I got my first ticket after 8 years of driving and I feel horrible.

This feels kinda stupid to be bummed out over, but I first got my license at 16, and worked so hard to be the best driver I could. You'd never catch me without my indicator on, or not giving space to others who just need to make the turn up ahead.

But last Friday, rushing home from school so that I could leave myself enough time to get ready for a wedding, I misjudged the space between my car and the car behind me in the lane I wanted to change into while sitting in traffic. The vehicle was able to stop in time since we were cruising at like 10 km/h, but looking back, I think it was kinda too close for comfort.

That vehicle ended up being an undercover traffic cop in a RAM pickup. He lit me up as soon as he gave me the way to get into the lane I needed to be in, and 10 minutes later, handed me an Unsave Move - Lane or Shoulder ticket. I apologized as soon as the cop got to the window, hoping to save myself with maybe a verbal or written warning for the move, but got the ticket regardless.

I just feel like shit having soiled my clean record that I honestly worked hard to keep clean, amongst all the shitty drivers who, believe me, I've wanted to cut off to return the hate they showed me on the road, but I never did.

Now I am sitting here with this ticket feeling like a bad driver lol. Scared about how my insurance is going to reflect this, whether I should throw down 1000 bucks to get a lawyer who could magically fight this off my record, or just talk to the prosecutor and plead and beg for mercy lol.

Idk, I'll take any advice in how to handle this. Or how to make myself at least feel a little better about this.