I got pulled over for running yellow light, but weird thing happened?
 

Hello people,
last night I was coming home from work and I see the traffic light turning into yellow so I passed it within the speed limit. And suddenly I see a cop car pulling behind me out of nowhere and pulled me over saying I clearly ran the red light, which I didn't, I clearly ran Yellow light. anyway, I was very respectful and hand him in everything he asked for. He was in his car for about 10min, and backup car came, He jumped onto the other car and took him 10min doing something. He finally comes back after like 25min and said his computer is not working right now so he will mail me the ticket??:confused: First, I thought they manually write the ticket with their pen. Second, if he jumped into other cop car to write me a ticket, why didn't he? I'm sure other car's computer was working. I am so confused. Is this maybe somekind of warning or will he really mail me the ticket later on? What do you guys think? any similar experiences?? Thanks :driving:

Yes, in Jersey it's all electronically done. Your ticket is a printout.

If the cop says he will mail you the ticket, I'm sure he will mail you the ticket.
If the cop wanted to give you a warning, he would have said so.

That sucks... too bad you don't have any evidence to prove your innocence

He can always get a lawyer and have them pull the cam. If his record is clean, he may be able to get the case dismissed entirely.

hmmmm the thing is, buying lawyer is not worth money to fight this ticket because it will cost more! if hiring an attorney was like $100, I would but probably it will cost me like $500 or more for just hiring a lawyer!

really? last time when I got ticket, it was still that yellow ticket with cop's hand writing all over. maybe they recently changed it??!
and also, if this is the case, why didn't he print out the ticket while he was in other backup police car??

not sure about NJ, but can you not pay the ticket and ask to go to court? tell the judge you did not run a red light, that it was clearly yellow. that would be no charge.

I can but, one thing i know for sure is that Judge is 90% on cop's side. that being said, whatever I say, judge won't listen, probably go with what cop is going to say, "he clearly ran the red light" :roflpuke2::roflpuke2:

Not sure. I got a ticket in Jersey back in May so that's how I know it's a printout:roflpuke2:

do you have a clean record? perhaps you have some credibilty if you have a clean record.

it's up to you. personally i wouldn't waste my time and just pay the fine.

Also, look up traffic lawyers, here we have many who will do a single ticket for $75 flat rate. Have gotten many local Z owners out of speeding tickets.

Also, even if the ticket is electronic you might not get it. Here in Texas most police forces use the electronic ticket but you are still required to sign it before they print it. This is for legal stuff, mainly so you are aware you were issued the ticket.

Pay it, and move on...Sh*t happens, and sometimes these are "he said, she said" type of calls. Really, what are you gonna do? Is it worth wasting time fighting it when no definitive proof exists to refute what the officer said he saw? Technically, if the nose of your car is past the "line of prolongation", (which is a straight line drawn from the corner of the intersection) when the light turns red, you've legally entered the intersection. That's a close call, and many who think they made it, simply didn't. While it's unsafe in many instances to jam on your brakes on a yellow light, it's also equally unsafe to enter the intersection on the end of a yellow. It's how many "failure to yield" left turn accidents happen.

Anyway, I digress. Pay it and move on.

Depending on the ticket price I would agree, but only if it is a small fee.
If his local system wants 300+ like many for running a red, then he needs to fight it. Also, if he is able to get it thrown out or dismissed with other drivers education it will not go on his record or insurance.

:iagree:

Just like you say Dreamer, In Texas we have traffic lawyers that handle it for us. I payed from 50 to 75 bucks to get the ticket dismissed.

OP: You might look into that in your area.

In Ca a red light ticket is minimum of $451.00

.Attachment 75939

:eekdance:

Like what olddudesrule said, I will pay it and move on, but it really depends on what theDreamer said, the fine for the ticket. If it is like $300 or more, I def need to fight for it. and theDreamer, do you know anyone who can do $75 flat for my ticket (if I get it) in NJ area? thanks

*Looks at the "Welcome to California" sign near Barstow*
Sure, thanks for the warm reception. :icon17:

and, last August, I had 2 points on my license, and now it is September after a year passed. I heard 2 or 3 points go away if I had no moving violations within that one year, which I never had. So I'm guessing I have a clean record??

I don't know any in the NJ area, sorry.
You might hit up the local section on the forum here and ask.

I hope so, brother. When I got my ticket just south of Seattle back in 2011 (47 in a 35), they dropped it from my record because I went 6 months without getting pulled over.:tup:

Nice!!! I really hope that mine got dropped too! it has been more than a year for me so hopely mine is dropped! I went to DMV website to get my point record and they are asking $39.99 for an instant record print out and I was like uhhh...no thanks...$40 my a$$...:roflpuke2:

got it, thanks brother!

