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Concerning ticket for "disregarding traffic signal"

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parrotme

Guest
What is the name of your state? Virginia is where the ticket was issued, I live in North Carolina.
I was pulling into a parking place of a shopping center and a cop pulled up behind me. He came up to the window asking for the usual and I said what is the problem. He said I ran the red light on the street. I said no I did not it was still yellow. He said he has an officer standing in the parking lot of a bank on the corner who told him I crossed the line after the light turned. I was issued a ticket which I intend on contesting. No cameras or pictures, but the standing officer about 150 yards from the light says I ran the red. I say it was still yellow when I crossed the line. What are my chances in court because I will be appearing since my current record is spotless?
 


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LittleNapolean

Guest
racer72 said:
What color was the light when you exited the intersection? If it was red, your busted.
Are you certain?

§ 46.2-833. Traffic lights; penalty.
Steady red indicates that moving traffic shall stop and remain stopped as long as the red signal is shown, except in the direction indicated by a lighted green arrow.

Green indicates the traffic shall move in the direction of the signal and remain in motion as long as the green signal is given, except that such traffic shall yield to other vehicles and pedestrians lawfully within the intersection.

Steady amber indicates that a change is about to be made in the direction of the moving of traffic. When the amber signal is shown, traffic which has not already entered the intersection, including the crosswalks, shall stop if it is not reasonably safe to continue, but traffic which has already entered the intersection shall continue to move until the intersection has been cleared. The amber signal is a warning that the steady red signal is imminent.
 

stephenk

Senior Member
you have a pretty good chance to win. Unless the ticketing cop took down the name of the cop who witnessed the incident, there would be no witness for the prosecution.

OR

you can request traffic school, if it is available.
 

stephenk

Senior Member
racer72 said:
What color was the light when you exited the intersection? If it was red, your busted.

Huh? if he entered on a yellow and it turned red while he was in the intersection, he hasn't violated any traffic laws. the vehicles coming from the left and right would have to wait for him to clear the intersection before they could proceed.
 
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parrotme

Guest
LittleNapolean said:
Are you certain?

§ 46.2-833. Traffic lights; penalty.
Steady red indicates that moving traffic shall stop and remain stopped as long as the red signal is shown, except in the direction indicated by a lighted green arrow.

Green indicates the traffic shall move in the direction of the signal and remain in motion as long as the green signal is given, except that such traffic shall yield to other vehicles and pedestrians lawfully within the intersection.

Steady amber indicates that a change is about to be made in the direction of the moving of traffic. When the amber signal is shown, traffic which has not already entered the intersection, including the crosswalks, shall stop if it is not reasonably safe to continue, but traffic which has already entered the intersection shall continue to move until the intersection has been cleared. The amber signal is a warning that the steady red signal is imminent.
:confused: What? If I had tried to come to a stop because the light was yellow I would have stopped in the middle of the intersection.
 
P

parrotme

Guest
stephenk said:
you have a pretty good chance to win. Unless the ticketing cop took down the name of the cop who witnessed the incident, there would be no witness for the prosecution.

OR

you can request traffic school, if it is available.
The cop that issued the ticket signed his name and the cops name that he said was standing in the bank parking lot.
 

ptlmejo

Member
Steady amber indicates that a change is about to be made in the direction of the moving of traffic. When the amber signal is shown, traffic which has not already entered the intersection, including the crosswalks, shall stop if it is not reasonably safe to continue, but traffic which has already entered the intersection shall continue to move until the intersection has been cleared. The amber signal is a warning that the steady red signal is imminent.
Yep. Yellow means slow down, not punch the gas. Last I checked, most yellow lights were anywhere upwards of 5 seconds long or better.
 

You Are Guilty

Senior Member
I'd fight it - as someone (sorry, forgot who) mentioned earlier, both cops will need to appear in court to testify. (The ticketing officer's statments about what the other cop told him are inadmissible hearsay).

Just getting one cop in court can be tough, but getting both on the same day increases your chances that one won't show and you can get the ticket dismissed without any work.
 
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nateddi

Guest
Formal hearing on a "disobeyed traffic signal"

state: mi

im in a similar situation as the guy from this thread

basically i ran a light which was yellow, - my word, and 2-3 seconds RED - cops word. i schedueled a hearing, in which we basically testified to what happened plus the usuall bull****. the magistrate said it was my word against the cops and he had to take the cops word. he also told me that i could appeal this ruling.

considering the discrepensy between what i know i did and what i'm being accused of is so stark, i decided to go on with having a formal hearing.

question is: what can i expect at the formal hearing. the video issue was never brought up in the informal one, - and I'd like a video plz. i received a letter in the mail recently, saying there will be a DA representing the cop and i can have a lawyer too (i wont have one though). what can i expect in a formal hearing? what are my chances? other hints?
 

CdwJava

Senior Member
nateddi said:
state: mi
question is: what can i expect at the formal hearing. the video issue was never brought up in the informal one, - and I'd like a video plz. i received a letter in the mail recently, saying there will be a DA representing the cop and i can have a lawyer too (i wont have one though). what can i expect in a formal hearing? what are my chances? other hints?
You can expect much the same as the previous hearing only with lawyers making the arguments. So, if you lost the first one, you might consider a lawyer because it is likely to go the same way again.

And what video? Even if the cop HAD a video camera in his car, the chances that he had it running when you were in the intersection is somewhere between VERY slim and none. Cameras activate either manually or when the lights are activated, and it is doubtful that he would have done either before he saw you ... and chances are it would not be angled sufficiently high to see the traffic signal even if it WERE running.

Oh, and it is considered bad form to "hijack" someone else's thread. You may want to consider starting your own thread for this question.

- Carl
 

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