question on redlight ticket

[Bigrick31 10+ year member]

I was driving back drom the movies with a girl I was driving like any normal person. I was in an area that i sort of knew. i came up to a stop light as it turned from yellow to red so i stoped. then it turn green and i made a left hand turn to get onto the highway. when all of a sudden i see cop light flashing in my rear view mirror. I turn to the passanger and ask am i getting pulled over? so I pull off to the side of the road and the cop gets out and asks to see my liscence and registration which i provide him with. then he asks do you know why i pulled you over? I say i have no clue. he tells me that i just ran a red light on hearn ave and santarosa ave. (well i was on hearn when he pulled me over and i had just made that left hand turn onto hearn so im guessing he was talking about the light i stopped at.) so i then reply I didnt see any red light and neither had my date. he said the streets and that i turned right in front of him. so he then asks if i was drinking and has me follow his finger with my eyes. (i handt been drinking at all) and he said ok i beleive you. then he gives me a red light violation. i am like WTF i saw no red light and i didnt see you if i aparently went in front of you. so i get a letter in the mail today a fine tiotaling about $400 for a red light violation. I AM PISSED:furious: I want to go to court and fight it i am thinking maybe he pulled over the wrong car. i dont ever try and run red lights i jst stop and wate im usually not in that big of a hurry to risk it especially with a passanger. and on top of that i have had a clean record never had any tickect or anything. but the only problem is that if i go to court it my word against his. neither of us have any proof. so i doubt that they will beleive me over the cop. but i thought it was innocent untill proven guilty and if he dosnt have any proof shouldnt that make me innocent? i would also have to miss a day of work to mae it to court so thats $81.80 ill be missing out on. and if i dont get off it will be almost $500 the fine will have caused me. i dont know what to do and am open to suggestions.

Click to read more...

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

I hope you speak better than you write, if you go to court...//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

The cop apparently wanted to give you a hard time.

Write the pigs a check for $405, and never cash the refund //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[MikeofTulsa Moderator]

well if u didnt do anything wrong then fight it......simple as that

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

well if u didnt do anything wrong then fight it......simple as that

"Not doing anything wrong" is a very loose definition in the eyes of the law //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Namely, "wrong" is whatever the judge feels like it is that particular day.

 

[Bigrick31 10+ year member]

I hope you speak better than you write, if you go to court...//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif
The cop apparently wanted to give you a hard time.

Write the pigs a check for $405, and never cash the refund //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

sorry about that. my mom just called to tell me she got the bill in the mail so my ind is else where.

anyone have any experience with going to fight a ticket? what normally happens in a my word vs the cops word situation.

 

[MikeofTulsa Moderator]

"Not doing anything wrong" is a very loose definition in the eyes of the law //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif
Namely, "wrong" is whatever the judge feels like it is that particular day.

true.....but better to try and fail than never try at all right?

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

If the cop actually shows up, the outlook is dim. Around here, however, they're such in need of ticket revenues the pigs almost always show.

Getting a lawyer involved would help; they tend to look down on you if you represent yourself - but that's going to cost almost as much as the ticket //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Bigrick31 10+ year member]

true.....but better to try and fail than never try at all right?

but if i dont get off it will cost me another $81

 

[MikeofTulsa Moderator]

consider talking w/ a lawyer and see what he thinks your options are

 

[phoneman 10+ year member]

I would beg for the mercy of the judge, maybe he will reduce it and keep it off your recodr if your lucky. They really dont care since all they really want id your money. I have been in those situations many of times.

 

[iagrdshaka 5,000+ posts]

fight it.....the girl in your car is a witness

 

[PhatTonyDeMarco 5,000+ posts]

consider talking w/ a lawyer and see what he thinks your options are

Most lawyers wont just willingly give you any helpful legal advice, unless you are paying them. I would just pay it, it sucks, but I doubt you can win this.

 

[MikeofTulsa Moderator]

most lawyers in this area offer a free consultation......

 

[phoneman 10+ year member]

You can also try and set up a brief appoitnment with the judge or DA before your court date on a day that it will be a bit more convenient for you not to miss much work. I have done that several times.

 

[Mr. Opportunist 10+ year member]

I hope you speak better than you write, if you go to court...//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif
The cop apparently wanted to give you a hard time.

Write the pigs a check for $405, and never cash the refund //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

do they cash the check that you give them and it just doesnt go on your record?