I was traveling on a 2 lane highway separated by a double yellow line. It was a straight road with no other cars but me and a big rig. I passed the big rig and got pulled over by CHP that was apparently sitting on the side of the road. He wrote me up under VC 21655.5 which from what I can tell has to deal with carpool lanes. Being a 2 lane highway there were no carpool lanes. It seems to me I should have been written up for VC 21655.8. Does anyone know if I am correct on this? Thanks.

... He wrote me up under VC 21655.5 ...

We get questions from all over the planet. VC is, I assume, the statutes (V____ "Code") of your jurisdiction. Which one? Virginia perhaps?

Or "vehicle code" maybe?

Oh, sorry. VC is vehicle code and It was in California.

... It seems to me I should have been written up for VC 21655.8. Does anyone know if I am correct on this? Thanks.


21655.8. (a) Except as required under subdivision (b), when
exclusive or preferential use lanes for high-occupancy vehicles are
Established pursuant to Section 21655.5 and double parallel solid
Lines are in place to the right thereof, no person driving a vehicle
may cross over these double lines to enter into or exit from the
Exclusive or preferential use lanes, and entrance or exit may be made
Only in areas designated for these purposes or where a single broken
Line is in place to the right of the exclusive or preferential use
Lanes.
(b) Upon the approach of an authorized emergency vehicle
Displaying a red light or siren, as specified in Section 21806, a
Person driving a vehicle in an exclusive or preferential use lane
Shall exit that lane immediately upon determining that the exit can
Be accomplished with reasonable safety.
(c) Raised pavement markers may be used to simulate painted lines
Described in this section.

It looks like this section is the wrong one too.

But I think they will be able to amend the ticket to the correct section, if that's what you are getting at.

I was traveling on a 2 lane highway separated by a double yellow line. It was a straight road with no other cars but me and a big rig. I passed the big rig and got pulled over by CHP that was apparently sitting on the side of the road. He wrote me up under VC 21655.5 which from what I can tell has to deal with carpool lanes. Being a 2 lane highway there were no carpool lanes. It seems to me I should have been written up for VC 21655.8. Does anyone know if I am correct on this? Thanks.

I'm not sure what you're asking. Are you trying to get the ticket dismissed on the grounds that it was improperly written?

Is it possible the officer has sloppy handwriting and wrote the ticket properly, yet his handwriting makes it appear that the code is improper?

I was told in traffic school once that if the officer wrote the wrong VC down you can get out of the ticket. Was not that sloppy of writing that you can't understand that's what he wrote.

I was told in traffic school once that if the officer wrote the wrong VC down you can get out of the ticket. Was not that sloppy of writing that you can't understand thats what he wrote.

Well, either the law is totally different in California or whoever told you that isn't the brightest bulb in the box. People make mistakes. If an officer misspells someone's name on a citation, that doesn't void the citation or change the fact that the person being cited broke the law.

Personally, I think your best option would be to contact the prosecuting attorney. Try to arrange a deal to get it reduced as much as possible, preferably to a non-moving violation. Of course, this will be easier to attempt if you have a clean driving record; if you're a habitual offender, they'll be less inclined to cut you a deal.