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by HungryGuy on August 29th, 2004

HungryGuy

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I got a ticket for going through a red light. I believe one cop controlled the signal and turned it yellow just as I went under it, and the other gave me the ticket. How can I get justice?

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Answers. 7 helpful answers below.

  • by Andy Is Wicked Married to Penal Colony on August 29th, 2004

    Andy Is Wicked Married to Penal Colony

    Perhaps I am mistaken, but it seems unlikely that police officers would go through this much trouble to issue a moving violation to a motorist. A minor one at that.

    If your jurisdiction has a traffic court that you can appear in, you can certainly make your case there. If you believe these particular cops had it in for you for some reason, you are going to have to prove it. Have you had run ins with them before? Are they simply conspiring to raise revenue by setting up citizens for tickets? Can you prove either?

    You might consider hiring an attorney if you have reason to believe that either of the above are true. An attorney might be helpful in legally obtaining the records that may indicate misconduct on the part of the officers in question.

    Or if you have solid evidence to support such a case yourself, go for it and see what happens. Having a witness wouldn't hurt either (somebody driving in the same area who saw the event).

    One case I observed in traffic court was rather funny. The defendant plead not guilty to the traffic violation (reckless driving). He was asked by the judge to state why he felt he was charged erroneously. He had little to go on, he claimed the usual: other cars were going faster, but the radar gun accidentally clocked him. The judge then recited his driving record to him and it was quite extensive. He had many speeding and reckless driving violations racked up. His only explanation was that he wasn't guilty "this one time". Doubtful. He was charged and his license was suspended to boot. You'll have a lot more going for you if you have a good driving record. So if you have no violations, you might be able to convince the judge that the cop who ticketed you was in error and that the light was yellow as you entered the signal zone.

    This is a tough one. Good luck.

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  • by 23112VC on October 16th, 2006

    23112VC

    Where do you live that police officers "control the lights?" In Southern CA, at least, light are all controlled on the city streeets by LADOT and lights on freeway ramps are governed by CalTrans.

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  • by Anonymous on November 8th, 2005

    Anonymous

    Can your prove this? believing is one thing, having the proof to prove the two officers did this is something else. did you see another officer? if not, where did you get this idea? pay the ticket

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  • by Editor on March 27th, 2005

    Editor

    If you got a camera ticket in the mail (not from a live officer), check to make sure it's not a "Fake Ticket."

    In California, you can recognize a Fake Ticket because it will not have the address of the court on it, and in the fine print will usually tell you, "Do not contact the court." A Fake Ticket will tell you to contact the local police department, or a private company, while a genuine ticket will always tell you to contact the court, or appear at the court.

    A Fake Ticket will usually try to RUSH you into a bad decision. It may say that you have to respond within 10 days (instead of the 30 - 40 days that is usual for a genuine ticket). The Fake Ticket's 10-day provision is so that you won't have time to discuss the matter with friends and advisors.

    An experienced advisor would tell you that you can, and should, ignore a Fake Ticket.

    For more details about Fake Tickets, see http://www.highwayrobbery.net/redlightcamsticket.htm

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  • by Gideon on October 19th, 2006

    Gideon

    Okay, here's the deal. Police officers have no more control over traffic signals than the average citizen. The traffic engineering department runs the lights.

    We can more turn a light yellow on command (which would create an enormous public safety hazard) that we can fix them when they malfunction. That's why we have to stand in the middle of traffic to direct it.

    Pay the ticket. Watch the lights.

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  • by kewlzez on May 30th, 2011

    kewlzez

    Well if it was just yellow then you shouldn't have gotten the ticket, and those lights use pressure pads and are timed when the pressure pad is activated, the timers change to the time of day too, but if you are telling the truth then you prob could have said something to avoid the ticket just tell him it was just yellow

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  • by Glenn on May 30th, 2011

    Glenn

    Oh, bullshit. You want justice? Pay the ticket. In other words, put up AND shut up.

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