wish more people would be ticketed for this.

 

[Philip_G]

Re: Ticketed in Louisiana

BTW, most people probably don't even know where their horn button is, unless they live in NYC, Boston, or Philly.

twice in 2 days I've had people try to change lanes into me in CO.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: Ticketed in Louisiana

In other words, by impeding the officer--regardless of whether he wished to go above the speed limit or not, she was violating the law.

If he's not above the law and driving faster then the speed limit then she wouldn't have been violating the law.

While hanging out beside a big rig is a bad idea but what is the point of having a law that states one has to break another law just to follow it? How can you be breaking a law while obeying another?

 

[cheburashka]

Re: Ticketed in Louisiana

If he's not above the law and driving faster then the speed limit then she wouldn't have been violating the law.

True, but the law is written in such a way as to allow for the fact that some people wish to drive above the posted speed limit.

I've been in situations where the "basic speed law" has dictated that I drive above the posted speed limit. If you try to drive at the posted limit on a California freeway you constitute an obstacle.

Her job is not to enforce the speed limit. It's to get out of the passing lane when others want access to it. That smooths out the flow of traffic and makes things safer for everyone.

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Ticketed in Louisiana

This is an excerpt directly from Pa. traffic law.

(d) Driving in right lane[FONT=Courier New,Courier New][FONT=Courier New,Courier New].--
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) and unless otherwise posted, upon all limited access highways having two or more lanes for traffic moving in the same direction, all vehicles shall be driven in the right-hand lanes when available for traffic except when any of the following conditions exist:
(i) When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction.
(ii) When traveling at a speed greater than the traffic flow.

As far as your concern about people flashing their high-beams and leaning on their horns if you don't get over fast enough; there is this also an excerpt from Pa. traffic law:

(2) Except when overtaking and passing on the right is permitted, the driver of an overtaken vehicle shall not increase the speed of the vehicle until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle and shall give way to the right in favor of the overtaking vehicle on suitable signal.
[FONT=Courier New,Courier New][FONT=Courier New,Courier New](b) Suitable signal defined[/FONT][/FONT].--Suitable signal for purposes of subsection (a)(2) shall be as follows:
(1) At all times when head lamps are required to be lighted according to section 4302 (relating to the period for requiring lighted lamps), an audible signal or the intermittent flashing of low and high beams except that the use of high beams shall not be permitted when a vehicle is approaching from the opposite direction within 500 feet.
(2) At all other times, an audible signal.


[/FONT][/FONT]

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Ticketed in Louisiana

Here in this area everyone rides the left lane and never thinks about the 3 miles of traffic they are holding up behind them.
Being a truck driver it really sucks for us.We get stuck in the right lane doing less than the speed limit with nowhere to go because all of the idiots just ride the passing lane while texting and talking on cell phones.
Around here a cop will not blink an eye if you go 5 mph over the speed limit to complete the pass and get out of the way.

I hate to say it but the cop made the right call.
If she ever had a truck blow a tire while riding next to it it would sure get her out of that habit.

 

[mscher]

Re: Ticketed in Louisiana

If he's not above the law and driving faster then the speed limit then she wouldn't have been violating the law.

While hanging out beside a big rig is a bad idea but what is the point of having a law that states one has to break another law just to follow it? How can you be breaking a law while obeying another?

This has nothing to do with speeding. She was ticketed for staying in a lane that is for passing only. The law is clear. Both the ticketed driver and the truck could have been 10 MPH under the speed limit and she still would have been in violation.

The correct thing for her to do is either speed up (and risk a speeding ticket) and get in front of the truck, or slow down and get behind it. Pretty simple.

 

[DaNinja]

Re: Ticketed in Louisiana

Left lane hogs are annoying to say the least. I think many drivers are unwilling to get off their cruise controls and pass or get behind.

I wish this willful formation driving would be ticketed more.

 

[DJ]

Re: Ticketed in Louisiana

I have NO problem with the "left lane" laws. LA and TX just decided to enforce them. $$$ are the reason.

Anyway, driving as much as I do, I see absolutely clueless people driving in the left lane at speeds of 45< on a 65+ freeway.. Some may have a liscense, I suspect most do not: . That's another story.

In any case MOVE OVER!!!! This is the ONE/ONLY thing I appreciate about the Europeans. They actually "drive".

Not; talk, makeup, coffee, eat, etc., while on the road.

Down here, come October, we get the Winnebago's that have had their right turn signal on since Dubuque. In the left lane doing 40.

 

[RobbyA]

Re: Ticketed in Louisiana

Robby's list of pet peeves

#1 - People who drive with the speed of traffic in the left lane. Grrrrrrr, yanks my chain thinking about it

#2 - People who put the toilet paper on the holder upside down. Grrrrrr

#3 - Thinking about people who do both #1 and #2 on the list.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Ticketed in Louisiana

Alaska is the only state that has it right, and puts it in writing.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Ticketed in Louisiana

....

As for the argument that leaving the left lane open causes congestion, I completely disagree. If she was going the same speed as the truck, she was causing congestion rather than preventing it. A row of cars in one lane moving at the speed limit is not "congestion."

You ignore the fact that it has been stated that she was traveling at the posted speed limit.

If this is true, every car behind her would have to break the law by speeding, in order for her to cause any congestion at all. Further, since the truck was traveling at the same speed that she was, even if she weren't there, none of the following cars would have been able to legally pass and they should have been in the right lane too. The end result, is use of one lane only (most highways in Louisiana are only two lanes) and a 50% reduction in usable roadway. That, by definition, results in a reduction in capacity.



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