Frigging ticket on way home from racetrack

The intersection of 121 and 37 near Infineon raceway was a mess with traffic. I was leaving the track around 5 and trying to turn East on 37 for those of you that know the area. I waited for the signal to go green and saw that I had just about enough room for my 60 ft rig. Traffic was snail pace, but I knew it would clear in time to have room. When I got the green I started out in the intersection just in time for a red light runner to make a two lane road into a three lane it stopped the forward progress where I was headed. Now I'm stuck partially in the intersection. CHP was on the corner pulled me over and said I caused a gridlock and wrote me up. The a hole that caused the snarl got away free. I think cop knew trailers would be leaving and was waiting for us to get stuck out like that. I tried making it to the shoulder to clear but a little Honda moved over and blocked me. Bottom line is, should I try to fight this since there was more to this than I could control? Am I just screwed?  Sorry, just venting.

Rob, that sucks man. I doubt a judge will let you slide if the cop that wrote it wouldn't accept the explanation about the guy that ran the red light blocking you. jim

Sorry man but ur prolly screwd.  I tried fighting a ticket for my carpool mate, I was actually in the car when she was cited so I wrote the papers for a trial by declaration, thought we had a bulletproof defense.  Nope, guilty.  Were going up on a trial de novo, but not hopeful if the copper shows up (or was it A vermillion lol).

Bottomline is that the state and municipalities need$$ so badly they are shaking people down.  And since you violated the vehicle code, they'll nail you, despite the extenuating circumstances.  My brother was rushing to an emergency call when he came upon standstill traffic, so he jumped in the carpool lane briefly.  Sorry doc, u did the crime gotta pay the fine, tho your reason was a valid and noble one...

I'm just pissed because I have not had a ticket in the last 750,000 miles of driving. 20 yrs.

Sorry to hear that Always fight a ticket! Find other cases where they have given tickets in the same area. Never give in! never surrender! If the officer does not show you can get it dismissed. Sometimes he will back down in court if you show up. worth a try even if they just reduce the fine... Good luck

RR that intersection is the worst come raceday!
I would be pissed too if a ticketless record like that got broken.
Might as well go to traffic court.
I'm ticketless since 1984, the summer I moved to Davis from Stockton.
Hope I didn't just jinx.

Freakin camera tagged me for not coming to a complete stop at a red light in redwood city....I was actually coming into a yellow but the light changed to red super fast and I was .14 seconds into the red when I crossed the line.  I was discussing this with the boys not too long ago and found that cities are reducing the length of the yellows at intersections with cameras 

Approx $350 for the violation, $200 court fees, nother hundred and some odd dollars for online traffic school, 40 bucks in fed-ex overnight charges cause I waited till the last minute....about $700 bucks later and my debt for .14 seconds of driving infraction was settled. 

To rub salt in the wound, they send you a picture of yourself during the infraction with a link to a video of the event, I believe thats where my 2 bills in court fees went, lesson learned, avoid redwood city like the plague.   

So lame. I talked my way out of a ticket on Friday night. Nicest cop I've ever met. He clocked me going 76 in a 55. I am so freaking lucky.

-FF

I'm just pissed because I have not had a ticket in the last 750,000 miles of driving. 20 yrs.

just curious, did you try and talk your way out of it first when Chips axed you 4 "license and registration?"

I'm always amazed at people who can talk they way out of tix, like F Flogger.  When my carpoolmate got pulled over recently, I advised her "Don't say nothing, lemme throw some Law and Order at 'em."  She rolls down her window as Johnny Law approaches and even BEFORE the sheriff can axe "license and registration," my mate vomits an uninterrupted string of dozen "I'm so sorrys," then starts balling.  I was like OMFG!!!!  And she wondered why she got wrote up ....

As the beasti Boys put it:
You gotta fight, for your right, to traaaaaaaailer tow!
Something like that.
Fight it..ALWAYS.
Ask for the cop to be present at the trial too.
What's the worst that can happen? You have to pay.

take some pics, make some notes and fight it, fines still the same if you lose right?

http://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/napa-motorist-beats-silverado-trail-ticket/article_d1bebb9e-c6fd-11e0-b204-001cc4c03286.html

If you fight it and lose, you have to pay the ticket.  It also counts as a point for DMV.  Your insurance might go up too.  If you do not contest it, you pay the ticket and can go to traffic school.  No points for DMV.  Your insurance stays the same.  That's how it is in SF.

If you fight it, the officer will probably show up.  CHP are traffic officers.  It states that right on their stars.  Giving out tickets is what they do.  Unless the CHP officer is new, he will have gone to court many times and will know exactly what he is supposed to say.  You will need to bring in some evidence, photos, witnesses, etc.  Otherwise, it will just be your word against the officer's word.

I read up on the law a bit and it says in it's original form that it should be treated like a parking ticket and no points on license. It may have been changed though. I don't know.

That sucks Rob...

  I think I've got something that might help ya in the future....   

The CHP hat on my dash did not help.