Failure to use designated lane ticket on NY Thruway

[Amorphus]

I saw the thread about contesting the $700 ticket in a search, but that was a few days old and I didn't really want to revive a dead thread. Anyways, if this thread irritates you, then sorry, and eat me

Just kidding. Please help :brokenheart:

Anyways, yesterday I was driving on the NY state Thruway (I-90) east, on my way home after visiting relatives in Canada for the holiday weekend (yes, I realize the irony of visiting Canada on July 4th). I was driving a pickup truck with a cap over the bed, and the back of the truck was loaded with all sort of fun camping supplies, like sleeping bags and clothes and such. Anyways, I was driving in the left hand lane at between 70 and 75, and I see a state police car pull up beside me on the considerably large left-hand shoulder, with its lights on. Apparently, he had been following me for the last mile or so with his lights on.

He told me that there were signs posted about staying in the right hand lane unless passing, which I had seen on other parts of the highway, but not here, and so I got a citation for failure to use the designated lane.

Now, what can I do to contest the ticket? I have a clean driving record, so I don't want to mess that up. I live in Massachusetts, about 4-5 hours away from where this all took place, so I don't want to have to appear in court. Anybody familiar with NY law help me out? All I know is that on the back of the yellow copy I got, there's a Not Guilty section, but it says that I would still have to appear in court.

Thoughts?

 

[Wapp]

How much is the ticket for?

 

[Hammer]

sorry, but i have no sympathy for someone driving the speed limit in the left hand lane with a fully loaded truck. i only wish that cop would transfer down here to austin and show the cops here what a real cop is.

 

[Amorphus]

Originally posted by: Wapp
How much is the ticket for?

I'm wondering too, I asked the cop and he had no idea. It's a matter of principle really.

Originally posted by: Hammer
sorry, but i have no sympathy for someone driving the speed limit in the left hand lane with a fully loaded truck. i only wish that cop would transfer down here to austin and show the cops here what a real cop is.

Is this sarcasm? The truck was loaded with under 200 pounds of stuff all total, securely packed. The only issue was that the center mirror's visibility was obscured, which was made up for by the side mirrors which I adjusted to compensate. Besides, "the left hand lane is his lane?" (paraphrased). F you, federal highway money comes from the my pocket, it's not your lane.

 

[bonkers325]

find out how much the ticket will cost you. you arent allowed to be on the left lane... plus u should've noticed the cop was behind you!

 

[Wapp]

So it's a summons?

 

[isasir]

Oh wow, I didn't think they'd actually ticket for that. I'd think that it'd be ok to be in the left lane, as long as you have the courtesy to move to the right if you see a car behind you driving considerably faster than you.

 

[Amorphus]

Originally posted by: bonkers325
find out how much the ticket will cost you. you arent allowed to be on the left lane... plus u should've noticed the cop was behind you!

Noone else in the car noticed either (my parents were with me in the car) until he pulled up beside us. Also, my point was that there were no signs saying I wasn't allowed in the left hand lane in the area - I specifically looked for those signs after I got back onto the road and there were none (I had seen them in other areas of the road, but not there).

Originally posted by: Wapp
So it's a summons?

Unless I plead guilty and lie down.

Originally posted by: isasir
Oh wow, I didn't think they'd actually ticket for that. I'd think that it'd be ok to be in the left lane, as long as you have the courtesy to move to the right if you see a car behind you driving considerably faster than you.

Well, I didn't move over for him, but then again, it could be argued that I was going at a good speed for passing (between 70-75 in a 65). Note that he knew my speed and was fine with that, he was just annoyed about my not moving over for him.

 

[FleshLight]

WTF, you aren't allowed to go in the fast lane in NY?

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: Amorphus
Unless I plead guilty and bend over.

Fixed

 

[robphelan]

Originally posted by: FleshLight
WTF, you aren't allowed to go in the fast lane in NY?

no.. you're not supposed to 'camp' in the fast lane.

it's bad driving manners(and illegal in some states) to be in the fast lane if you're not actively passing someone. you should move back to the right lane as soon as you've passed.

I have no sympathy for this one 'cuz it really irks me when people don't move over and you're coming up their tail.

people who don't pay attention to what's going on around them can slow down traffic for miles.

 

[Ramma2]

Isn't the left lane always considered the passing lane on the freeway? If you're not passing people, then there's no need to be over there all the time.

