Disregarding a traffic signal

[WendyRenae]

First of all... I was driving and when i reached the white line the green light turned yellow. Now by law it is NOT illegal if you go through a yellow light, only if it's red. but i understand that if i had enough time to stop then i could see a reason to pull someone over. I was pulled over right after i passed the light which was still yellow. The police officer went through the red light to pull me over. Now i were to have stopped then i would have been in the intersection and i would have had the rightaway anyway. I was not speeding, actually i wasn't even going as fast as the speed limit. I was given a ticket for disregarding a traffic signal. Can i fight it? I have witnesses stating that i was at the line when the light turned yellow. There was nothing illegal about what i did. Someone help! I don't want to get caught up in this bull crap. Any advice would work!

 

[I_Got_Banned]

What statute (number) were you cited for violating?

 

[HighwayMan]

Sigh...

Once again, what state are you in?

 

[I_Got_Banned]

Sigh...

Once again, what state are you in?

LOL... She's in Michigan... It's listed on the Post banner under "Location".

 

[HighwayMan]

Thanks for pointing out my lack of consciousness .

 

[FlyingRon]

You better check the Michigan law again, you don't automatically get a free pass because the light was yellow.

(b) If the signal exhibits a steady yellow indication, vehicular traffic facing the signal shall stop before entering the nearest crosswalk at the intersection or at a limit line when marked, but if the stop cannot be made in safety, a vehicle may be driven cautiously through the intersection.

A yellow light does not mean hurry up and get through before it turns red.

You will have to argue that you were so close to the line when the light turned that you could not stop safely.

 

[LSCAP]

steady yellow indication?

Should read, steady yellow.

steady green, to steady yellow, to steady red.

Does "indication" mean a flashing yellow? Like, maybe, flashing yellow for side road,and flashing red for main road?

Anyway the advice you gave sounds good to me.

 

[I_Got_Banned]

steady yellow indication?

Should read, steady yellow.

steady green, to steady yellow, to steady red.

Does "indication" mean a flashing yellow? Like, maybe, flashing yellow for side road,and flashing red for main road?

"Indication" means "phase" as in "green phase", "yellow phase", "red phase"... As in what signal the light is showing or indicating.

 

[LSCAP]

Thanks I_Got_Banned.
Sigh, another poorly written law.

so you're coming up to the signal at the legal speed of 45, and you are eighteen feet away from the corner. and you "drive cautiously ..."

Still, the op has to explain that he was too close to the intersection to stop on yellow.

 

[FlyingRon]

Thanks I_Got_Banned.
Sigh, another poorly written law.

so you're coming up to the signal at the legal speed of 45, and you are eighteen feet away from the corner. and you "drive cautiously ..."

Still, the op has to explain that he was too close to the intersection to stop on yellow.

Isn't that what I said? The tactic in court isn't "The light was yellow". That won't fly. The tactic is "the light turned yellow when I was too close to the line and not speeding".

 

[Maestro64]

It looks like Michigan has a poorly write law like Virginia does and which also violates the MUTCD. The MUTCD state that running a red is crossing the stop line when red, no where does it say anything about whether you can make it through on a yellow or not.

In this case, the officer will have to prove the person could have stopped in time and distance such that they would not have ended up in the intersection when it was red. Make him prove that, do not allow it to be his option.