Alright so here is my problem. Today I was driving home and had to take a left turn at a 4 way intersection (with lights) and I was stuck behind a medium size moving truck. Well he was going straight and I got into the left turn lane and I was going about 50 mph and as soon as I got into the lane I noticed the light was yellow. I had no clue how long it had been yellow so I had two choices, slam on my brakes or just take the turn. The turn lane is pretty small btw. So I took the turn and right when I get up to the line the light turns red. Sure enough I see lights behind me. I pull over and the cop ends up giving me a ticket. Its the first time I've ever been pulled over so I was hoping for a warning but no. Anyways, the ticket is $50 and $120 court cost. A total of $170. The question I have is whether I should just pay the fine and be done with it or should I go to court and fight it. If I just pay the fine would that make my insurance go up? What do you think my chances would be of getting out of the ticket if I go to court and tell them that story?

 

listen i went to court today to fight a unsafe turn ticket and guess what , they say that it's about a 60 to 80 % of time the cop doesn't show up to court so the ticket get's dismissed. so my cop didn't show up so i was free to go plus im getting the money back that i had posted.

so fight it you lose nothing.

 

You will almost always lose in court against a cop unless you have it on video.

However, there are times when cops won't appear. When they don't, you win. Now it depends on the cop's schedule. Sometimes they have bigger cases to tend to or have something more important and just skip the hearing.

So it's up to you. It's your time.


If you pay the fine, it means you accept it and it will go on your record.

If you go to court, you lose, it will go on your record.

If you go to court, the cop doesn't, you win, it will NOT go on your record.


You choose.

 

Alright. Thanks guys. Very informative.

 

Wow, a red light ticket in NC is only $170? In CA they are $375!!

 

yeah, i'd go to court, chance it won't show up, chance the judge might be lienient and reduce it and such.

if you go, just apologize and explain the circumstances to the judge, and see if that gets you anywhere.

if you have a good record so far, you can use that to your favor and so on.

 

Damn that really sucks. I was actually surprised when it was only $170.

 

Pay lawyer $150 , ticket go bye bye. If ya got this in cumb. county give me a p.m i can give ya a number

 

Not sure how your laws on NC handle this but 99.9% of the time here in PA you can fight a moving violation to get the points dropped but they want the fine paid. I have gone to court, pled guilty, said sorry to the judge and asked him/her to drop the points which they have done everytime.


As far as just the ticket goes, what are you going to fight ? You were wrong. Who cares if you misjudged the light, you were wrong. When i went to court for a speeding ticket the first thing the judge said (to everyone in the courtroom waiting to be judged) "a red light means stop...and a yellow light means stop so think of another excuse while your waiting" and sat down.

 

Yeah. I guess I shoulda said go to court and hope the cop doesnt show up. I know I cant fight the ticket or anything. Robroy it was in cumberland county. I was taking a left from Bragg Blvd onto Santa Fe. Check your inbox.