COLUMN: The ticketing paradox
I got my first ticket two months ago.
It wasn’t a ticket the average college student receives for speeding or parking on campus without the proper permit. It was a traffic citation awarded to me by the Mount Pleasant Police Department for improper lane use.
It was on Valentine’s Day after I had just finished eating a meal at The Italian Oven along the Stadium Mall. My next venture was to visit Family Video for any new releases. Unfortunately, it required a left turn, moving across traffic on Mission Street.
After what felt like 10 minutes of waiting, neither side of the road seemed to clear. Finally, there was a break in the right side of the road, so I did what every other person would, and pulled into the turn lane while waiting for traffic to clear. As soon as I merged I noticed a black and white MPPD patrol car make a quick u-turn behind me.
The lights did not turn on until the traffic around me cleared.
I was surprised I wasn’t given a warning. Getting a ticket was foreign to me.
I don’t have tinted windows. I don’t speed. If I get a call on my phone while behind the wheel, I let it go to voicemail. I make sure I don’t follow any cars too closely and I use my turn signals religiously.
So why, of all things, did I get ticketed for improper lane use?
When calling the courthouse, I was surprised once again to discover I was expected to shell out $120. The original charge for the traffic citation on the receipt was labeled as $70, but $40 in state costs and an additional $10 in capital costs upped my total fees.
After withdrawing the exorbitant amount of cash to pay my debt to the city, I drove to the courthouse to continue the process without an appeal. However, after having received the ticket a week earlier, the charge was not yet filed. My trip to the courthouse was meaningless.
Ironically, I was told by the officer – who shall remain nameless – that I would have to pay the ticket within two weeks or I would have my license taken away. Yet, I was only afforded the opportunity to pay the ticket within a two-day gap.
To make sure I wasn’t the only one who was confused by this irregular law, I created a small poll among some of my coworkers and discovered 84 percent did not know this was an illegal move for Michigan drivers.
My point is this: Using the left-turn lane to merge into traffic is against the law.
My goal: save you $120.
Not everything is clear on the roads, so if you’re unsure if it’s legal, don’t do it.
