Traffic violation procedures

Grace Turner said:Anyway, make sure you state clearly that you didn't run a red light. Just say the yellow light hit right as you were already committed to the intersection, and there was no way that cop could actually tell which light you cleared from where he was standing.

That’s exactly what happened. It was green. I’m already halfway through the intersection when I see the yellow pop. There’s this car ahead of me that slams on the brakes right in the middle of the crosswalk to let some pedestrian dash across. I'm right behind them, already on the streetcar tracks—basically stuck in the middle of the junction—so I had no choice but to clear it after they did. There was no turning back.

The cop pulls me over and claims he saw the green arrow turn off, meaning it was red for me. End of story. He wasn't interested in hearing any excuses.

Do you think one sentence in my appeal is enough? Just saying "I'm contesting this because I didn't run a red light," or should I go into more detail?

Write everything down. Is this some kind of mandatory citation?

Grace Turner said:Write everything down. Is this some kind of mandatory citation?

nah, just a ticket

By the way, the date on the ticket says July 30th. I think there's a stamp on the blue envelope from August 7th, though it's hard to see, and my grandma actually got the mail on August 11th. So, I'm banking on that last date being the one that matters for the 8-day appeal window after delivery.

Not sure if I should write out the whole story. Don't want them using my own words against me to hand down a judgment, like that happens all the time. Besides, I've already decided I'm not paying this fine. I'd honestly rather go to jail. I think I'll just keep it simple and say I'm contesting it because I didn't actually run the red light.

analogfalcon7 said:nah, just a ticket

By the way, the date on the ticket says July 30th. I think there's a stamp on the blue envelope from August 7th, though it's hard to see, and my grandma actually got the mail on August 11th. So, I'm banking on that last date being the one that matters for the 8-day appeal window after delivery.

Not sure if I should write out the whole story. Don't want them using my own words against me to hand down a judgment, like that happens all the time. Besides, I've already decided I'm not paying this fine. I'd honestly rather go to jail. I think I'll just keep it simple and say I'm contesting it because I didn't actually run the red light.

So you're just gonna say whatever makes you look good, huh? 😁.

Good luck with that.

honestly, I’m worried they’ll just toss my decision out the window because my statement is too damn long. happens all the time with these bureaucrats. all I’m looking for is a fair shake at a conversation where someone actually listens to me. that's it.

analogfalcon7 said:That’s exactly what happened. It was green. I’m already halfway through the intersection when I see the yellow pop. There’s this car ahead of me that slams on the brakes right in the middle of the crosswalk to let some pedestrian dash across. I'm right behind them, already on the streetcar tracks—basically stuck in the middle of the junction—so I had no choice but to clear it after they did. There was no turning back.

The cop pulls me over and claims he saw the green arrow turn off, meaning it was red for me. End of story. He wasn't interested in hearing any excuses.

Do you think one sentence in my appeal is enough? Just saying "I'm contesting this because I didn't run a red light," or should I go into more detail?

If your light turned red, you were supposed to wait in the intersection until the cars with the green light cleared out before proceeding. If you're going to fight the officer's call, be prepared—the court will likely want both of you to testify. You really think he's going to change his story once he's standing in front of a judge?

Donna Brown14 said:If your light turned red, you were supposed to wait in the intersection until the cars with the green light cleared out before proceeding. If you're going to fight the officer's call, be prepared—the court will likely want both of you to testify. You really think he's going to change his story once he's standing in front of a judge?

And how exactly am I supposed to let the streetcar pass if I'm already stuck on the tracks? 🤷

I turned off the main road onto the side street, and the guy in front of me slammed on his brakes halfway through a crosswalk because he lost traction. I was right behind him, already deep in the intersection. My only choice was to keep moving forward so he'd eventually budge. Otherwise, I'm just sitting there blocking the streetcar and everyone else heading downtown from the depot. 🤷

Oh yeah, totally forgot to mention my mom was with me too, so basically it’s two against one

analogfalcon7 said:Oh yeah, totally forgot to mention my mom was with me too, so basically it’s two against one

I don't care if there's ten of you, he's got a badge, so deal with it.😁

boldhound8 said:I don't care if there's ten of you, he's got a badge, so deal with it.😁

oh, right 🙂

whatever. I'll just file an appeal and see where things land. honestly, three days in jail, free food, a bed... what's the worst that could happen? 😁

So, two cops pulled me over today for passing on a solid line. They slapped me with a $167, claiming I passed where there was a no-passing zone. Problem is, there wasn't any sign prohibiting passing on that stretch of road... just the solid line itself. It was a totally clear pass, too—straight shot for maybe 300 yards. I’ve been driving for 13 years now without a single ticket or anything on my record... nothing. Honestly, this fine feels way too heavy-handed. I feel like a simple warning would've sufficed... anyway, what do you guys think? Do I actually have a decent shot at appealing this?

analogfalcon7 said:Oh yeah, totally forgot to mention my mom was with me too, so basically it’s two against one

😁 You guys could've just beaten him up, honestly. hehe

Donna Brown14 said:😁 You guys could've just beaten him up, honestly. hehe

as if we couldn't. kid was smaller than us anyway 😂

anyway, grandma signed the citation, so if I end up in front of a judge, I'm just gonna claim it wasn't served properly 😳

analogfalcon7 said:as if we couldn't. kid was smaller than us anyway 😂

anyway, grandma signed the citation, so if I end up in front of a judge, I'm just gonna claim it wasn't served properly 😳

It was served legally.