If you are still unsure if the ticket was actually issued go to, or call, the courthouse records office or the sheriffs office and find out what is going on.

Go to court and ask the DA personally (if record is clean) to either dismiss or drop to a defective vehicle...(aka taillight out, headlight....). Tell them your story and go from there...no cost to you and looks better cause you're trying to be honest and say there was no need to hire a lawer to prove your case. Good luck buddy!!

I was actually planning to do that! :) I'm going to wait maybe another 2~3days and call them. Thanks!

Thank you so much for the informative solution!!!

Don't just pay it if you don't have too and you feel are not guilty. I try to plead down every (5 times now) ticket I have ever gotten in NJ and it works every time and I never used a traffic lawyer.

You likely got a "39:4-81 Failure to observe traffic signal $81 2 points"

My favorite plead down is "39:4-138(l) Improper parking alongside or opposite street excavation or $47 obstruction, causing traffic obstruction (when properly signposted)" + 33 dollar court fee. This carries no points, the state makes the same amount of money and insurance doesn't care at all about them.

NJ just wants your money but doesn't want to work for it. If you give them a even a little speed bump you can win. Call and setup a court date, get prepare to present your case (you have a good driving record you saw the light it was yellow, were not speeding, couldn't stop in time, yellow light is too short for the posted speed limit, etc). On the court date be sure to speak to the prosecutor before the case, you will be provided the chance that day. Present your case the him/her. If offered don't accept a plea to unsafe driving it comes with too many other fines and fees, unsafe driving is only worth it for major fines. 39:4-138 makes them the same money if you just paid the ticket. If they don't let you plea to that or something with the same fine with no points only then just pay the ticket right then and there. Or fight it if you want. Yellow lights should be 1 second for ever 10 mph posted speed limit, you can time the light and fight with clear facts it if the light is not calibrated correctly.

The reason why you should always fight point tickets?
The NJ DM Point system isn't that bad but NJ also have another point system you probably do know about.

Car Insurance Points. CIP
With 12 DMV points you lose your license but with just 7 CIP in 3 years a NJ insurance can drop you because you are considered an at risk driver. And if you can't get a new insurance policy through the preferred market you will have to get one from the high risk market. And unlike DMV points which go down every year, CIP points do not get removed for 3 years from the date of the ticket.

I'm no expert on this point system but it seems bad enough I will go out of my way a little to avoid it.

Link with CIP point schedule because it doesn't exactly follow the DMV point schedule.
http://njpaip.com/nj-mvc-dmv-insurancepoints.html

Im with Matt If u didnt sign anything your not "guilty" of anything!

In Florida, Uniform Traffic Citations require a signature only for traffic misdemeanor and felony violations. Just because you sign it--and I'm sure this goes into effect for all states--does not constitute admission of guilt; merely an agreement that action will be taken upon the issued citation, whether to pay it, request a hearing, or elect to take traffic school.

I'd say don't waste your money on an attorney. You get the same thing accomplished by representing yourself, and for the effort you'd likely get adjudication withheld (no points assessed) anyway with only court cost to be paid (and partially the citation cost). An attorney usually consults with the issuing Officer and come to an agreement that the case wound not be contested, thus bypassing trial.

with history like that, no luck my friend.
plus ur insurance is gonna go up also.

best thing to do is to try to fight it and hope for the cop to not show up (atleast here
in CA is how its done)

In NJ receiving a "ticket" is nothing but a court summons and not an admission of guilt. You have the option to admit to guilt and pay the fine with out going to court. Or you can go to court and contest the officers testimony (the complaining witness) and have a judge decide guilt or innocence.

If this had happened you'd remember signing your name. Must be a bad dream. ;)

Since when the law changed that I have to sign the ticket?? When I got ticket last time, I don't remember signing it??? I'm talking about that hard yellow paper ticket they usually hand in and you just receive it? without signing it? I never was asked to sign the ticket when I used to get tickets??

With the few tickets I've gotten and a few that I witnessed from the passenger seat, the cop always says something to the effect of "Sign here. Signing is not an admission of guilt, just shows that you got the ticket". AR, IL, and LA - might be different in other states.

Ouch

My wife typically yells at me because when I go throuhg a yellow light I cruise through it lol

I figure that shows I'm not trying to "beat" the light so to speak....but so far I've been lucky never to get a ticket for that...its such a "he said, she said" sort of thing

Dreamer does have a valid point. If it's worth your time to go to court and ask for some sway, then by all means do so. The other potential plus is, if you choose to go to court, and the citing officer doesn't show, you win, case dismissed. Honestly, it's rare, but it has happened.

I remember when people always tried to change the court date a few days prior to screw up the officer and hope he does not come to the second appointment date.