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Yellow light

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schmidty

Junior Member
Connecticut. I recently was coming up on a light that has a very fast yellow light, about 2-3 seconds. I was looking to my right at the new Burger King they are building. The car next to me was a cop. The light changed when I was about a car length from it. I caught his car slow down out of the corner of my eye to see the light yellow and attempted to stop. There was no way I was going to stop in time and would have ended up in the cross walk, possibly with screeching tires, so I let off the break clearing the intersection. I never saw the light turn red (I know it did while my car was going through obviously). The cop pulled me over giving me a ticket, stating I blatantly ran the red light. I explained it was yellow and my judgment told me I could not stop in time. He told me it was bad judgment and gave me $124 ticket. I'm trying to decide my options. Do I stand a chance if I fight it or am I just wasting a day out of work to end up paying the fine anyways. I did not like the way he talked down to me and was accusing. I pass through this intersection every day on my way to work and have been paying close attention to see if I could have done anything different. I still believe I made the best choice under a yellow. There was no way I could stop with out being halfway past the light and in the cross walk.

I just looked up our state DMV site and looked int he driving manual: Yellow traffic lights mean the traffic light is about to change to red. You must stop if it is safe to do so. If you are in the intersection when the yellow light comes on, do not stop-continue through the intersection.

So I think I stand a chance here!
 
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FlyingRon

Senior Member
The "safe to do so" presumes you are driving at are reasonable speed and paying attention so that you notice the light shift from green to yellow.
 

schmidty

Junior Member
I was at a safe speed, having a cop next to you usually makes you aware of your speed. I was doing about 38 in a 35 so I know I'm good there and I only glanced for a second which is normal when you drive. You should be checking your surrounding so it isn't like I was rubber necking or anything like that.
 

Maestro64

Member
In most states running a red light is defined as crossing the stop line or cross walk when the light is red. If the light was yellow when you crossed either these then you did not run the red light.

You need to look up the vehicle code he indicated on the ticket and see what your state defines as running a red light. Some states do define being in the intersection. However the standard is the crossing the stop line.

Now if the standard is the stop line or cross walk in your state then being in the intersection when the light turns red is not a violation since most traffic lights are set up to have a condition which all light stay red for a period of time to allow cars to clear the intersection before allowing opposing traffic to move.

If the above holds true for you and the officer clearly states in court you were in the intersection when it turned red then you can show the court the law and how running a light is not defined as being in the intersection when it turns red but crossing the stop line.

So in your case the officers statement of where your car was when the light changed is the most important thing.
 
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Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
I was at a safe speed, having a cop next to you usually makes you aware of your speed. I was doing about 38 in a 35 so I know I'm good there and I only glanced for a second which is normal when you drive. You should be checking your surrounding so it isn't like I was rubber necking or anything like that.
You were not paying attention...you only knew something was going on because the cars around you changed their speed. You should NOT be gawking at the sights as you approach an intersection.
 

FlyingRon

Senior Member
I was at a safe speed, having a cop next to you usually makes you aware of your speed. I was doing about 38 in a 35 so I know I'm good there and I only glanced for a second which is normal when you drive. You should be checking your surrounding so it isn't like I was rubber necking or anything like that.
38 in a 35 zone is prima facie evidence of NOT being at a safe speed.

You're revising your story. Checking out Burger Kings are not part of safe driving.

HERE's the words from CT 14-299:

(2) Yellow: Vehicular traffic facing a steady yellow signal is thereby warned that the related green movement is being terminated or that a red indication will be exhibited immediately thereafter, when vehicular traffic shall stop before entering the intersection unless so close to the intersection that a stop cannot be made in safety; pedestrians facing a steady yellow signal, except when directed by separate pedestrian-control signals, are thereby advised that there is insufficient time to cross the roadway before a red indication is shown and no pedestrian shall then start to cross the roadway.

(3) Red alone: Vehicular traffic facing a steady red signal alone shall stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection and remain standing until the next indication is shown;


So, the safely stop stuff only applies to entering the intersection on the yellow.
If the light had indeed turned red by the time you crossed line, it didn't matter how safe you thought it was.
 

patstew

Member
I did not like the way he talked down to me and was accusing.
That probably had a lot to do with your response to him. Certainly don't argue with an officer, in fact the best advice might be to shut up entirely, except for required answers.
 

I_Got_Banned

Senior Member
. . .
If the above holds true for you and the officer clearly states in court you were in the intersection when it turned red then you can show the court the law and how running a light is not defined as being in the intersection when it turns red but crossing the stop line.

So in your case the officers statement of where your car was when the light changed is the most important thing.
Exactly! Now considering the fact that the officer told you that you blatantly ran the red light, suggests that in his opinion, you crossed the limit line after the line turned red. And chances are he will testify to that in court as well.

Unfortunately, and when it comes down to a "your word against his word" situation, you will lose that battle 99% of the time.

Good luck
 

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