Thought help: I got a ticket for running a red light. - Help.com

I got a ticket for running a red light.

Thing is, the light was covered by a tree branch and tilted, so I couldn’t see it, it wasn’t visible. I was really pissed off I got pulled over for it when I couldn’t even see the **** light. I have no problem paying the fine and everything, but if I do it wouldn’t feel right…because I know what happened wasn’t fair, I don’t feel like I should have got that ticket.

I’m thinking about going to court …I’m just not sure what to do.

This open post was written 11 months, 1 week ago | V/U/S: 508, 5, 4 | Edit Post | Leave a reply | Report Post


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Replies (5)

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Kuvri (yodaluv12) offline Verified User (2 years, 11 months) Long Term User Shouts: 2 #
Kangerlussuaq, 01, GL | 11 months, 1 week ago (1 minute after post)

Go for it, but take pictures of the area before you bring it up… in case they quickly send someone out to trim the branches. This is practically how my uncle makes his living lol…

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Help me with: We are nearly at a time where most of the world will make a historical decision- what will you decide?
c-eek offline Verified User (1 year, 6 months) Long Term User Shouts: 15 #
An Undisclosed Location | 11 months, 1 week ago (15 minutes after post)

I agree that going to court might be a good idea. After all, if you don’t alert the court to the danger, nothing will be done about that obscured light. The life you save might be your own, or mine.

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theresape offline Verified User (1 year, 11 months) Long Term User Shouts: 4 #
Waltham, MA, US | 11 months, 1 week ago (23 minutes after post)

Go to court to protest the ticket, and take a picture that shows the situation you describe. Be polite. They will at least reduce the amount, if they are anything like the traffic courts near where I live.

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Help me with: ARGH, NOT AGAIN!
M. Wright offline Verified User (1 year, 1 month) Long Term User Shouts: 4 #
An Unknown Location | 11 months, 1 week ago (44 minutes after post)

And I bet the court’s response will be that you should be cautious enough approaching an intersection that you should have been able to discover the light quickly enough regardless of whether or not you saw the light easily, unless the branch is right in front of the light. In which case they won’t believe you without a picture. Nor would I.

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Help me with: Daylight savings time ***** up help.com again.
closed offline Verified User (1 year, 1 month) Long Term User Shouts: 53 #
An Undisclosed Location | 11 months, 1 week ago (6 hours, 28 minutes after post)

I agree with Verum. The fact you didn’t see the light at an intersection is really immaterial here. You will be asked if you saw the back of the lights facing the other direction, which surely would have been visible. Then you’ll be told if you saw them, you should have taken appropriate caution when approaching the intersection.

Having said that, take a photo like the others have suggested, and go to court.
Having your fine reduced or the points removed is surely worth the trouble.

Good luck.

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