Traffic ticket in Los Angeles -- Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign.
I posted bail and took home the paperwork for a Trial by Declaration.
Conditions when I go the ticket were: early evening, dark street, dark damp overcast day, sign under canopy of tree. I really never saw any visible sign. I was not speeding in fact I was driving very slowly because the street was damp from on and off showers. The ticket makes no mention of the weather or conditions.
When the officer cited me, I was really surprised and asked him to show me the stop sign. He didn't show me, but just said go to the intersection on the ticket. He asked me if there was any reason I did not stop. I said I didn't see any stop sign. He said that most people just admit to him that they drove right through it, instead of saying they didn't see it. He then asked if I had been drinking and thus did not see it. I said no I don't drink, which is a fact.
When he handed me the ticket, he told me very frankly, not to waste my time fighting the ticket because he always goes to court and he has never lost. He told me that he gives people tickets all day long at that intersection, and has been stationed there doing that for some time and has never lost a case.
I have an excellent driving record now (which the officer himself acknowledged to me) and have good vision.
I don't know whether to believe what he said or not, but I think I have a good case so I went to the courthouse and filed for Trial by Declaration and paid my bail.
The line to do this was very long and took nearly 2 hrs. just to post the bail! and I started to wonder how much time I would be wasting fighting this case.
After I filed I read some of the posts here and wondered if I still had any options to change my plea before my new due date (to return paperwork).
For instance, in case I wanted to change my plea to guilty and go to traffic school -- in order to reduce the time and hassle and keep my record clean.
Thanks a lot for any help.

