When is the appropriate time to testify in court in your defense for a traffic ticket?

When the judge asks you for your part of the story.

When the judge ask if you if you have anything to say in your defense.

Anyone telling you to ask for a continuance is CLUELESS.

When you first appear, the ONLY purpose of the hearing is to accept your plea. If your plea is not guilty, a trial date will be set. If your plea is anything use, you will be found guilty and it is too late to say anything else.

One of the first steps is to hear what the prosecution has to say. They get to go first. They have to present real evidence, not just "the cop who was there wrote up this report... ". That's hear-say, and it's not allowed. If the cop who give you the ticket isn't in court, then you can ask for a dismissal.

You don't have to testify in your own defense, because it's up to the state prosecutor to prove your guilt, using acceptable methods. Even if the cop is in court and testifies, you can wait until the prosecutor makes his whole case, and then ask for a dismissal. Maybe the cop who wrote the ticket isn't the cop who saw you fail to heed. Maybe there are other defects in the state's case.

If you're really serious about this, considering the impact on your insurance costs and all that, then GET A LAWYER. I would much rather pay $1500 to a lawyer, instead of paying three or four times that to the court and then the insurance company, plus having this on my record.

You will ONLY go to court if you request a hearing to contest the ticket.  

You will not be asked if you will pay today.   You will be asked why you feel you did not commit the offense you were ticketed for.  That is your cue to present your evidence (which includes your verbal testimony).

No of course there will be no continuance.   You're not Ethel Rosenberg.  It's a focking traffic ticket.  The judge will spend less than five minutes hearing your case. 

By the way, you are required to move right for sirens and lights.  That means NOW even if there is no shoulder or it's dark.  

When your case has been called and the judge asks you what you have to say.

During the actual trial, when your lawyer calls on you.

You know, that hearing you have to schedule which is months after your court appearance as stated on the ticket.

Uh, oh your court date.

Whenever it says on the ticket that your court date is.