Fine Question.

ginga4lyfe, Nov 5, 10:26am
Hey there guys, My mate got pulled up by a cop and given an infringement notice for going through yellow light, firstly 150 bucks for that! Seriously! and also does that incur any demerits! and was it justified, he wasnt speeding, but the yellow light did come on about 2 meters before the line,( so obviously unsafe to stop from 40 in 2 meters ) and wasnt red untill we had cleared the intersection, I suspect that the officer jumped the gun a little, but ohwell, we will split the fine anyways ( I was REALLY needing to "go" so didnt slow down as much as we would normally would have for the corner, and THANKS Meremere speedway for having only urinals !)

morrisman1, Nov 5, 10:30am
sounds a bit rough. I personally would have asked the cop to explain his interpretation of what the timings were and why he considered his interpretation of the event to be worthy of a fine.

Gotta make them justify their decision!

mark.52, Nov 5, 10:36am
If it was really 2 metres, there is no way he'd even get foot to brake pedal. Personally I'd contest it in court.

I very much doubt it was 2 metres. Maybe 20.

ginga4lyfe, Nov 5, 10:38am
hmm the thing is that we dont want it to tarnish his position in getting into the police, I'm splitting it for his sake as i was the passenger that really needed to go. or go in the car, I dont mind paying any more than he does, its just we wunna be clear that what the Officer had done was correct

ginga4lyfe, Nov 5, 10:40am
we were traveling at 60 in a 60 zone, not more than half an hour ago at about 11pm, we slowed down for the corner to abotu 40 to take the corner, but 2 meters before the line, the light went orange hence " running the orange light"

ginga4lyfe, Nov 5, 10:50am
Yeah true, ahwell, wrong place wrong time, though I do understand that its pointless argueing symantics, I find it a little biased that a officers word holds more weight than the drivers word

pollymay, Nov 5, 11:01am
fixed

mark.52, Nov 5, 11:02am
What I'm saying is that, as I'm sure you realize, there is no way you could stop in 2 metres, from any speed above a crawl. If it changed with 2 metres to go, the cop pretty much broke the rules in ticketing you for it, as stopping at all (let alone "safely") was impossible.

I'd contest it. 2 witnesses vs 1 cop. You might well lose. There is a small chance you'll win. Depends on the credibility of all in the courtroom on the day. Win or lose, it will tie up the courts (and the policeman's') time.

sparkles_bc, Nov 5, 11:08am
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the amber light runs for 6 seconds. If your vehicle cleared the intersection just before the red, then there is no way you were just 2m from the line when it turned amber.

richard198, Nov 5, 11:11am
I agree. Don't bend over and take it. You are entitled to contest it and have more chance with a passenger that can attest that attempting to stop would have been unsafe. Make them work for their money!
I always write in and contest every single fine.
Sometimes I get a result. Sometimes I don't.

ginga4lyfe, Nov 5, 11:22am
you make a good point, but the light was still yellow once out of the intersection, I cannot say when the red came on though, meh it may be worth contesting but he nor I can afford a day off work to goto court

richard198, Nov 5, 11:25am
Jeez! If you win, you get costs awarded!
What are you! A man or a mouse!
Did you come on here to just complain or get some advice!

ginga4lyfe, Nov 5, 11:47am
Advice, more or less, dont get me wrong im not complaining, just looking back on hindsight and going "something doesnt seem right about this", and calm down bigjerry, im sure it got through to me that i cannot win the last few times ya said that :P , but since its now confirmed that there are no demerits for this, then I can atleased pass that onto my disheartened friend haha

ginga4lyfe, Nov 5, 12:25pm
haha All good, Im the only one out of my whole group of friends that hasnt had a fine yet, nor been in any accidents, nor needed to claim under insurance, so out a all my friends in the "good driver" tonight may have changed that if i had decided to go in my Caldina instead of with my mate in his Celica, and I dont really intend to get a fine at all, but being witness to this infringment does remind me somewhat to take it easy because cops are padantic at times, ah well Good night, im off to sleep

saki, Nov 5, 8:07pm
Are you saying you were bursting for a piss n poo!

xs1100, Nov 6, 8:38am
just suck it up and get on with life,i do a few ks a year about 80,000 have had a good run for last 4 yrs now got 2 tks inside 6 months it likes what do you do.put it down to all the times you didnt get caught hahaha

dinosaw88, Feb 4, 1:44am
A fine question! It was an ok question but not fine in my opinion. Sorry.