Are chiropractors medically useful? I'd thought they were simply a prostitution front.

Also, I'm happy that you're okay. Please drive with two hands.

Yeah, this chiropractor is really good at realigning and stuff. I am very thankful to have found him. and thanks for the support guys.

When I read the thread title I thought I read it as "I got a ticket because I lost control of my life....

Wouldn't hurt to look up the statute and see what the law considers "careless driving".

Might as well give court a try. Worst case: you pay the original fine, lose some time that day, and learn a little about traffic court. Best case: the judge sees your points (don't exaggerate your case), you get out with a reduced fine or no fine, and your insurance premium doesn't take a hit.

And yes, people do get out of tickets. I spoke with the police chief a few weeks and had a parking ticket torn up. Just depends on the circumstances. The best advice I can give? Be polite and sincere to the police and the court officers.

That said, it does sound like you screwed up in dealing with that road emergency - your car shouldn't spin simply by hitting gravel. There is a proper way to get two tires back on the road.

§ 3714. Careless driving.
(a) General rule.--Any person who drives a vehicle in careless disregard
for the safety of persons or property is guilty of careless driving, a
summary offense.
(b) Unintentional death.--If the person who violates this section
unintentionally causes the death of another person as a result of the
violation, the person shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of
$500.
(c) Serious bodily injury.--If the person who violates this section
unintentionally causes the serious bodily injury of another person as a
result of the violation, the person shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to
pay a fine of $250.
(d) Definition.--(Deleted by amendment).
(May 30, 1990, P.L.173, No.42, eff. Nov. 1, 1990; Dec. 8, 2004, P.L.1791,
No.237, eff. 150 days; Oct. 19, 2010, P.L.557, No.81, eff. 60 days)
2010 Amendment. Act 81 deleted subsec. (d). The preamble of Act 81 provided
that Act 81 may be referred to as the Sgt. Michael C. Weigand Law.
Cross References. Section 3714 is referred to in sections 1532, 1535, 3326,
3327, 3716 of this title.

I swerved around a car to avoid hitting him...

It sounds like "careless disregard" is suitably vague enough to work as a catch-all ticket for stuff like this. I mean, they won't have one that specifically says "spun-out and hit a tree".

Fight it. Tooth and nail. I've had friends who got into accidents that were most certainly their fault and they got out of the ticket by showing up at the court date and being a squeaky wheel (which sucks because they don't learn their lesson, but whatever). I don't see why you should pay if it was out of your hands.

In the very least they will lower the fine, which I've seen happen as well.

Things like this piss me. Meanwhile, there are people driving like maniacs, or dealing drugs, or truly being a danger on purpose, but no, screw the guy over who isn't a threat to society. Its like getting pulled over for a broken tail light. I guess you are the easier target than the others, so why try hard to actually keep the streets safe when this way pays off.

Damn, sorry for the rant. 3 cups of coffee this late at night is never a good idea, even if I am being productive.

It's probably not as vague as it appears. Laws of this nature usually rely upon case law for the specifics. The reason for that is that it doesn't require them to amend the law when somebody comes up with a new way of being dangerous at the wheel.

This is also why an attorney is needed when reading laws, without the case law aspect it's hard to determine what the statute really says.

And no, I don't like that, but compared with places where they continually amend the laws, it's somewhat less insane to keep up with.

I'm glad I don't drive when I see things like this. I'm also glad I dont walk any roads near you as drinking a coffee with one hand whislt driving - not a good idea. The majority of acidents Ive been in as a passenger have been a result of that or people that are "fine to drive".
I've walked everywhere locally (up to about 15 miles) since 2000 as a result.
Sorry about your incident, but I'd rethink your driving ability wrre I you (theres always someone else more dangerous on the road out there).
That's by bit on it.
Inabit!

This!! ^^ You have nothing to lose by going to court except a few lost hours AND everything to gain. Try to get those points off your license and reduce the amount your insurance company can charge you. Seriously. Just tell the judge what happened - a guy coming round the bend was in your lane and you swerved to miss hitting him and ended up losing control of your own car. It happens. It's totally believable. Express mild outrage that you were hurt but are now being unduly penalized beyond your pain and suffering and the loss of your car and the monetary outlay to replace it ALL to save someone else's life - not only your own.

By that logic you can't drink, eat, talk on a phone or even change the radio station while driving.
That's exactly what I am gonna do.

pretty much yeah - talking on a phone and drink-driving are definately out (well, hands free phones - fair enough). changing the radio - slow right down, pullover or have a passenger do it.

Let me tell you that drinking a cup of coffee is nothing compared to what I've seen drivers do. I've seen drivers reading books! I've seen drivers literally looking down with both hands on their cell phones obviously texting. One guy I used to see all the time drove with his knees whist using drum sticks on the wheel of his car with his hands. Let's not forget the drivers who chat while literally facing the back seat or the passenger in the front seat. I won't even go towards impaired drivers but suffice it to say that where I live it's a huge, huge problem so much so that a DWI requires a driver to pay for a device to blow in for 18 months. If they are even mildly intoxicated the car will not start...

Listen, piloting a multi-ton weapon - and let's face it, cars are weapons if not handled properly - requires 100% attention. But having a cup of coffee in one hand is the least of offenses - it's the kind of thing that can be tossed in a split second and usually isn't much of a distraction. In this case it sounds like the other driver - who sadly sped away without a backward glance - was at fault.

And really, it sounds like this incident fits 'the spirit of the law'.

The OP should remember, when facing the judge, that he's not being ticketed for avoiding the other car. He was ticketed for improperly getting the car back on the road and subsequently creating a collision. Granted, it was a collision with a tree, but it could as easily have put his car into the path of oncoming traffic. THAT is what the ticket is for, not for the actions of avoiding the other car.

I have fought every ticket I was ever issued (which has only been a few) and beat them all. If another car was coming into your lane then that's not called "losing control" it's refered to as being "run off the road and into a tree." Also, don't listen to all these back seat drivers and their "two hands on the wheel at all times" nonsense. I only drive with just one hand on the wheel, always have and always will. It's kind of required when you have a manual transmission.