Pulled over in Pasadena for turning onto a one-way

[htprost]

I heard of this movie that was coming out on Friday but the thing was a limited release and the closest theater that was playing it was in Pasadena. Whatever I don't mind the 10 minute drive so I call up some friends and we head out.
We get to the theater, we get our tickets and we have about 30 minutes to kill before the movie starts and my friend decides that hes hungry. He claims that he saw some sandwich place a few min ago so we get in my car and take off. We get to the sandwich place, he stuffs his face, and we head back to the theater.
I don't drive around much in Pasadena so I'm not too familiar with the place and I momentarily get lost, I know where the general location of theater is but I miss a turn. Whatever. Long story short, I realize that I have to make a right turn at the next street. I'm driving along, the light is green, there is a four (thats right 4) lane street to my right, I decide what the hell and make a right turn.
I make the turn onto a very dark and otherwise deserted street with the exception of one lonely car a few lanes to the left and... a motorcycle cop. I realize that I'm on a "oneway" street, that I am completely f ked, and that I'm probably gonna be late for my movie. I cruise by him keeping as close to the sidewalk as I can and duck into a small empty parking lot not two feet away from the intersection.

The conversation is as follows:
cop: where do you live?
me: Glendale
cop: you never been in Pasadena before?
me: I'm sorry, i did not see the one way sign
cop: step out of the car please
have you been drinking today?
me: no sir
cop: how many drinks have you had today?
me: i did not drink today, officer
cop: what are you, smoking weed in there? (referring to the people in my car)
me: no
cop: let me have your license
me: it's in the car, ill go get it.
After I give him my license he's still convinced that I'm intoxicated and makes me put him feet together, close my eyes, and tilt my head back. I stand there for about a minute then tells me to stand still while he goes over to his bike. I can now clearly see that he's writing me a ticket. Awesome.

After he's done I kindly ask him if he could let me off with a warning this time and that this is obviously something that won't happen again. He then laughs in my face and tells me "no". I then tell him that I did not maliciously intent to break the law and that it was an accident. He tells me "I never said that you were acting maliciously" to which I respond that him writing me a ticket implies that I knowingly broke the law, and is a little excessive. He then tells me some about how the law is the law and that "you don't have to be a bad person to break the law". I sign my ticket and we part ways.


I think this was a ridiculous and completely unnecessary ticket. It was an honest and harmless infraction that does not require a ticket as punishment. I do not believe that anyone, in their right mind, purposefully turns onto "oneway" streets just for the hell of it. What lesson does this ticket teach me? To be more careful on the road when I'm driving? I've had an immaculate driving record from the first day I got my license. I admit no fault. Do you know what I would have done if I did not encounter the police officer? I would have have driven the same two feet in the wrong direction, ducked into the same parking lot and made a left turn out of it. Whatever happened to "no harm, no foul"
There is a difference between knowing the law and breaking it anyway, and unintentionally making an illegal turn. I'll give you an example; my brother and I were driving in the carpool lane on a highway to Palm Springs in the middle of the night. There was a car in front of us going about 70mph and my brother decided to cross the double yellow line to overtake this car. He knew that he was breaking the law, and chose to do it anyway. A few minutes later we were pulled over by a police officer. He took a look at the license and registration and let us off with a warning.
Now consider my situation last night one more time and ask yourselves if this is proper justice.


PS. Does anyone know how much a ticket for turning onto a "oneway" street is anyway?
If anyone has had experience with this and believes that I am wrong in my reasoning please point out my errors to me so that I know what to expect from the judge.
Also please share if you have had a similar situation and how it was resolved.

[OC Guy]

Take traffic school, get over it. Maybe the ticket will teach you how to be more careful, regardless, traffic citations are a source of revenue.

[Jay_328]

sorry to hear bro. My friend was given a ticket for speeding 71 in a 60 mph zone. The officer (looked about 70) actually admitted he'd usually let such offenses slide but it had been a slow day! He said that and then laughed at us .... what an asshole!!

I think your fine amount is printed on the citation.

[achien]

Going in the opposite direction of a one-way street is dangerous, consider yourself lucky you didn't get into an accident.

[dcaero]

same thing happen to me a couple weeks back. accidentally went the wrong way late at night on an absolute empty road. quickly realized then did a u-turn and what do u know the cops sitting right there. and to add to it i was driving my mother in-laws C6 corvette and my buddy in his C6 followed me right down the street. he talked to us and we parted with a verbal warning. im sure he was just checking to see if we had been drinking. but he was a pretty nice cop, and im glad my immaculate driving record was not tainted.

[htprost]

Originally Posted by OC 335i

Take traffic school, get over it. Maybe the ticket will teach you how to be more careful, regardless, traffic citations are a source of revenue.

Yeah, thats fine, I understand the cop needs to earn a living too and I don't mind paying for the bread he puts on his family's table for the next few days. The thing that irritates me is how much time I'm going to waste on this ticket going to court and whatnot. And be rest assured I do not need a fear of a ticket as a deterrent to keep me from driving onto one-way streets, it's sort of common sense.
He could have said "Do you understand that there are cars coming in the direction that you are driving?" "Yes, officer, I guarantee you it will not happen again" End of story.
As far as being more careful goes, like I said, I've had a perfect driving record until now. I like to think I have exercised a healthy amount of caution while driving in the past. I'm sure everyone has made some bad judgments while driving and were lucky enough not to encounter a police officer. I don't think we all need tickets to be taught a lesson.
Please note, I am not saying tickets serve no purpose at all. I mean, run a red light, get a ticket, I bet you'll think twice before running another. Albeit this does not at all apply to my situation. I have fallen into a judicial loop hole.

thank you for your thoughts

[BMXtreme]

Maybe you're like my ex colleague...he always talks like he's on crack..and he got this stoned look all the time, but he's absolutely normal...

[htprost]

haha sometimes people think im drunk/high when im really not. o_O
and now that i remember, i did wobble out of the car when I gave the cop my license and he probably thought i was drunk. pfft whatever... thats how i walk. -_-

[DasBlitz]

Originally Posted by htprost

haha sometimes people think im drunk/high when im really not. o_O
and now that i remember, i did wobble out of the car when I gave the cop my license and he probably thought i was drunk. pfft whatever... thats how i walk. -_-

you wobble?

Either way if it is not a big fine either pay it or just take a class or something.