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My question involves a traffic ticket from the state of: CA

I was driving on a 10-lane freeway one evening and decided to change lane since I was close to the exit. Since I drive a full-size pickup and it was dark outside, I was extra cautious. My blinker was on and I changed lane while observing for any car in my blind spot. A police office pulled me over and issued me a ticket for 21658(A) unsafe lane change. Does anyone know how to contest this ticket or whether I am completely at fault for taking caution in a lane change.

Thanks.
21658(a) has two elements (underlined separately below), proving either constitutes a violation:


21658. Whenever any roadway has been divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic in one direction, the following rules apply:
(a) A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from the lane until such movement can be made with reasonable safety.


You might refer to it as being "extra cautious", while the officer, and rather that it having much to do with "safety" as much as it would be more like "interfering with the orderly movement of traffic", he obviously sees it as unnecessarily occupying two lanes for an extraordinary amount of time.

How to contest it? Get him to agree that you didn't straddle two lanes for too long! Though seeing how he actually cited you for the alleged offense, I'm not sure you'll have the likelihood of succeeding in that goal!