Got my first RLC ticket

If you feel strongly that you stopped maybe you can ask for night court to plead your case.

Good luck!

That sucks. But a lesson learned, right?

Sorry to hear that.

That could've been a $495 ticket in Los Angeles area. An acquaintance got it, twice on different days.

< soapbox mode>As a frequent pedestrian, I'm always wary and keep a sharp lookout for motor vehicle folks with a green light making a left turn into my crosswalk with a white "walk" light.

But I will say that what's even more frightening--mostly due to the limited time for reactions by driver or pedestrian--is the "right turn on red" driver who, after quickly deciding that s/he can make a right on red and not be hit by an oncoming driver, simply forgets that the crosswalk just a couple feet in front of him/her may have a pedestrian in the crosswalk with a white Walk sign.

In both cases, the driver, in case s/he feels it safe to make the turn if done quickly enough, may do a jackrabbit turn right into the pedestrian.

I'm not adding you, sharper4, to this group of folks who have a great potential for hitting a pedestrian, since there's no indication in your post that you didn't check the crosswalk in front of you.

But as pedestrian who has had to loudly shout at motorists about to drive right into me in a crosswalk with a white Walk sign, let me say there is a good reason for coming to a full stop--both to check for oncoming vehicles that may hit you as you turn, as well as for time for you as a driver to ensure that you have checked the crosswalk for pedestrians in your intended path.

And pedestrians, alway keep your eye on the driver of vehicles that have the ability to drive into your crosswalk, and make sure they see you. If they aren't aware of your presence, be prepared for a quick very loud shout or a quick step out of their path.

As I think Panza said in Don Quixote, "whether the rock hits the pitcher or the pitcher hits the rock, it's generally bad for the pitcher."

PS--for Factory members with the RLC POI file loaded, think of yourself as you approach a RLC. Come to a fully legal full-stop before the large white Stop Line in the street below you before proceeding. You'll save yourself a ticket and a potential pedestrian injury--to say nothing of future insurance premium rate increases.,< /soapbox mode>

PPS--as a driver, I practice what I preach in this regard...

as a bike rider I can't tell you how many times I have to wave at a guy doing a rolling right to get his attention before he hits me. its so common I have gotten Leary at every intersection I have to cross with my bike. seems most people forget that crosswalk exist when their in a hurry. . mostly happens in the suburbs. so yah, watch out for bikers and walkers in the crosswalk. there is a reason that they paint a stop line at the intersection. please stop before that line and give yourself time to see if anyone is biking or walking across the street.

In our city - most right turns are Yield. Ironically, except for the RLC locations. That surely can't be a coincidence. Although it doesn't make it right. If I was moving a little then I wasn't stopped and I guess that justifies the charge.

$75 is not as bad as the cost elsewhere though. It is no longer about safety (if it ever was)...it is about revenue.

@CraigW. kingofkings,

I now what you both are saying about drivers who think the people in the crosswalks should really just get out of their way. after all, they are in a CAR!

I am pretty good about stopping completely and looking every which-a way before proceeding. I did however almost run over a real pretty young female jogger, after stopping completely and having no traffic or peds nearby, I started to proceed. Then she cam darting out from behind bushes from the small park that came up very close to the road. The crosswalk had switched to "Don't Cross" and she had apparently sped up from inside the park to beat the traffic. I don't really like running over pretty young girls so I'm glad I caught her coming out of the corner of my eye and hit the brakes.

So just remember, if you decide to leave the house on any given day, keep an eye out, you'll see someone do something stupid, just so they can be FIRST!

"Save the pretty young girls!"

In Philadelphia all the RLC's I've seen also have a "No Turn On Red" sign.

.

Down here up to 12 MPH is considered a full stop for a right turn on red. Same state where texting and cell phone use is still legal while driving. I would expcet our lawmakers to raise the legal limit to 2.50 since they don't seem to get it that texting and driving is as bad as driving drunk.

We must really need the DUI revinues.

How absurd is that. 12 MPH can still cause some serious physical injury to a pedsestrian or bike rider. I thought stop meant just that, STOP, not slowing down to 12 MPH. In my opinion, texting is also very dangerous and should be outlawed in all states.

What part of Florida are you in?
I am in West Pasco & stop means stop. 12 mph will not cut it here. They call that a "rolling stop" and you will get a ticket. I know a few of my friends got them and tried to argue the fact. It didn't work!

