Red Light Camera (after an ambulance)

 

I just received a mail for a red light violation.

I went to the website and saw the pictures and video.

so the front car ahead of me which was an ambulance didn't break and just made a right turn at a red light.
i was looking at the ambulance and realized that it was a red light and stopped/breaked passed the white line of the lane. after a full stop behind the white line then i made my right turn.

i do understand that i stopped behind the white line, but would it be possible to contest for this? after the ambulance passed i did realize it was a red and made a full stop. when i saw the flashes, i thought the flashes were for the ambulance not me.

Right on red at red light camera

The short answer - If the video shows the light was red and your car stopped several feet past the white line, then it would be futile to contest the violation.

The long answer - The size of the ambulance in front of you blocked your view of the red light, or the bright emergency lights interfered with your seeing the red light, but you still are responsible for making sure the light was red or green before proceeding.

When watching the video, the camera is looking at your car from the rear, so it may be difficult for you to judge where your car stopped after crossing the white line. There is a sensor near the stop line that shows where your car stopped and a record is made that the hearing officer can look at. He will know more accurately if your car stopped after the white line.

The red light camera and the hearing officer only enforce the law with regard to going through a red light, but I don't think you are aware of another law that applies to this situation. This is a law in New York State, but I am sure there is a law like this in every state. When following an official emergency vehicle, which is responding with emergency lights and siren/horn, the following vehicle must keep back 200 feet at all times. If you kept back you would have a clear view of the red light and the stop line.

Sorry to hear about the violation.

dobs108 smile

In most states, it's illegal

In most states, it's illegal to follow an Emergency Vehicle, (flashing lights, siren, yada, yada), closer than 500 ft. So if you were so close to the Ambulance you couldn't see the traffic light, then you were following too close to the Emergency Vehicle.

--
Frank DriveSmart55 37.322760, -79.511267

In Alabama, follow no closer that 1.6 football fields

or 28% of the Backstretch at Atlanta Motor Speedway!

"Code of Alabama - Title 32: Motor Vehicles and Traffic - Section 32-5A-58 - Following emergency vehicle prohibited.

The driver of any vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow any authorized emergency vehicle traveling in response to an emergency call closer than 500 feet or stop such vehicle within 500 feet of any authorized emergency vehicle stopped in answer to an emergency call." (emphasis added)

I don't believe an emergency vehicle would be able to block the view of a driver following at 500 feet.

--
Garmin nüvi 3597LMTHD, 3760 LMT, & 255LMT, - "Those who wish for fairness without first protecting freedom will end up with neither freedom nor fairness." - Milton Friedman

Stopped "Behind" White Line...

It was stated in part...

ellen0629 wrote:

I just received a mail for a red light violation. i do understand that i stopped behind the white line

Seeing (per your own admission) you stopped "behind" the white line, then you shouldn't get a ticket.

Nuvi1300WTGPS

--
I'm not really lost.... just temporarily misplaced!

I may be wrong

After re-reading the initial post, I believe "behind the white line" means that the driver braked/stopped only after she had already passed over the white line and had entered the intersection.

--
Garmin nüvi 3597LMTHD, 3760 LMT, & 255LMT, - "Those who wish for fairness without first protecting freedom will end up with neither freedom nor fairness." - Milton Friedman

Behind? Over? Past?

selfruler wrote:

After re-reading the initial post, I believe "behind the white line" means that the driver braked/stopped only after she had already passed over the white line and had entered the intersection.

Seeing I'm more of a word specific person than most are, I took the wording of "behind" to mean exactly as it's defined... but then again, that's just me. wink

Nuvi1300WTGPS

--
I'm not really lost.... just temporarily misplaced!

I think you're wrong

dobs108 wrote:

The short answer - If the video shows the light was red and your car stopped several feet past the white line, then it would be futile to contest the violation.

The long answer - The size of the ambulance in front of you blocked your view of the red light, or the bright emergency lights interfered with your seeing the red light, but you still are responsible for making sure the light was red or green before proceeding.

When watching the video, the camera is looking at your car from the rear, so it may be difficult for you to judge where your car stopped after crossing the white line. There is a sensor near the stop line that shows where your car stopped and a record is made that the hearing officer can look at. He will know more accurately if your car stopped after the white line.

The red light camera and the hearing officer only enforce the law with regard to going through a red light, but I don't think you are aware of another law that applies to this situation. This is a law in New York State, but I am sure there is a law like this in every state. When following an official emergency vehicle, which is responding with emergency lights and siren/horn, the following vehicle must keep back 200 feet at all times. If you kept back you would have a clear view of the red light and the stop line.

Sorry to hear about the violation.

dobs108 smile

I stopped beyond the white line in Chicago, but I stopped. I did not get a violation.

The idea behind rlcs is to nail people who blow the intersection, not people whose vehicles were 1 mm beyond the line.

If it were me, I would contest it. However, it may not be the line, it may have been the turn.