Even if you knew it was coming, why not wait until the light turns green? I don't get it. My foot is off the gas pedal until I see the go light. And even then I look for potential red light runners the other way.

Here's one for thought. Way back after watching the Foreman-Holyfield fight at a friend's, I was driving home in the dark. At a familiar 4 way stop sign I did a California roll with no other car in sight. I slowed to almost a stop, looked, and continued. Police light comes on they pull me over and give me a ticket. They were hiding in the dark for a pigeon and found one. Unfair? Well yeah pretty much chicken sh-- to me. If I saw cars at the other stop signs I wait my turn. I was being safe, but technically I was still at fault.

We all make mistakes. Not wise to just pay the ticket because the insurance impact can be far more than just paying the fine.

If not eligible for traffic school, usually better to let an attorney plea it down to a non-moving violation.

You will probably still pay something like double the fine/court costs + attorney fees. But will likely save that amount the next few years avoiding insurance increases.

You just admitted in your description why you are guilty. You simply cannot go through a red light. Pay your ticket and move on like a good person would.

Winner winner!! You're either gonna pay the ticket and not bog down the court system with a useless argument or you will pay an attorney. Doesn't seem like much of a choice.

Everyone is entitled to hire an attorney, guilty or innocent. There are attorneys who make their living defending clients against traffic tickets. Not all tickets are issued to promote safety. Sometimes, they are issued to raise funds. This can be proven by comparing the number of tickets issued by different jurisdictions. Not sure about today, but, in the past, South Carolina was notorious for issuing speeding tickets to out-of-state drivers. Theoretically, almost every driver on some Interstates could be issued a speeding ticket because they are exceeding the speed limit. Also, true for Rt 466A. Just saying.

Saw a billboard up north advertising for an attorney " just because you did it doesn't mean your guilty "

Sure, you can fight the ticket in court (and likely lose). But, what is your defense strategy? You really have two options:

1. Claim that you did not do what the officer said you did. Let the judge decide who is telling the truth.
2. Claim that you are a nice person with a good driving record, so the law should not apply to you.

If you choose option 1, you are calling the police officer a liar. All he or she did was their lawful duty to enforce traffic laws, and keep everyone safe. Choosing option 2 would put your hubris on display for the court. Either option would be a shameful response, and both are yet more examples of people not willing to accept responsibility for their actions. You screwed up. Admit it, take your lumps, and move on.

By the way...some of the nastiest car wrecks you will ever see occur because of traffic light violations. The most common thing heard by the offending driver?..."I didn't see him coming." Be thankful you didn't hurt or kill anyone.

As former LE. Don’t go to court, pay the ticket. If you go to court the cost will be more because you’ll have to pay cost court higher than paying just the ticket.

True, but you also need to consider the effect on your auto insurance, which can be a lot greater than the ticket or the court cost.

Just to back you up, I got a speeding ticket on PA Interstate once, going 85. I apologized and pleaded guilty. The officer was very cordial. He said to send my check to the address on the envelope he gave me and there would be no marks on my license and no questions asked. Can't recall how much it was, no more than $100. And sure enough no marks on my license.

That's how people need to react when stopped by the police. No matter what you say, you can't win the argument in that situation. Just acquiesce, be friendly, and if you are right, you will get your day in court.

Sounds like you acted in a illegal manner, especially having admitted that you “made the turn just before the arrow turned green” just the fine and be more careful next time!

She was cited for failure to stop, she stopped. Could be case closed. If she was cited for making a U=turn against a red light, she would be guilty…. Just saying… Me, I would either go to traffic court or just pay the ticket onine which usually is a reduced moving violation set of points…. I have a tee time which is more important. :-)

Also, I have always wondered why you cannot make a U turn at a traffic light, you are not going thru the light, you are turning BEFORE the light/intersection… if you can make a right on red in front of far away oncoming traffic, why wouldn’t a U-turn be similar… just wondering??? Maybe she can be an activist for getting the laws changed???

You post is great evidence.
 

In your post you admitted ignoring the red light. Its a great piece of evidence for the prosecution. Apparently the rules of the road don't apply to you.

1. what color was the light when you made the turn?
2. what did the police officer cite you for?
3.:welcome:

But you need to consider what happens if you go to court and lose? You'll pay the court costs AND you still get smacked on your insurance!

You’re in Florida and you want all the old people making a U turn based on their own judgment and reaction time? Didn’t think that one through, did ya? ;-) Enjoy your tee time today.

She should have considered the effect on her auto insurance BEFORE she broke the law.

So you went thru a red light…

Plus, it appears that the screen name is her real name. Not good.

Still laughing. You run a red light, get caught & want a lawyer because you used to have a good record. Am I the only person who thinks this is hilarious.

That was probably the reason, you didn’t wait until the light turn green. I did the same thing out in front of Race Track gas station, but the light was already green. I pulled into gas station & the police said there was a NO U TURN sign there, he said next time check all the signs & gave me a warning!

Just me but just go in & pay fine, it’ll be cheaper than to get robbed by a lawyer. Your fine will be exactly the same as going to court except you’ll be paying a lawyer.

Pay the ticket and move on. An attorney will take your money and you will still lose in court and pay the fine. Just save yourself time and aggravation.

Diane Newhouse onlu has one post here?
 

I find it interesting that the O.P. here only has this one posting...Wonder which 3-lane road she pulled a U-turn on red?

The attorney who put up that billboard needs to learn how to spell.

Screen name
 

Not only did she admit she was guilty, she did it by using her name and email address as her screen name, which should make the Prosecutor's job much much easier.

If they still have traffic school, ask the judge for that, the ticket won't go on your record. Not sure how this works in Fl however. Please ignore the RUDE know it all people that responded. Good luck.

Right on, Right on

The real cost was running the red light, pay up.

So it is rude to obey the law and to do the right thing when one breaks it, interesting…

The oncoming 3 lanes would have to stop for the red ;light anyway, so the fact that the lanes were empty is irrelevant. You admit to turning on a RED light.

once read a story where the county had recently installed traffic cameras to catch speeders and red light violators. Since it was a new system the bugs had not been ironed fully out. Lo and behold one person after 90 days started to receive on a daily basis for 90 days red light plus speeding tickets assigned to their car registration. the red light tickets were for rolling stops at the signs

Driving at night time before you turn look both ways and assume theres a car without headlights on heading right at you

Guilty as charged!
 

Great story! This jury finds you guilty as charged!

Guilty pay the ticket

Have you ever posted something and then wished you hadn’t. I have and I think this is a good example.

Pay the fine.

There are plenty of Florida attorneys that can get the charges tossed out, plus maybe an apology from the court/cop.

Get a referral- someone at your temple must be know a good lawyer.

That was part of John McCain's defense in the Keating Five scandal.

He got off, it works!
Keating Five - Wikipedia