My First Ticket

[Vsin]

I just got my first ticket for running a redlight. Any tips, comments?

I was going down the street and I saw an orange light. I decided to try and get across before it turned red. I entered the intersection orange but exited it red. Cops pulled me over and gave me the ticket.

What should I do? How should I lower my ticket?

[Tommygun43]

Plea guilty, mail in check. It's not a big deal.

[lightlypurified]

plead not guilty and spit in the judges face and run out the court room drive off high speed police chase on the freeway.

[sgtpruitt]

you ran a red light

pay the price

that 45 seconds you tried to save is gonna cost you

[chrisfrofro]

when you go to court ask what it takes to keep it off your record. then do that

[Vsin]

I don't think I'm guilty though. I entered the intersection on a yellow, came out on a red.



I'm the blue car.

21453. (a) A driver facing a steady circular red signal alone shall stop at a marked limit line, but if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection, and shall remain stopped until an indication to proceed is shown, except as provided in subdivision (b)

42001.15. Every person convicted of an infraction for a violation
of subdivision (a) or (c) of Section 21453, subdivision (c) of
Section 21454, or subdivision (a) of Section 21457 shall be punished
by a fine of one hundred dollars ($100).

21452. (a) A driver facing a steady circular yellow or yellow arrow
signal is, by that signal, warned that the related green movement is
ending or that a red indication will be shown immediately
thereafter.

Do I just mail in $100?

I want to plead "Not Guilty" and say:

I was heading down Mooney towards W Kaweah when I crossed a yellow light into Kaweah and Mooney intersection. When I was halfway through the intersection, the light turned red and I crossed. The officer could not have seen that I had entered on a yellow because he was observing the cars next to me stop, he asked me when he pulled me over, "Did you see those other cars stop?" Something along those lines.

[Whocares05050]

If 100 dollars is worth a few hours in court, and possibly loosing and having to pay more money, then fight it. if not, pay the 100, and just becarful next time.

[Tommygun43]

Oh, I didn't understand that you feel you are innocent.

I think if you want to plea not guilty, you have to go to court (I could be wrong, you got me wondering about that).
If it comes down to your word against his (cops), which it sounds like it would, unless there's proof to back your statement that the light was yellow like a witness or camera, then the judge will go with what the cop says.

Did you tell the cop the light was yellow when he stopped you?

[Vsin]

Yes, I told him it was "orange and I thought I had made it".

[Silver8th]

Go to court, plead NOT guilty and the prosecutor will probally work a deal with you to pay court cost and let you off.

..moved to Garage forum.

[SiViC81]

Originally Posted by Tommygun43

Plea guilty, mail in check. It's not a big deal.

No way man....go to court...they will drop that to a careless driving which is zero points if this is your first ticket...but the downside is that you would have to pay a fine plus court fees...You should be good...Not a big deal if this is your first ticket but yeah it happens to the best of us...

[Vsin]

Do you guys know if I can change the court date to an earlier date? My Dad will be leaving the country on the 20th.

[SiViC81]

Originally Posted by Silver8th

Go to court, plead NOT guilty and the prosecutor will probally work a deal with you to pay court cost and let you off.

..moved to Garage forum.

I didn't read the thread before my previous post...don't plead guilty to that...and if you take a defensive driver's course then it should reduce any insurance surcharges also...

[nese005]

Originally Posted by Silver8th

Go to court, plead NOT guilty and the prosecutor will probally work a deal with you to pay court cost and let you off.

..moved to Garage forum.

thats what i do with my tickets. i fight em.. never plead guilty

[Vsin]

Alright. So my plan now:

Change Court Date.
Wear a Nice Suit.
Plead Not Guilty.
Tell My Side of the Story.
Go to Traffic School. ($100)
Pay Ticket. ($30)
Eat Cake.
Go Home.

[SiViC81]

Originally Posted by Vsin

Alright. So my plan now:

Change Court Date.
Wear a Nice Suit.
Plead Not Guilty.
Tell My Side of the Story.
Go to Traffic School. ($100)
Pay Ticket. ($30)
Eat Cake.
Go Home.

Yeah do all that...but they might not change the court date though...call them and see...I tried doing that once but they wouldn't change it...Guess it depends on the court...They will be willing to work something out with you, don't worry about it too much...

[nese005]

Originally Posted by Vsin

Alright. So my plan now:

Change Court Date.
Wear a Nice Suit.
Plead Not Guilty.
Tell My Side of the Story.
Go to Traffic School. ($100)
Pay Ticket. ($30)
Eat Cake.
Go Home.

i dont think ull have to go to traffic school. unless ur 18 i guess? courts rather would just handle the case then and there and work something out with you. as long as they get your money.

[Slowroll90]

i always thought it was a yellow light lol
no sorry im just messin that has nothing to do with anything

[SiViC81]

Originally Posted by nese005

i dont think ull have to go to traffic school. unless ur 18 i guess? courts rather would just handle the case then and there and work something out with you. as long as they get your money.

Well taking a defensive driver course helps reduce insurance costs...even if they give you a careless driving with zero DMV points it still will show up on your records for insurance purposes and will count towards insurance points...so if you take a defensive driver course that will minimize your insurance costs and might offset the complete cost of the increase from that ticket...

[Tommygun43]

So in most states, running a red light means getting points on your license?

If that's the case I would have to say that I stand corrected and agree with SiViC81.

Originally Posted by SiViC81

No way man....go to court...they will drop that to a careless driving which is zero points if this is your first ticket...

In NY, you can write a letter saying, due to your previous good driving record blah blah, that you want the ticket reduced. I had to do that once.

In all honesty, I think you should just man-up, be a responsible adult and admit you made a mistake and pay for the ticket, lol. Unless you REALLY feel you were not in the wrong and the cop was just out to get you.