So, my husband had two citations back in $167 about two years ago. We were honestly convinced they’d just timed out and been wiped from the record, but right when we thought we were in the clear—literally one single day before the statute of limitations was set to expire—this ruling drops out of nowhere. And get this: it says he doesn't even have the right to appeal or anything. It just straight up says his fine has been converted into jail time... like, how does that even work??😕😕

I’ve mentioned this before regarding my cousin losing his driver's license, and he’s been filing appeals left and right, but absolutely nothing is happening. It feels like they're just waiting to hit him with it at the very last second, probably a day before the deadline too.😁🤷

Hey everyone, here’s the situation:
I was driving through my neighborhood a little bit ago and hit a small intersection with a traffic light. It was red, but I looked everywhere, saw absolutely nobody, and decided to roll through it—completely on purpose. Suddenly, I catch a Skoda Octavia flying right behind me in my rearview mirror. Of course, at the very next light, they pull me over. Cops hopped out and checked the car and my paperwork; everything was legal there, but I did blow through that red light. They told me the citation would probably show up in the mail. Now I'm wondering what my options are, how much the fine is going to hit me for, and if there's any way to fight this. Cheers.

lonewalker2 I can't even begin to process this nonsense. It’s absolute garbage. Seriously, how does anyone look at this and think it makes any sense? It’s total madness!
So, here's the deal—I’m trying to figure out my next move. What am I actually looking at here? How much is this fine gonna hit me for, and is there any way to shut this whole punishment thing down before it even starts? Help a guy out.

And you think you have some kind of right to judge? Give me a break. I'm here.😕

Look, I’m honestly not in the mood to go digging through all that paperwork right now, so you're gonna have to do the legwork yourself. But if I had to bet? Based on that new law they just pushed through, that fine is easily gonna land somewhere between $2,000 and... well, you know how it goes. It's gonna hurt.$1667

Look, you can try to dodge the whole thing by waiting for the statute of limitations to run out—which is two years, maybe four if you're lucky—but let’s be real, your chances of that happening are basically zero. You could also try appealing to get the penalty slashed if you actually have some legitimate grounds, but based on what you've told me here? Yeah, you've got nothing. Honestly, the only way you're seeing a lighter sentence is if you just plead guilty, show some actual remorse, and go through all that "I'm so sorry" nonsense. But hey, like fifty other people have already said that in this thread, so you know it's true.

Once all that mess hits the fan, you’re looking at two options: cough up the cash in installments or just pack your bags for prison. Period.

Arthur Ramos said:So, my husband had two citations back in $167 about two years ago. We were honestly convinced they’d just timed out and been wiped from the record, but right when we thought we were in the clear—literally one single day before the statute of limitations was set to expire—this ruling drops out of nowhere. And get this: it says he doesn't even have the right to appeal or anything. It just straight up says his fine has been converted into jail time... like, how does that even work??😕😕

I’ve mentioned this before regarding my cousin losing his driver's license, and he’s been filing appeals left and right, but absolutely nothing is happening. It feels like they're just waiting to hit him with it at the very last second, probably a day before the deadline too.😁🤷

Unbelievable. There's actually a right to appeal when a judge swaps a fine for jail time—or adds extra time on top of it.

So, here is my situation.
About a year ago, I was pulled over by some police officers who claimed they had been tailing me for miles. They cited me for using my phone while driving, and since I didn't agree with the charge, I refused to sign anything on the spot. As soon as I got home, I filed a formal appeal. Then, just a few days ago, I received a summons to show up at the local courthouse, so I'm starting to suspect they never actually processed my appeal.
When I arrived at the clerk's office today, the woman there looked at me and said, $167 "It's for a seatbelt violation... A SEATBELT!
" I mean, what are we even talking about? The officer originally handed me a citation specifically for cell phone use along with a payment slip for that exact fine. However, looking closer, the serial number on this new paperwork doesn't match the first one, which leads me to believe he actually wrote up two separate citations but only handed me one notice and one bill in the first place...
Now I am left wondering, what on earth am I supposed to do next?

I just got hit with the ruling from the Supreme Court regarding my appeal against that initial decision from the Split Municipal Court. There isn't a single word at the bottom about what I can actually do next...

Basically, those "big shot" judges up in the city just doubled down and confirmed I'm guilty,🙄 so now what? What's my move?

• I'm assuming an appeal is off the table, and honestly, it probably wouldn't change a thing anyway.
• Is there any way—and if so, how, when, and where—I can swap out those few hundred bucks for some community service? Because let me tell you, I am broke as hell.

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