ANSWERS: 10
  • 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.
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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.
  • 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.
    • mushroom
      Actually, many towns have traffic signals which respond to the pattern of flashes in emergency vehicle lights, such as police, fire and ambulance. So, it is possible, if unlikely.
  • A word about traffic "justice" -- it's your word against the cop's. I was witness for a driver who was pulled over for speeding. Traffic had stopped for a red signal, and the driver was not the first in line. As the signal turned green, traffic began moving and a similar colored car passed on the left. The driver commented to me that a cop is often seen in the vicinity pulling over drivers who have a certain appearance (doesn't matter what appearance he was referring to, but of the same group). Within a block, the same cop pulled the driver over and issued a speeding ticket. As I said, I appeared as a witness, but the judge refused to hear any testimony, siding with the cop.
  • i doubt they would do that
  • Speak your truth. Hold calmly to your conviction. Be willing to let your actions demonstrate this conviction. I've seen one light north of town change in what seems to be a sporadic way near always with an unmarked vehicle in the area.
  • In most states if you enter the intersection on the Amber light you are required to proceed on through the intersection. You cannot be ticketed for being in the intersection with the light amber and turned red while in the intersection.

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