What is the name of your state? MN
I live in MN, but I this past weekend I was visiting my aunt in WI. My husband and I were following a friend since we didn't know the area well. We were all stopped at a red light, about six cars ahead of us, all ready to make a right turn. There were no cars behind us. Green light. I think the first two cars make their turn. All the cars start moving...slowly, nicely. And then pedestrian comes out of nowhere to cross the street. First car stops abruptly! Second car brakes suddenly. Third car...fourth car (our friends)...and my husband steps on the brakes and just slides into friend's car. Domino effect happens...each car bumping into the one ahead. First car decides not to stop and keeps on driving. Us last four cars pull into parking lot and to check if everyone/everything's okay. Seriously, just the tiniest of scratches on our cars, if any. I'm talking bumper car-like action. But the lady in front of my friend was really freaked out, which is fine. We exchanged info, everything. And she decides to call the cops. Everyone is annoyed, because it's all so minor, but we comply to satisfy her. Of course, police comes and tickets us for following too closely since we caused it. Officer said it was too minor to be recorded as an accident but it's on record. Technically, we did cause it since we were the first vehicle to hit another vehicle. Is that how this is seen? How about the fact that all those cars before us braked so suddenly...or they, too, were following too closely? That doesn't count at all?
Should we just pay the ticket and probably deal with the insurance increase? Do we stand a chance in court, which means taking time off work and going out of town to deal with this?
I live in MN, but I this past weekend I was visiting my aunt in WI. My husband and I were following a friend since we didn't know the area well. We were all stopped at a red light, about six cars ahead of us, all ready to make a right turn. There were no cars behind us. Green light. I think the first two cars make their turn. All the cars start moving...slowly, nicely. And then pedestrian comes out of nowhere to cross the street. First car stops abruptly! Second car brakes suddenly. Third car...fourth car (our friends)...and my husband steps on the brakes and just slides into friend's car. Domino effect happens...each car bumping into the one ahead. First car decides not to stop and keeps on driving. Us last four cars pull into parking lot and to check if everyone/everything's okay. Seriously, just the tiniest of scratches on our cars, if any. I'm talking bumper car-like action. But the lady in front of my friend was really freaked out, which is fine. We exchanged info, everything. And she decides to call the cops. Everyone is annoyed, because it's all so minor, but we comply to satisfy her. Of course, police comes and tickets us for following too closely since we caused it. Officer said it was too minor to be recorded as an accident but it's on record. Technically, we did cause it since we were the first vehicle to hit another vehicle. Is that how this is seen? How about the fact that all those cars before us braked so suddenly...or they, too, were following too closely? That doesn't count at all?
Should we just pay the ticket and probably deal with the insurance increase? Do we stand a chance in court, which means taking time off work and going out of town to deal with this?