A recent trip to Orlando Fl., at a red light camera intersection, I was to the left (center lane) of the right hand turn lane, there was a car in the right hand turn lane, at the white line, stopped for the whole red light with plenty of opportunities to turn on red and that guy would not turn, the car behind him kept honking his horn over and over again, road rage started occuring, that guy making the right turn on red didn't trust the red light camera.

Got my first RLC ticket last July! I intentionally went through the light because it was a bad neighborhood and I didn't want to take any chances (no traffic coming in either direction due to a turn lane signal). As it was, a few blocks later on my route the police were hanging yellow barrier tape - a shooting had just occurred.

I think it's really suspect when you get a red light camera ticket for not coming to a complete and full stop. I'm not talking about 5 mph or above, but the half mile roll where if you don't keep your foot on the brake long enough, you're not stopping the momentum of the car. Essentially, you stopped the car, but as soon as you take your foot off the brake, you're moving again much faster than if you completely stopped the car, momentum and all.

Most of the time, I'm afraid I'm going to get hit by the person behind me, because I do stop that way. I don't just hesitate, I stop the momentum. It's much harder with a manual transmission. As soon as I take my foot off the brake to put it on the gas, the car is rolling. What am I supposed to do? Take even longer to, stop, stop momentum, take foot off of brake, push in clutch, put it in first, give it gas while releasing clutch slowly, and have the person behind me shove me out of the way? Yeah! That deserves a ticket!

I would like to see politicians hold to the same standers when comes to the laws they pass for the public. They should also be accountable for what they do and make them pay when they screw up. They declare immunity for the screw ups.

I completely agree with the above post and will make sure to allow the pedestrians the right of way when the crosswalk signal says "walk". HOWEVER, if it is a solid "DO NOT WALK" I will not yield to the jaywalker and continue to drive past/through.

I believe traffic would flow quite well if everyone would obey the signals, both walking and driving (cycling as well).

I have not had personal experience but this is exactly what I have been reading in the newspaper about Pinellas and Hillsborogh. They have written several times that they are not issuing tickets to drivers stopping at less than 12 MPH.

I was in Orlando for about 2 years (early 2000s) and it almost seemed that every traffic law meant the exact opposite there. People went through on red, stopped on green, yield meant me first, etc.... There is one particular intersection I went through where people in the right turn lane turned left, and the left turn lane would turn right (two lanes in the middle).

Back on topic, I have typically seen between 4 - 8 people travel through the light AFTER it turned red. I found it more dangerous to obey the laws there. Fortunately I was in a bit of a daze one night, after the light turned green I stared at it for about 8 - 10 seconds. I decided to go, and was almost T-boned by a redlight runner. I find it sad people can't wait and take their turn.

Believe it or not there are people who just don't make rights on red, I have a friend that won't, RLC or not he just doesn't do the right on red. It's gotten to the point he won't even turn his turn signal on until the light changes to green to avoid the honkers.

I'm waiting to see if I get a speeding ticket from DC. It's been 17 days now. On another forum, a guy got his violation in the mail after 9 days. I know I was going 31 in a 25, and DC tolerates only 5 mph. We shall see.

I'm not overjoyed about throwing $75 out the window, but imho, you gotta pay to play. The question to sharper4, did your alert go off, i.e. were you aware there was a cam there? Mine did not, or I would have slowed down to 29 or 30 or even 25.

That is absurd, 15 mph is the speed limit through a school zone, so in FLA you can turn right on red or roll through a stop at that speed? I'd like to see some statute that states it, out of curiosity.

Did you have the latest file from here? Can you report the location that the alert didn't go off so it can be checked?

My problem is that there were so many down there, and I had a combination of the garmin and the poi both going off, one going off not the other, and going off/not going off depending on direction, it was impossible to keep track of now after the fact. But I posted that every RLC/speed cam and potential mobile location is on the dc website. Garmin seems to include the potential areas in their file (which must have come with my 2350lmt when it was new)...

They can write anything they want about not issuing tickets, it is still up to the deputy stopping the car, some won't issue one and some will. If he (or she) had a fight with their mate befor they went to work, you will get one! LOL

Yep, I see this over and over again at RLC intersections now around Central Florida. Some drivers just won't turn now at all because they don't trust the cameras.

$50 for speeding through a yellow light in North Carolina with no points, but if contested in court and lost then points, court costs, and potentially higher fine.

If bikers are going to RIDE across the street, shouldn't they be behind the vehicle? Bikers should follow the rules of the road like a vehicle, not a pedestrian. If you are going to cross in the crosswalk, get off your bike and walk it across. Then you can be treated like a pedestrian.

