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Red Light Camera Ticket In Los Angeles, California - How Can I Best Fight It?

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  • 04-10-2008, 04:27 PM
    yellow
    Red Light Camera Ticket In Los Angeles, California - How Can I Best Fight It?
    My question involves a traffic ticket from the state of: California

    This happened about a week ago. I was approaching an intersection, and the light was green. The light turned yellow, so I pressed on my brakes. It had been raining that night, and the road was slick... my timing with the light was just right to cause a problem.

    My tires skidded when I attempted to brake, so I took my foot off, then tried again, more slowly. Skidded again. At this point I was getting too close to the intersection to stop safely on dry pavement, much less the obviously slick wet pavement. Since I am normally a very cautious driver, I was nervous and watching the light the whole time. It was still yellow as I crossed the crosswalk, so I increased speed to hopefully clear the light in as safe a manner as possible. Then I saw the flash!

    So my citation came today, to the tune of $380 (normal, I'm told).

    Do I have grounds to contest the ticket?
  • 04-11-2008, 02:43 PM
    chuckycheese
    Re: Red Light Camera Ticket In Los Angeles, California... How Can I Best Fight It?
    Most of the red lights in California are set up with a reasonable amount of leeway. If part of your car was in the intersection when the light was yellow, I believe the pictures they have would have indicated that....and they would have tossed it in the trash (many are not charged). Unless you can show that the device was faulty, you probably don't stand much of a chance.
  • 04-11-2008, 05:32 PM
    yellow
    Re: Red Light Camera Ticket In Los Angeles, California... How Can I Best Fight It?
    Quote:

    Quoting chuckycheese
    View Post
    Most of the red lights in California are set up with a reasonable amount of leeway. If part of your car was in the intersection when the light was yellow, I believe the pictures they have would have indicated that....and they would have tossed it in the trash (many are not charged). Unless you can show that the device was faulty, you probably don't stand much of a chance.

    Thanks for replying!

    The only argument I have is that I could not have stopped safely due to road conditions. All of my driver's ed was done in my home state (IL) and I was taught that you are to always stop at a yellow light if it is safe to due so, and in this case, my car would have hydroplaned into the intersection (and no, I was not speeding).

    I don't know about the laws in California surrounding that, though. They may make no allowances for inclimate weather, since it happens so infrequently.
  • 04-12-2008, 08:38 AM
    chuckycheese
    Re: Red Light Camera Ticket In Los Angeles, California... How Can I Best Fight It?
    The court's response to that will be that you were driving too fast for the prevailing conditions....which is a separate violation (violating the "basic rule").
  • 04-13-2008, 10:46 AM
    yellow
    Re: Red Light Camera Ticket In Los Angeles, California... How Can I Best Fight It?
    Quote:

    Quoting chuckycheese
    View Post
    The court's response to that will be that you were driving too fast for the prevailing conditions....which is a separate violation (violating the "basic rule").

    I had a feeling. Thanks!
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