e78990

This one hurts everytime I think of it:

Saturday morning, 8:30am --Portland, OR--
I decide to put on my gear and go for a short, couple of hours recreational ride. The weather is decent, I am looking forward to a nice climb up Counsil Crest and OHSU. Not many cars on the streets I am used to commute every morning, the light turns yellow at the intersection down the street from my house: I decide to pedal a bit harder to pass it.

Couple of blocks down I hear the sound of a police car, I pull over to let them pass me... well they were after me!
There were no real interogations, he just stated I passed the intersection at yellow/red. I pulled my Driver license and waited.
I got ticketed $242 for running a red light; I held speechless. Court date is in a couple of weeks, and I feel I should have pleaded my case in front of him as he pulled me over.

Do you think it is better the explain the situation to the officer as they are about to write you a ticket or stay silent?
Do you think the ticket will affect my driving record and my insurance rate (when I will get a car again)?
What is your recommendation for pleading my case in front of the judge?

Thank you,

aballas

(insert comment about cops having better things to do here)

Bklyn

Are you guilty? Your only hope is that the officer doesn't show up at the trial. Or that he made a clerical error in writing the ticket.


PS: Yeah, that does suck too.

LanceFanBoy

lots of towns just drop the charges to a parking ticket = no points and you take a fine

Socalcycling

No it won't affect your dmv record. You didn't get it driving a Motored Vehicle.

e78990

I would say that by the book, yes I am guilty of passing the light at Yellow. It was not full green.
I can t really count on the officer not showing, I can only hope.

Trying to find advice for how I should explain this situation.

Thank you

aballas

I got a warning from a cop for rolling a stop sign in a quiet residential neighborhood....he apparently didnt understand the concept of it being an ungodly pain in the ass to unclip for every stop sign when there's NOONE around....

on the other hand...the one cop I know who actually rides a bike (with me sometimes) actually understands such things and would never do that to a cyclist unless he were actuallly endangering himself/others...

e78990

That s good news. I don t mind paying a reduced sentenced, I think I could get it down to $150 and then forget about the whole situation. That would just be a bad luck moment that would not have any more effect.

San Rensho 

In most states, you don't run a red as long as you are past the "stop" line on the road before the light turns red. Sounds like you didn't run it.

3MTA3

if you didn't pass through the light when it was red, then you have a case. my friend was in a car with his aunt & she went through a yellow & a cop pulled her over & issued her a ticket. my friend had to go in court & testify that the light was yellow & at no time when they went through the intersection was the light red. because she went through a yellow light & not a red light, the ticket was dropped.

e78990

So if a cop pulls me over when driving, the red light infraction won t show?
That d be nice

spdrcr5

easy to explain. You weren't speeding, you didn't run a red light, you went through a yellow which is perfectly legal. You were out on a recreational bicycle ride in no rush seeing as how you were planning on riding for X hours of climbing that day.

I'd fight this in court and I'd bet the judge tosses it.

What would they have done if you didn't have a drivers license or have it on you? Would they have arrested you? lol

watchman

Go to court, meet with the prosecuter and ask if you can plead guilty to a lesser charge. If you dont have any prior driving history, they generally will kick it down.

For those that dont know, non-driving offenses can affect your drivers license. Hate to break it to you, seen plenty of licenses suspended for non-driving related offenses.

Your bicycle is considered a vehicle, so it could end up on your driving record, depends on the court.

e78990

The intersection I went through is a busy one at anytime of the day, the judge will know that it is not possible for a bike to go if the light is red.
Do you think I should plead not guilty then and testify the light was yellow when I passed? Cars were all stopped when I crossed.

Thanks

rha600

wow, and I thought the cops here in south florida were anal. I ride without my DL anyway so that should be interesting if one ever decided to pull me over for something that lame. Or the "didn't come to a complete stop at the stop sign one." HAHA

blue_nose

I have been bike commuting for years. Over the past couple of years I have been cut off or nearly hit by 3 cars. In all cases the driers were on their dam cells.

I am not saying that no cyclists should get tickets, as there are definite cases where they deserve to be cited. There have to be priorities though…

Socalcycling

Tickets will not get dropped no matter what you say in court. It's your word against the cops and the cops will always win. Unless you have physical proof that at no time you were in the intersection while the light was red. Just deal with it and pay the fine. Apparently the cops down here are not nearly as bored as in Portland. I can't remember the last red that I have stopped for on the bike.

e78990

I have to say that I like your style, it is true. This is what happened!
Yellow legal? even if it is the very last part of yellow? really?

merlinextraligh

I wouldn't be so sanquine, you're subject to the same regulations as a motor vehicle. How a particular state handles the points situation will vary. But I'd check with your state, before I relied upon that.

gurana

I was under the impression that if you are in the intersection when the light changes from yellow->red, you're not really guilty of running a red light (the intersection being defined by the restraining line in front of the light).

As for what you should have done, it's a no-win situation either way, and ultmately it's your word against the cops. You could have tried to argue that you didn't run it. He would either have resented you for doing so, and increased the fine, or done nothing -- I guess the third alternative is that he could've forgot the matter, but you tell me, having gone through that, do you think that was likely? When you get to court, it's going to be a similar situation. You can plead your case to the judge. He's not going to reverse the officer's assessment that you ran the light. But, without some sort of witness or other type of proof, he might be lenient and say 'well, it might have been a close call' and let you off with a warning and possibly reduce or eliminate the fine.

On a side note, you weren't really required to give your ID to him. You're not required to have one on your bike, and there's no law (I don't think) that says you have to have it on you. Of course, going that route most likely would've resulted in more hassle than you were prepared to deal with. On the other hand, it may have been more hassle than the officer was prepared to deal with as well.

clutchy

one of the reasons i never carry a driver's license when biking. Insurance card yes. I'm betting they let me go over taking a bicyclist to jail.

e78990

I am with you, just one for bad luck. I will pay the ticket... I am shopping for a car, got a good insurance quote... Just hoping it wont show and wont have to pay more because of it.

aballas

+1

Socalcycling

Ok in California.....

e78990

Wouldn't they ask for your name at least? The Dino makes me smile