Running a red light?

Question

It was 9:30ish PM. I was driving in a street. It was yellow and im running approximately 35mph. I crossed the intersection before the red light came. Suddenly there is a cop who caught me saying i ran the red light--which is not. My dad was with me while im driving and he said it was still yellow and probably the cop is just tripping me. Would the court believe us if my only witness is my dad who is a family relative?!

Answer 1

No, they won't.

I wonder how many people who write "the cop won't show up for Court so it will be dismissed anyway" have ever gone through the process of fighting a ticket, because it is not true. The Judge can and usually does allow the for the first no-show due to just cause, the cop being busy that day with no notice...you and your Dad have already taken the time to show up for Court.

If the cop doesn't show up the second time, the Judge can and does use the excuse that their is not enought time on the docket to hear the case that day and refuse to dismiss even when you specifically ask them to for it being a 2nd no show. You and your Dad have now wasted two days to show up for Court.

99 times out of 100, the Judge will take the cops word over yours, and your Dad's as he is biased. The only person I have ever known to beat running a red light is my ex and it was because it was foggy out and the cops vantage point was not direct line of sight...my ex was North bound and the officer was West bound at an intersection. When my ex questioned the officer as to exactly how the officer could determine that the light from his vantage point, the officer replied "I saw the colors of the light from the glow of the fog". The judge dismissed the case as the officer could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the light red from his vantage point.

I would suggest writing a letter to the editor of your local paper as if the same cop is doing the same thing to other people, they will start coming out of the woodwork and write their own letters and you may be able to get them to testify by affidavit (and you do the same for them).

Even if there was a camera posted at the light, it may not be to your benefit if the timing was set up wrong. There are at least half a dozen people in the city I live in who have written letters to the editor about getting cited for running a red light at one particular busy intersection and the camera backs up the officer in the matter, but it all started with one person writing a complaint via a letter to the Editor of the paper about what was happening before other people came forward with their experiences.

Answer 2

In my opinion you should never argue with a police officer at the scene of a ticket. I have been pulled over 19 times and gotten a ticket 0 times. I'm not so naive to think that being a girl doesn't have anything to do with it, so you can't be helped there. Secondly, always be polite as hell to the cop without admitting wrong doing. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS call a police officer 'sir' right off the bat. Use phrases like, 'I understand sir.' This will help you tremendously about whether or not he's going to ticket you. I've been asked if I was drunk (I wasn't) by 3 different cops and STILL GOT OUT OF A TICKET every time. Using manners and being polite. Also, if you're young, play the stupid card. I got out of expired tags (where I had even stopped at a green light and ran a red like in less than a minute) by saying I didn't know how to change a license plate and my dad was out of town. I'm sure he thought 'she's such an idiot' but in reality he was an idiot because I got out of the ticket.

Also I've gotten out of tickets without having my id or insurance, but it's always going to help if you do. And have it ready when he gets to your window. Make sure you shake your hand a little and stutter and let him know your nervous. Police love to know that they are powerful.

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Thirdly and since this probably pertains more to your case- when you go to court, make sure you have timed to the light to a millisecond. BRING EVIDENCE. The judge will definitely think that you didn't run it on purpose if you try like hell to make sure that you have proof that it was yellow when you approached it. Best way- use math. I was at this point when the cop spotted me. I was going 35 miles per hour (Be more exact say about 34 and say your cruise was on so you KNOW thats how fast you were going) and the light stays yellow this long so at the point when your car passed through it took this many seconds at this miles per hour- Even if it doesn't make sense- argue like hell about it. He'll know that your innocence is important. Also mention that because you're a new driver you're very afraid of how a ticket might detriment your confidence and your new driving record. (I'm sorry I'm assuming your young) AND of course always treat the judge with respect. Good Luck

PS The cop has to show up at court to testify against you- that only happens a small amount of time anyway. So show up at court. Bring evidence and your father, be respectful and chances are- the cop won't show up and you'll be scotfree anyway! Goodluck!

Answer 3

in law the Yellow light indicates that you must clear the crossing. If you are on the crossing and obeying the law you must clear the crossing, since reverse is out of the question, what is the alternative? Go to court with your dad as witness and ask the policeman what the yellow light means for drivers

Answer 4

Yeah, totally depends on the judge--and on your driving/criminal record. I'd say it's worth your while to fight this, if for no other reason than if the cop doesn't show up at your court hearing, the charge is automatically dismissed. If you do go to court, be sure to have your dad along as a witness.

Answer 5

Short answer: No

Longer Answer: No, because your father easily could have fabricated that story to keep you from getting a ticket. It would have been better if another civilian had seen the incident whom you did not know. The courts will side with the police officer because he is an expert on the matter. Good luck. My advice: Pay the ticket and move on.

Answer 6

you will on no account beat that fee ticket. interior the 1st place, the variety you describe it, seems such as you have been attempting to triumph over a yellow. Yellow potential stop if achieveable, not floor it. N.B. examine your reflect first! That mentioned, i think of all human beings could contest each and every site visitors fee ticket all the way. bypass to court docket and plead not to blame. you will lose, and get chraged court docket expenditures. document an attraction. you will lose and get charged extra court docket expenditures. Gosh, it fairly is extra fee-effective to easily pay the fee ticket! it fairly is how the equipment is set up. yet whilst adequate human beings fought adequate tickets, the equipment overloads and breaks down. superb wager is to bypass to the 1st court docket date, plead not to blame, and need you're in a jurisdiction the place the officer ought to be there or they brush aside. Or confer with the prosecutor until now court docket and consider out to good deal a discounted charge, a non-shifting violation. which will stop your insurance going up.

Answer 7

usually family members are not taken as credible witness. hope you were lucky enough to have gone through a set of lights with a camera at it no photo no prob.

Answer 8

cops are more experienced. pay the ticket. yellow does not mean "speed up".

Answer 9

It depends on the judge.

Answer 10

Probably not because he would be biased. But hopefully for you they would. Good luck!