Making up the quota...

[myvice]

Toodling off to pick up parts today in the work van and I got the red and blues behind me moving at warp 9 with the noise and the lights AND the horn just in case I was not just deaf and blind but also dead.
So I pulled over to let them pass, as you do... But they pulled over too.
How odd.
So I stopped (Should have run... Can see it now "We are in high pursuit of a 1000cc Suzuki van, he's nearly at the speed limit...")
Did the good morning officer bit and handed over my licence.
"Do you know that was a red light?"
What?
"At Symonds St and K' Rd you went through a red light."
I went through an orange light, it changed orange about 5 meters before I got to it.
"It was very red"
Did the "no it wasn’t, yes it was" thing and got handed a ticket for $150 for failing to stop at a red light.
As we all know, the K' Rd and Symonds St intersection has a red light camera on it, and the cops like to sit there and nail people as well.
I go through these lights about 6 times a day and wait for the last three cars to pass AFTER my light has gone green at least 4 of those times.
And I get done on an orange light?
I want to know how they could see from their side of the road what colour the light was.
So now what?
Write a nasty letter?
"We have found you guilty anyway, pay up!" (+ Court fees)
But I might have a bit of luck, one of our clients was behind me at the lights (he stopped at the light) and caught up with me later to ask what had happened, told him, and he said he would be a witness.
Will this work? Or am I wasting my time?
Shit like this totally fucks me off! It was only a month or so back I got stopped for doing 112kph on a fucking passing lane!
Passing is no defence so next time you are stuck behind some biddy doing 90 you can only do 100 to pass him/her, how long is the passing lane you are on?
How big is the oncoming truck?
I have had a few mates tell me how they got a ticket for an orange light, I have always thought "Whatever" but now...

[madboy]

IMHO - pigs are right, you are wrong. And in cases where the pigs are not right - photographs, video or retired/serving judges as witnesses are your only defence. 'Cos we all know, cops are never wrong.

[zadok]

That's a bummer.

[sels1]

Bad luck mate. If you think your witness is good, give it a go - but Judges need some fairly convincing evidence to disregard the police's point of veiew

[Grizz]

Sorry but orange/red light running is a pet hate of mine at the moment, and whilst I hear what you are saying an orange light should be treated as if it was red, it a shame that so many abuse this.

I remember coming back to Auckland from Brisbane, where the drivers for the most part are a hell of a lot more courteous than here, I stopped for an orange light and the bloke behind me went nuts, I was like, WTF I could stop and did an I get abused!

As for the fine, pay it and move on, it won't do you any good to fight it IMO.

[Gremlin]

I feel for you mate, but I'm with Nak1d. Road code states that if it turns orange, then, if it is safe to do so, you must stop.

A lot of drivers reckon that orange is "can I speed up and make it".

If you couldn't stop safely, then it shouldn't have been a problem as for running the red as it is orange long enough for you to go through.

If you reckon you have a case, you would probably have to show you were too close to the intersection to stop safely.

[Grizz]

It was only a month or so back I got stopped for doing 112kph on a fucking passing lane!
Passing is no defence so next time you are stuck behind some biddy doing 90 you can only do 100 to pass him/her, how long is the passing lane you are on?
How big is the oncoming truck?

If its any consolation, I do agree with you about exceeding the speed limit when passing.

[Jantar]

I would suggest that you write to the police at the address given on the ticket and simply state that you wish to defend the case in court. Add the comment that you have a witness from the vehicle imediately behind you who can confirm that the light had just turned orange, not red, when you entered the intersection and that your witness will confirm that you did not have time to stop safely. Also request a copy of any photos taken by the red light camera at the intersection for the time you are alleged to have passed through the red light, and for 5 minutes either side.

If you are correct, and the light had just turned orange then they will not have a photo of you and the case will be dropped.

[myvice]

If I could have stopped safely I would have. (95% off the time anyway )
I drive like a Nana according to many people I have in a car with me, although my wife wont let me drive after Iv been out on the bike.
She’s moved on to not letting me drive at all now so I'm very happy!
Bad timing too, new helmet, back tyre, and another handful of nasty unexpected bills have left me a bit short of funds, so I hope they can wait for a bit.
Probably not worth the hassle, pay up and build a bridge is probably the best bet...
I'll just think of all the things Iv done and got away with!
$150 to even out the Karma? Priceless!
Felt good to have a rant though!
"All of the toys, out of the pram, NOW!"
Not worth the time off, muttermuttermumble.

[Korumba]

Fuck the Pay it and move on Shit!


When Airliners take off there’s a thing they have called V1 and V2 …don’t know much about it but its all Math (Weight /Air Temp/Runway Length etc) the Co Pilot will call V1 as they are rolling so if anything and everything fucks up they can still abort the takeoff and stop. But when V2 is called know mater what happens they have to take off and sort the shit out in the air..

Its all about commitment and if your 5 meters was 25 meters you were still committed and had to go through the lights safely..

Fight it all the way!! You were committed to travel thru the lights and would not have been safe to stop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ixion]

Fuck the Pay it and move on Shit!


When Airliners take off there’s a thing they have called V 1 and V2 …don’t know much about it but its all Math (Weight /Air Temp/Runway Length etc) the Co Pilot will call V1 as they are rolling so if anything and everything fucks up they can still abort the takeoff and stop. But when V2 is called know mater what happens they have to take off and sort the shit out in the air..

Its all about commitment and if your 5 meters was 25 meters you were still committed and had to go through the lights safely..

Fight it all the way!! You were committed to travel thru the lights and would not have been safe to stop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I always do this with traffic lights .Always approach a green light on the overrun, but pick a point as I come up to them . When I get to that point, if the light's still green I'll accelerate hard through the light (assuming there's no idiot running the red the other way of course). Don't pay any attention to the light once I've got to that decision point. If the light's amber at the decision point, I stop. Point varies with conditions etc.

[FROSTY:Me]

I drive a blody big 4x4 -that gives me the right to ignotre all lights and bikies are just potential hood ornaments -the stteering wheel is to balance my cofee on --whilst im yakkin on my celly

[Ixion]

I drive a blody big 4x4 -that gives me the right to ignotre all lights and bikies are just potential hood ornaments -the stteering wheel is to balance my cofee on --whilst im yakkin on my celly

Have you been talking to Mr Motu ?

[HDTboy]

Try and get a hold of the red light camera tape, that'll tell you and the cop who's in the right

[hobdar]

Whatever you do do it now and quickly, if it does go to court in the meantime they will add about 150 bucks just for talking to the judge.....

If you write a letter get your witness to give a written statement to back it up and ask for the red light camera photos which would prove it was not red..