I was accused (ticketed) for running a red light. It was yellow.

I saw the cop there but really didn't think anything of it. I'll give it to him that it was close but I still didn't run a red. In FL the law is as long as you cross the stop line before the red you are legal. This intersection also has a crosswalk so the stop line is pretty far back. The light didnt' turn red until I was over halfway through!

I plan to contest it as I didn't do it. I figure the first thing I'll do is a written declaration trial as the cop doesn't get overtime for doing paperwork; then I'll do a trial if that doesn't work. My defense is that at the 35mph (50 ft/sec) that I was traveling 0.1 seconds is 5 feet yada yada. It sucks that it seems I have to prove innocence which is impossible.

My driving record is good; not tickets in like 4 years.

 

Ugh... best that you get ahold of a lawyer to help you with this, and in most cases, its not easy to win in florida because you are assumed totally guilty unless you have the Persian army behind you to help fight your cause. You will want to note several factors here too, time of day, traffic conditions, officers position, speed limits in the area to name afew.

The main thing im concerned with is what, and how much did you let the cop trick you into saying in the field. They are trained to play word games to get you to admit guilt so they can write up an easy kill and get the bonus box of krispy kremes and the coffee mug at the end of the month. Being that you are in melbourne, there are some good ticket clinics out that way with good lawyers, your best bet is to contact them.

Cops and judges alike are idiots and know absolutely nothing of physics. From your post they will say you were traveling too fast to make a safe stop and that the yellow light gives plenty of warning for you to stop. You cant win against their word games unless you are a lawyer usually. Now I mean, if you blatently ran it then im definitely with the cop, but i dont think thats the case because i have seen melbourne police... abuncha fat lazy bastards that hide behind every billboard in the county. Well anyways, good luck and get ahold of the ticket clinic out there!

 

I didn't say much to the cop. When he asked why he pulled me over I said "i think so" and left it at that. After he informed me it was a red light violation I asked him where the threshold is and he said it was the stop line.

The true reason I didn't stop for this yellow is that I have been rear-ended at high speed when stopped at a light. It is NOT the kind of thing I want to do again. I figured I was being safer by just going honestly.

 

Do you have the statue number he cited you for? And have you found any of the ticket clinics onlike yet, those both will help you alot. Also, the best response when a cop asks why he pulled you over is "I dont know officer, why did you pull me over?" Then he will begin to tell you, and from then on you stay silent or say "I see."

 

he didn't put a statute number on the ticket; he just wrote "ran a red light"

I've looked up the FL statute and it says you must stop for a red light at the stop line, or if there isn't one the beginning of the intersection.

 

Didnt list a statue number, your lawyer will laugh all the way to "Not Guilty" with this one, contact a ticket clinic immediately

 

You are screwed! It's almost impossible to fight a redlight ticket.