happyraul

Yesterday I got a ticket for "Improper lane use." The officer wrote, "failed to exit as directed." I was going home from work around rush hour, and I was in the far right lane, intending to take the next exit. This lane had signs overhead saying "exit only." Now, when I got closer to the actual exit, I changed my mind and decided to stay on the highway so I changed lanes to get out of the far right lane. I did not cut anyone off or anything like, that the officer admitted as much to me, and I also did not cross over any solid lines, only the dashed line separating the lanes. A few seconds after I changed lanes the officer pulled up behind me and pulled me over and gave me the ticket. Now, in my state (Missouri), it is legal to change lanes when there is a dashed line between them, the driver's handbook says something like "you should not cross any solid lines." I feel like a have a pretty solid defense, considering that those exit only signs are simply advisory, they do not compel you to remain in that lane once you've entered it, and I made a legal lane change. Does anyone have any advice on what to say to the judge to get this dismissed? Or anything at all for me to consider?

EDIT: I should add, in case it is not clear, the police officer pulled me over because many people honestly use those exit only lanes to get ahead of the crowd packing the other lanes during rush hour. He obviously felt I was doing the same thing, and even if I was, I would still feel the same way. After all, if they wanted people not to do such a thing, they ought to put a solid line instead of a dashed one to separate the exit only lane, but as they do not do that, there is nothing to suggest that one can't get out of the exit only lane before exiting the highway, right? One can argue that such behavior can cause accidents, but my ticket did not say I drove recklessly or anything of the sort.