$150 ticket for running an orange, what would you do?

[Tagged]

Right, I believe many...or MOST of you have had this experience at some point in your life.

I was driving down the road during mid-night (not much traffic at all), around 45k/h because there this turtle car in from of me. Came up to an intersection and the lights turned orange.

I went through the light without much thought since im pretty close to the intersection, got through it before it turned red.

A cop stopped me and told me I ran a red light....I was like "what?! did I??" He said "yes you did". Then he took my license and went back to his Holden.

He came back with a $150 ticket for me and told me this time that I ran an orange....I didn't bother put up a fight because Im pretty sure I will end up with the ticket anyways. (please do correct me on this if im wrong....)

So, if it was you, or when this happened to you, what would/did you do? How would/did you respond?

[deaf_rattle]

id go do some burnouts, shoot some hookers, burn some houses and then pay the fine.

[h8wrxs]

i had the exact same thing in my old gtx (17s, cut superlow springs, 3" loud exhaust etc)

i was at the most 4 metres away from entering the intersection when the light turned orange so there was no way i couldve stopped

and the best bit is 3 cars came through after me and i was the one who got pulled up... go figure

just bit the bullet and paid it, theres no way youll prove the cop was wrong for ticketing you, and for $150 its not really worth going to the effort of trying to get out of it imo....



*edit i like new_breed's idea, but id suggest robbing a liqour store while you're at it

[Elmo]

Write a letter away saying that an orange light means stop if you can safely. Tell them you feel that you couldnt stop your vehicle safely in that distance, tell them its your vehicle and you are a better judge than anyone as to the stopping distance of that vehicle

[vr4boy]

i got the same the last year, not realy a "boy racer" car 2002 corolla wagon lowered on 17's, turned orange just before i went through, i argued with the cop and wrote a letter in but still had to pay.

[Bling]

These days cops just find you guilty even if they have no proof. Police are corrupt, good luck getting off I guess, i'd just pay it and reduce what little/zero respect I have for police even further.

If you have the time/motivation though, do what Elmo suggests. State the light at no stage during you going through the intersection was red.

[Garreth27]

Also had something similar, busy queen street traffic on a friday night back when all the "boyracers" roamed up and down so i stopped at a green light so I wouldnt get stuck in the intersection as traffic had stopped up ahead. But just as i started to move thru the intersection the light changed orange. Cop pulled me and said I ran a red light so argued with him and had tonnes of witnesses since the street was busy and even had 3 people come up and tell the cop he was wrong but still got the ticket.

I wrote in and complained, end result, I was told i was wrong, cop was right and had to pay. Just one of things, pay up so the government can invest more money in paying people the benefit

[Akane]

There's no point in writing a letter, I got done by using the friggin horn. Wrote a letter and they ignored it, and then got back to me later with the original fine + $30 court cost.

Form 57 you say? Only to appeal for the $30 court cost and it's up to the cop's discreetion if he allows YOU to appeal this matter, he can say no and you still have to pay the fine

You say it's a one off thing? It happened to me with my pre 2000 made scooter with no mirrors (it's not required specified by factsheet 47!), wrote them a letter, form 57. Basically Thanks for writing to us Mr Akane but our officer still thinks you're in the shit, so pay up in a very nice way.

The funny thing is, to this day I'm still getting reminders for that fine every 6 months or so (it happened in 2008), even though I've paid the fine, I didn't want to pay the fine but that's another whole can of worms that I can open with the courts, they lie to you through their teeth, you say you only want to pay for this fine, but in fact they split it up and pay for the other fines you have outstanding, even if ones in dispute.

/boyracer rage

[RS13]

Can I just say, before this turns into another "FTP" thread.. the OP (no offence Tagged!) may well have been in the wrong and the ticket may have been justified. From the sound of it (middle of the night, slow person in front causing frustration, no traffic around etc) you know you might have been too late through it and you're trying to justify it to yourself.. just pay the ticket bro, be more careful next time.

I've noticed that more and more people are investing in dash cams, they're getting quite cheap and could potentially pay for themselves the first time you get rolled.. I can't imagine that cops would tend to like it when you say that you've got the whole thing on video! lol.

[Tagged]

and then pay the fine.

LOL I'd left this part out since I'll be going to jail after all that. No point paying the fine any more haha

[Tagged]

and for $150 its not really worth going to the effort of trying to get out of it imo....

when I was stopped I honestly have no idea why until he side "you just ran a red light there mister"

but yea I realised that theres no point arguing, 99% chance that I would have to pay the fine no matter what I do lol

[Tagged]

(no offence Tagged!)

haha thats cool non taken. And yea just like most of the others said, no point putting up a fight about this with them.

What I got really upset about though, is that I was gonna go get Mcers since I was hungry after hitting the gym. Thanks to the ticket I decided I couldn't afford the burger anymore LOL

[Garreth27]

Mcers since I was hungry after hitting the gym

Doesnt that defeat the purpose of going to the gym

I reckon writing a letter is worth a shot, have done it before and got off because the cop has come back and agreed that I was right. As said before, cop could of been having a bad day and at the time taken it out on you so by the time you write a letter the cop can realise that he may have been a bit harsh on you at the time so let you off. Now this is if you actually feel you may have been wronged and not being a scumbag and just trying to get off for the hell of it.

[Adamal]

Write a letter away saying that an orange light means stop if you can safely. Tell them you feel that you couldnt stop your vehicle safely in that distance, tell them its your vehicle and you are a better judge than anyone as to the stopping distance of that vehicle

This. Very much this.
State the facts, such as where you were when the lights changed to orange, speed you were going etc.
They're more likely to understand your side of the story if you provide contributing information.

[snwtoy]

Write a letter away saying that an orange light means stop if you can safely. Tell them you feel that you couldnt stop your vehicle safely in that distance, tell them its your vehicle and you are a better judge than anyone as to the stopping distance of that vehicle

This. Very much this.
State the facts, such as where you were when the lights changed to orange, speed you were going etc.
They're more likely to understand your side of the story if you provide contributing information.

I agree with this ^^. And use the word Amber, because that's what the road code calls them.

That said, I'm am sick to death of amber and red light runners, and the intersection near our place I have to navigate twice a day is the worst in the country

[Tagged]

hmm...thanks guys for your suggestions! Seems that writing a letter doesn't hurt after all as long as you are not trying to be an ass.

so does it have to be a hand written letter? Or would emails do?
And is it to the local police department? Or is there a general place to send to?

Cheers~~

[Tagged]

Doesnt that defeat the purpose of going to the gym

LOL that is really true, but to me, hunger defeats everything...hahaha~ its kinda sad though = =

oh but don't get me wrong, im not some kinda obese person who cannot control his stomach <-----trying to build an image here lol

[Garreth27]

back of the infringement notice should have the address to write to. Would suggest writing it up on word then printing it over hand writing, will look more professional and that way probably get taken a bit more serious.

[STR]

There's no point in writing a letter, I got done by using the friggin horn. Wrote a letter and they ignored it, and then got back to me later with the original fine + $30 court cost.

Form 57 you say? Only to appeal for the $30 court cost and it's up to the cop's discreetion if he allows YOU to appeal this matter, he can say no and you still have to pay the fine

That's not exactly true. It's actually up to the Adjudications Manager at the Police Infringement Bureau (address on the back of the ticket) as to whether you get let off or not, after writing a letter. The cop that issued the ticket has no say on whether the ticket is withdrawn or not.

[Garreth27]

Yes the cop that issued it has no say but the Adjudications Manager in some cases will consult with the cop involved to get their account of the events and from that will make their decision.