Running a red light ticket (Fairfax: calculating, law, dangerous)

[Fighter 1]

[quote=Carlingtonian;23971540]Thank God.[/quote] Yes Thank GOD! , When you have fought the City government Pro-Per for 3 1/2 yrs and WON! the case , and seen just how corupt some of the lawyers for the cities can be,then yes I wouldn't want to be associated with them. But that doesn't mean you can't defend your self as good or even better in their so called arena of JUSTICE.

[boyd888]

Most of the revenue from red light cameras comes from catching people making rolling right turns and not from catching people running straight through the light or going left. Yes rolling through is technically illegal, but catching people going right was never the direct intended purpose of traffic cameras. They don't do anything to change this because it is a huge cash cow. You are the latest victim, sorry.

[tgbwc]

I have to wonder...If this is a photo, then how can they tell if you stopped or not? I could understand if it was on video. Am I missing something?

[boyd888]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

I have to wonder...If this is a photo, then how can they tell if you stopped or not? I could understand if it was on video. Am I missing something?

They take video in addition to the pictures of the citation. Supposedly someone watches the video of the citation before the citation is mailed out to confirm the violation.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by boyd888

You are the latest victim, sorry.

People who break the laws are not victims.

[khuntrevor]

Would if there had been a pedestrian in the crosswalk that you routinely roll through? If there was a van or truck in the lane next to you, you wouldn't have seen the pedestrian.What if you were on your phone?

[SmartMoney]

Please do not confuse this post as support as I am still trying to determine if I'm envious or furious he got away with it.

Recently, my son received a ticket for an illegal turn on red, cop witnessed and written in an adjoining county. My son could not take off the day of court and rather than drag it out, he hired an attorney to appear and handle it for him. This resulted in the charge being knocked down to loitering/sleeping in car, $150 fine, no moving violation. After all was said and done, it cost him $650 + court costs for everything. It would have cost him 1/2 day from work from a well paying (new) job (first week new). Pleading guilty to the moving violation would have cost him plenty in insurance, as he is 24 and drives a sports car.

I'm still shaking my head trying to make the leap from a right turn on red to sleeping in a car. The only thing I can come up with is the loitering fine was the highest fine that wasn't a moving violation.

[Samoi137]

The Virginia driver's manual says: "At some intersections you may turn right while the traffic light is red. Before turning, you must come to a complete stop. Look both ways and yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and other traffic. Be sure to check for less visible vehicles such as motorcycles, bicycles and mopeds. You may not turn right if signs are posted at the intersection that read “No Turn on Red.”

Are you wondering whether the sign meant that you could turn without stopping, superceding the normal requirement cited above, as long as pedestrians weren't present? That does not seem to be the case. I can't think of any state where it is. The sign merely added the provision that if pedestrians were present you couldn't turn at all. I suppose you could argue that the sign was confusing to you, but that may not work, and I'd be surprised if it got your ticket dismissed. Maybe a reduction in fine? Maybe not. If your license is from a state where the law in such situations is different, be prepared to cite that. The time of day and your speed (a moving speed, not a stop) may conceivably be seen as mitigating circumstances, but I wouldn't bank on it.

I got a ticket in nearby Montgomery County, Maryland, a few years ago for, they said, turning left too late once the light was turning. I was cited by a police car, not a camera. I went to traffic court and saw several people getting their infractions reduced. My ticket was dismissed because the officer who ticketed me didn't show up (due to a traffic accident, I heard). No guarantee, of course, so you need to decide how much your time is worth. Just don't try to b.s. the judge-- that can get them angry.

[Dwellington]

Originally Posted by SmartMoney

Please do not confuse this post as support as I am still trying to determine if I'm envious or furious he got away with it.

Recently, my son received a ticket for an illegal turn on red, cop witnessed and written in an adjoining county. My son could not take off the day of court and rather than drag it out, he hired an attorney to appear and handle it for him. This resulted in the charge being knocked down to loitering/sleeping in car, $150 fine, no moving violation. After all was said and done, it cost him $650 + court costs for everything. It would have cost him 1/2 day from work from a well paying (new) job (first week new). Pleading guilty to the moving violation would have cost him plenty in insurance, as he is 24 and drives a sports car.

I'm still shaking my head trying to make the leap from a right turn on red to sleeping in a car. The only thing I can come up with is the loitering fine was the highest fine that wasn't a moving violation.

Wow, that's just messed up. Shame on your son for his lack of integrity. He's obviously in the wrong, but wants to pay for it as little as possible.

[Dwellington]

Originally Posted by abcd12345

I got a ticket in mail saying I crossed a red light at Fairfax (near the regional library in University Dr & North St).

OK, I was turning right in the University Dr from the North St to the library in the red and there is a sign saying No turn on red when pedestrians are present. It was 7:30 on Sunday morning and there was no one, so I turned right (I was going at around 14 MPH and I might not have stopped or paused) and under the speed limit.

Would this be considered as running a red light. The photo also shows that I am turning right.

Any help appreciated. Thanks.

This is running a red light. This should be common knowledge for everyone who drives. You are ALWAYS legally required to stop at a red light, REGARDLESS of whether or not there are any cars OR pedestrians around. This sign was simply telling you that in this area, you aren't permitted to turn right on red when there are pedestrians. When there are none present, you can turn right on red, only after having had stopped first, and checked for obvious clearance, per normal operating conditions.

Bottom line: You're here looking for a reason not to be responsible for what is an obvious moving violation. You were in direct violation, documentation proves your guilt, and you were justifiably merited a ticket. Be responsible. Pay your fine and consider it a lesson learned.