Got a ticket after a near-miss with a pedestrian — do I fight it or just pay?

I had something weirdly similar happen — got ticketed after an intersection incident where I genuinely felt like I did everything right. My first instinct was just to pay it and move on, but a friend talked me out of it. Ended up contesting it, and the officer didn't even show. Ticket dismissed. Point is, don't just assume paying is the easy way out. Sometimes fighting it is easier than you think.

Watch your back here. Even if this woman was totally cool at the scene, that doesn't mean she won't get a call from someone — or notice some neck soreness in a week — and suddenly remember things differently. Document everything RIGHT NOW. Write down exactly what the signals showed, the time, the location, any witnesses who actually saw what happened (not just the people who came over yelling). Do it tonight before the details blur.

A few practical things: First, see if there are any traffic cameras at that intersection — your attorney or even you can submit a public records request for that footage, but it can get overwritten fast so time matters. Second, the officer's notes and the exact code violation on your ticket matter a lot for how you'd contest it. Third — and I can't stress this enough — no contact doesn't automatically mean no claim. "Near-miss" incidents can still generate personal injury claims, especially if she later alleges emotional distress or a physical reaction from the sudden stop.

Oh wow, I'd be so stressed in your position. Two feet away — that's terrifying even when nothing actually happens. I don't have any legal knowledge at all, but please don't deal with this alone. Talk to someone who knows this stuff before you make any decisions. Sending good thoughts your way.

Just want to flag one thing from a medical standpoint — adrenaline is wild. People genuinely don't feel injuries at the scene sometimes. That doesn't mean she was faking being okay; she probably was fine. But if she does surface later with a complaint, that's a known phenomenon, not necessarily a lie. Just worth keeping in mind as context if things get complicated.

Here's what I'd do: Don't pay it yet. Get the footage if it exists. Write everything down tonight. Make one call to a free consult PI attorney just to understand your exposure. Then decide. Takes maybe 48 hours of effort and could save you a lot of headache. Easy choice.

Genuine question — how certain are you about what the signal showed when you started turning? I'm not trying to pile on, but "I checked it and it was fine" is what everyone says. Could there have been any ambiguity? Like was it mid-cycle when you looked? I ask because your defense lives or dies on that detail and you want to be really honest with yourself before you contest anything publicly.