Eric_Virginia
Junior Member
What is the name of your state? Virginia
I have a question regarding a moving violation I received on Saturday evening, at a large suburban (multi lane) intersection during this past Memorial Day Weekend in Fairfax County Virginia. The violation as recorded was 82-1-6(46.2-833) and the charge described as "Disregard Red Light."
I was making a left hand turn just as my traffic light turned yellow. According to the officer who witnessed the alleged offence, it was not possible that my light was yellow since he said his light was already green when I was passing through the intersection. In addition, he cited the obvious: that a yellow light is a warning and that I should have stopped.
The officer proceeded to document the offense and stated that I can waive the trial and prepay the fine, costs, fees, etc. There is no dollar amount cited, and when I call the number on the document, the prerecorded message tells me to wait another couple of weeks until the violation has been entered in the system.
Needless to say, I am very upset. With over 22 years of a clean driving record, I have been cited for running a red traffic light, or as described on the ticket "Disregard Red Light." I find this incredibly humiliating and embarrassing. I realize it's my word against the officer, and unless the officer fails to appear in court, it is unlikely I would win.
The dollar amount of the fine doesn't bother me (even though I still do not know exactly what that fine might be) and while I do not cherish getting points on an otherwise clean driving record, what frustrates me most is knowing I "ran" a yellow light and I am being wrongfully accused of something else, more serious.
In hindsight, I suspect what happened is I entered the intersection at the last possible moment just as the light turned yellow. I had just turned out of a shopping center parking lot onto the main thoroughfare, and since I was turning left at the intersection, I slowed down to make the left hand turn and turn into my lane. I suspect by the time I turned into my lane, the traffic light for the officer had in fact turned green, and he suspected I ran a red light. Bad timing, and bad luck for me...
Aside from the officer not showing up at court, based on a clean driving record, what are my chances of winning, or at least keeping my driving record clean? Since I've never received a ticket, I don’t know what I'm up against. As I mentioned, in some respects it's not about the money: it's the principle; what is right is right, and what is wrong is WRONG. But at the same token, others have said that sometimes it's better, i.e. easier to pay the fine and avoid the hassles of traffic court, and possible extra fines and charges.
After thinking about this for the last couple of days, and having read previous posts on this site, I would like to point out what I consider to be an irony in all this: had I run a red (yellow) light in presence of a traffic light camera, all I would have been faced with would have been a $50 fine. No points. Cheaper fine. Done deal.
Where is the justice in all of this? Right now, I have been wrongfully accused. Should I fight this or accept the charge?!
I have a question regarding a moving violation I received on Saturday evening, at a large suburban (multi lane) intersection during this past Memorial Day Weekend in Fairfax County Virginia. The violation as recorded was 82-1-6(46.2-833) and the charge described as "Disregard Red Light."
I was making a left hand turn just as my traffic light turned yellow. According to the officer who witnessed the alleged offence, it was not possible that my light was yellow since he said his light was already green when I was passing through the intersection. In addition, he cited the obvious: that a yellow light is a warning and that I should have stopped.
The officer proceeded to document the offense and stated that I can waive the trial and prepay the fine, costs, fees, etc. There is no dollar amount cited, and when I call the number on the document, the prerecorded message tells me to wait another couple of weeks until the violation has been entered in the system.
Needless to say, I am very upset. With over 22 years of a clean driving record, I have been cited for running a red traffic light, or as described on the ticket "Disregard Red Light." I find this incredibly humiliating and embarrassing. I realize it's my word against the officer, and unless the officer fails to appear in court, it is unlikely I would win.
The dollar amount of the fine doesn't bother me (even though I still do not know exactly what that fine might be) and while I do not cherish getting points on an otherwise clean driving record, what frustrates me most is knowing I "ran" a yellow light and I am being wrongfully accused of something else, more serious.
In hindsight, I suspect what happened is I entered the intersection at the last possible moment just as the light turned yellow. I had just turned out of a shopping center parking lot onto the main thoroughfare, and since I was turning left at the intersection, I slowed down to make the left hand turn and turn into my lane. I suspect by the time I turned into my lane, the traffic light for the officer had in fact turned green, and he suspected I ran a red light. Bad timing, and bad luck for me...
Aside from the officer not showing up at court, based on a clean driving record, what are my chances of winning, or at least keeping my driving record clean? Since I've never received a ticket, I don’t know what I'm up against. As I mentioned, in some respects it's not about the money: it's the principle; what is right is right, and what is wrong is WRONG. But at the same token, others have said that sometimes it's better, i.e. easier to pay the fine and avoid the hassles of traffic court, and possible extra fines and charges.
After thinking about this for the last couple of days, and having read previous posts on this site, I would like to point out what I consider to be an irony in all this: had I run a red (yellow) light in presence of a traffic light camera, all I would have been faced with would have been a $50 fine. No points. Cheaper fine. Done deal.
Where is the justice in all of this? Right now, I have been wrongfully accused. Should I fight this or accept the charge?!