OHTA.ca

I was pulled over tonight while driving home from my friends house. I had dropped a friend off and was heading home when a police car heading the opposite direction of me did a U-turn (without any signal) and began to follow me for a few minutes as I made my way home. For that ride I had to stop at several stop signs and I made sure to do everything (full stops, signals for any turn or lane change) because I knew he was following me. As I got close to my street, I was stopped at a sign and turning left. I stopped, turned, and just moments after he put his lights on.

When he got to the car he said he said I went through that stop sign and he saw me go through another. I asked him where the other one was, and the intersection he mentioned wasn't anywhere I had driven. He gave me a, 'well, I guess it wasn't you,' and asked for my license and insurance. Ten minutes later he comes back with a ticket for failure to stop, and didn't even mention demerit points to me.

I've been really angry about it because I know I fully stopped. I know it wasn't a rolling stop either. I go the same way home all the time, and I was especially careful because I knew this police officer was behind me the entire time. I looked over the ticket and saw that my address was written incorrectly. All other information is correct.

Edit: And as a kick in the balls, right after he got back into his car, he drove away ahead of me and then made a turn without signalling.

I'm now wondering what I should do about it. I'm neighbours with two JPs and I think I may ask them for their advice too.

Thanks!

The address is not a fatal error. Also, there is no requirement to signal unless other vehicles may be affected by your movement.

If you feel you didn't commit the offence you should request a trial and tell that to the JP. The officer will present their version of the events and then the JP will decide whether there is reasonable doubt after weighing both stories.

Thank you.