 

[Hammer]

Originally posted by: robphelan

Originally posted by: FleshLight
WTF, you aren't allowed to go in the fast lane in NY?

no.. you're not supposed to 'camp' in the fast lane.

it's bad driving manners(and illegal in some states) to be in the fast lane if you're not actively passing someone. you should move back to the right lane as soon as you've passed.

I have no sympathy for this one 'cuz it really irks me when people don't move over and you're coming up their tail.

people who don't pay attention to what's going on around them can slow down traffic for miles.

my feelings exactly, which is why i posted the response i did earlier. i think cops here don't enforce this enough.

 

[Phoenix86]

Originally posted by: robphelan
people who don't pay attention to what's going on around them can slow down traffic for miles.

...or they cause wrecks...

It irks me when people drive in the passing land and aren't passing anyone, but no one was around...

 

[Amorphus]

Thing is though, I wasn't going 65 in the left lane. I was going at around 75, which is hardly an annoyance for anyone trying to get anywhere. The highway was clear, and I was following a car in front of me.

 

[GasX]

If you contest this ticket, they should double the fine.

STAY OUT OF THE LEFT LANE IF YOU ARE NOT PASSING!

 

[emmpee]

Originally posted by: Amorphus
Thing is though, I wasn't going 65 in the left lane. I was going at around 75, which is hardly an annoyance for anyone trying to get anywhere. The highway was clear, and I was following a car in front of me.

Speed doesn't matter. Whether pickup or car, if you're not passing, get out of the passing lane.

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: isasir
Oh wow, I didn't think they'd actually ticket for that. I'd think that it'd be ok to be in the left lane, as long as you have the courtesy to move to the right if you see a car behind you driving considerably faster than you.

If he couldn't see a cop with his lights on him behind him...how the hell was he going to see a car that wanted to pass behind him?

I also must side with the officer on this one. This always drives me totally nuts when people do this. I gotta say I'm glad that they're actually writing tickets for it somewhere, god knows they don't here. I was also under the impression this was the law everywhere so I don't see why the signs would be needed.

 

[dethman]

in almost all two lane freeways, the left lane is considered as a passing lane. it's a valid ticket. sorry.

also if you drove almost a mile without noticing a car pulling up behind you WITH HIS LIGHTS ON, then you either need to pay more attention, or you had too much stuff loaded and it obstructed your view which is also illegal.

 

[cavemanmoron]

Pay the fine.
Next time Keep right.

Did you also get a speeding ticket,and seat belt tickets?If not then you are lucky.

 

[Amorphus]

Originally posted by: dethman
in almost all two lane freeways, the left lane is considered as a passing lane. it's a valid ticket. sorry.

also if you drove almost a mile without noticing a car pulling up behind you WITH HIS LIGHTS ON, then you either need to pay more attention, or you had too much stuff loaded and it obstructed your view which is also illegal.

The tailgate for a truck is higher up than on a car, and police cruisers aren't exactly tall vehicles. Also, I was going at a decent passing speed. I wasn't squatting in the left lane, I was following the traffic that existed at the time in the left lane.

 

[Amorphus]

Originally posted by: cavemanmoron
Pay the fine.
Next time Keep right.

Did you also get a speeding ticket,and seat belt tickets?If not then you are lucky.

I was going at a passing speed, and I was wearing my seat belt

 

[cavemanmoron]

Originally posted by: FleshLight
WTF, you aren't allowed to go in the fast lane in NY?

State law is bear right.Except to pass.

On a 2 lane each direction Interstates this should be enforced more.

In case of an emergency the Police/Ambulance;
Fire Trucks need to be able to get thru.

Go to Defensive Driving School and you will be able to deduct any points,
but,you may not get any points,being from a diff state.

Each state is a little different,Vermont enforces this at times,along with a
"Must Signal when changing lanes" law.
I got stopped for that,but no ticket.

 

[kami333]

You do realize that it is illegal in MA as well?

link

Almost ALL states have some kind of law like this, or a variation of it (aka slower traffic move right, illegal to impede traffic in left lane, etc).

 

[Legendary]

"Keep Right Except to Pass" != "Keep Right Unless Driving at what you Consider to be 'Passing Speed'"
Re: OP, plead not guilty but you'll have to drive all the way to court up in the area where you received the ticket (which I assume is nowhere near where you are now.) Unless there is an error on the ticket itself, you will have to appear. If there is an error, send a not guilty and point out the error and they might just throw it out.