Ok, Yellow light on traffic light -Venting

This is from the RI DMV Manual:

Yellow Light: A yellow light tells a driver that a red light is next.
Slow down and proceed with caution if a stop cannot be made safely.


Well,
I just was on my way to the grocery store, and was approaching a traffic light, when the jackazz in front of me decided to go right, (w/ no directional mind you) and I went straight, on the yellow light.

Well, I see the dreaded lights behind me...I am pulled over, just barely over the road of the intersection, causing people behind me to honk & just stop, as they could hardly go around me with the positon I was in.

The cop comes over and said I have to stop at a yellow light. He proceeded to take my license & registration & comes back like almost 10 minutes later w/ a ticket for 75 dollars for "going through an intersection".

I am so angry, I can pay it by mail or go to a court date of February 12th. I have a very important insurance licensing class that whole week, which I cannot miss. I have a totally clean record, have been driving 13 years and never ever ever one traffic infraction.

Oh, and on his way off, he goes, "I would drive a bit safer if I was you" I said through my tears, I am a safe driver--you ran my license, right? And he just walked away.


Just needed to vent--I am so sad

Re: Ok, Yellow light on traffic light -Venting

sounds like a jerk- if you stopped at a yellow light in NY you'd get plowed from behind! i'd argue the ticket--- how could they prove how close or far you were from the intersection when it turned yellow, unless it was photographed... and even so, it doesn't sound like you did anything wrong!

Re: Ok, Yellow light on traffic light -Venting

You HAVE to go through yellow lights on occasion. That's what they are there for. If you are 5 feet from an intersection, and it turns yellow, there is no way that you could stop a car in 5 feet. The yellow light tells you that the red is coming, so you can determine if it's safe to go through, or if you have time to stop. (Accelerating when you see a yellow IS a ticketable offense. )

I would fight it, especially since you did absolutely nothing wrong.

Re: Ok, Yellow light on traffic light -Venting

ask for a postponement of the hearing.

Re: Ok, Yellow light on traffic light -Venting

How do I ask for a postponement? Any ideas? This is RI I am dealing with. I definitely did not accelerate when the light turned yellow, I was just going along, on the way to fricken stop & shop for rolls for dinner---boy they were expensive rolls!!!!!!!