From kingofkings above:

"as a bike rider I can't tell you how many times I have to wave at a guy doing a rolling right to get his attention before he hits me. its so common I have gotten Leary at every intersection I have to cross with my bike. seems most people forget that crosswalk exist when their in a hurry. . mostly happens in the suburbs. so yah, watch out for bikers and walkers in the crosswalk. there is a reason that they paint a stop line at the intersection. please stop before that line and give yourself time to see if anyone is biking or walking across the street."

BIKERS do not belong in the crosswalk UNLESS they are WALKING their bikes across. If you are not, stay behind the vehicle. Stop playing the pedestrian card because when you are on your bike, you are not a pedestrian!

Welcome to the club!

Today my gong sounded at a RLC Just before the yellow. I stopped, but a SUV blew by me. The light was red for over a second. His plate had mud on it. I did not see a flash.

A lot of the newer batch of cameras use an infrared flash. You'll never see them even at night.

I almost got hit today while crossing the street with a WALK signal. The driver did not stop at the red light and turned right into the cross walk where I was. Fortunately I jumped out of the way and escaped without being struck by the car.

I have never seen a sign that said "Right Turn Permitted While Rolling" The signs are stop signs not rolling signs...Hello...stop means stop

Lies!

Although I've never seen it enforced personally, in PA bicycles must follow all traffic laws.
.

the only things wrose than a wreckless cyclist in the street is a wrecklees cyclist riding on the sidewalk

There is only one RLC on my commute and to date I have been lucky. I had only one incident a few months ago where I was going through the intersection on a yellow and I saw a flash. Looked through my rear-view mirror and saw a car several lengths behind me that missed the yellow and crossed the stop line on red. It got my attention but that has been the only near miss.

(for those of you on Long Island it is the RT-109/New Highway light heading eastbound on RT-109. Trying to merge off of SSP onto RT-109 while traffic is trying to cut in front of you to head west on New Highway is always a joy. All the while trying to keep an eye on the phase of the light)

That sucks

Sucks... You should see about a night court date for the plea.

Now, now. I'm sure our cyclist complaining about cars encroaching on crosswalks is ALWAYS very careful when riding to come to a 100% full and complete stop at every stop sign and to obey every other traffic law including staying off the sidewalks and crosswalks unless the bike is being walked, just like most other cyclists.

Of course, I truly do understand that when a cyclist screws up and gets in an accident with a car, the worst damage inflicted by the bike is usually some dinged up sheet metal. Turn the equation around and the cyclist may die or be paralyzed. I get the difference.

It's just that we get some grumpy harumphers around here. Pound the table, enforce the law strictly types. Well I say be careful what you ask for. I remember a local cop here laughing as he told a story about a resident who kept complaining about speeders on his street and leaving messages demanding enforcement. So they finally set up a radar gun, and guess who earned the first ticket for speeding on this guy's street? Yup.

The point is: we always see the traffic screwups in everyone but ourselves.

I have seen stop signs where right turns are not required to stop, along with posted signs saying so.

Just make sure that the effort and dedication you put forth towards arguing the ticket out ways the costs. Moral victory is always recommended, but money always leaves a scar.

My dad got a serious fine in the City of Boston for illegal parking, quite a lot of $$$$. He didn't read the sign. He sent a letter to the city explaining it was his error. To my surprise, they dismissed the summons and stated it would be this one time only.

I got a 52 in a 25 and admitted it to the officer. He told me to meet him in court and "we'll be lenient." I got a non-moving violation with 0 points instead of 5.

imho we all want to fight City Hall and win. But sometimes, being willing to take one's lumps results favorably. But even if it doesn't, imho taking one's lumps builds character, or maintains it.

Not when there is a stop sign!!!

Sharper4, I feel for you, I just got one for not wearing seat belt. $114.oo I don't feel very good either.

Should check to see if they have an enforcement capability. Many cities haven't gone that far, happy to just have 'volunteers" pay the fine.

You can't count on it, because it comes down to individual cops and municipalities that are somewhat unpredictable, but if there's one thing that doesn't work, it's the opposite, why-are-you-picking-on-me, don't-you-have-anything-better-to-do, what-are-you-short-on-your-quota-this-month approach that most people try in Panic Mode. Copping to it honestly and saying, Yeah, you got me, I am sorry, I blew it, many times will work… if only because so few people will own up to what they did. But it doesn't always work... sometimes it gets you nailed to the wall.

I've both won and lost trying it.

Note that it WILL NOT work with an RLC or speed camera. There's nothing open to persuasion there.