Hey everyone, I just wana know what everyone thinks about this. It was an easygoing night, I saw Iron Man w/ some buddy’s and grab some grub at a diner. There use to be a giant circle between 73 and whatever road in Berlin, New Jersey. They got rid of the circle and now you have this mess where I waiting at a light, the light turns green, I turn onto the next road with another green light up ahead and make my left on to Rt. 73 w/ a cop right there. No more then a sec later he pulls out and follows me. At this point I am going what did I do wrong? I look to my buddy and ask him if hit the gas to much and he was like nope.

The cherry’s turn on, & I pull over. The cop asks for my lic, reg, ins, at which I provide to him. He then goes I pulled you over because you ran the red turning onto 73 and walks back to his car. My buddy and I just stared at each other for a good 30 secs. The first thing out of my buddy mouth was BULL ****; that light was green.

So now I am thinking is this cop lying to my face; is there a problem w/ the lights… The cop comes back w/ the ticket and gives me the normal bs about court and what not. Therefore, I told him: “Sir, I don’t know if there a mal function w/ your light, but mine was green.� He then proceed to tell me that my “arrow� light turned red however, I might not of notice that and was just looking at the “green� light above it… the funny thing is you can only make a left, you cant go straight nor go right. Therefore, that whole green arrow thing makes no sense. So now what guys? I am I boned or what?

I always goto court for everything...

take your buddy with you to court

Its gonna be one of those "your word vs. his" type deals, evenif thats the caseits stillworth a shot taking your buddy.

TELL IT TO THE JUDGE PAL[:@]LMAO!

That sux. I got a ticket on the interstate just the other week.

I'd go to traffic court and fight that one. There is always a chance that the cop won't show up. This depends on how efficient you district attorney's office is about letter the ticketing officer know you have not yet settled (paid fine or arranged for deferment) before the court date and that they (the cop) needs to show up to present the state's side of the case.

But be prepared to go to your court date.

I'd take some snap shots of the intersection and the traffic lights. Maybe even get a video camera and record you driving through it the same way you did that night. Ask the judge if he/she can see the mistake.

Simply explaining that the intersection is poorly designed, confusing, or that you couldn't tell is not going to win.

The whole time you are going to be contending that the officer was the one confused about what lights were green. You were in the right and the officer was wrong. Find a point of contention and explain, for example, that from the angle where the officer was sitting he was unable to cleary see that the green turn arrow was in fact on. As you saw and tried to explain to him at the scene.

Of course you will want to develop on your claims in the case. And possibly contact the DA's office before hand and inform that you are planning on contesting the ticket and possibly present a brief to the judge before hand so he can come into the court already aware of your side of the case without you having to explain it all in front of him and miss certain points.

You'll have let us know how this turns out.

take it to court....how many points is it? I read a ticket issued is a ticket that you pay for even if you get off on the points aspect...any validity to this?

I wouldn't be surprised if this was the law somewhere, however it seems logical that if you go to court and beat the ticket and found innocent of any violation then there would not be any base to make you pay a fine or anything.


Get this though, when I got my speeding ticket last week all I got was a full page computer print out of this ticket (apparently this cop had a printer in his squad car). No information on points or how much the violation was for. Just a phone # where I needed to call for info.


There is a thing call "deferment" where you can basically arrange a plea bargain with the DA in which you pay an additional fine and agree not to get another ticket for 6 months. In exchange for paying the Ticket + the Deferment Fee and fulfilling your 6 months w/out any more moving violations (speeding, etc.) the ticket and points won't go onto your driving record or sent to the insurance company. HOWEVER, if you get another ticket in the 6 month period, it will cancel your deferment (ie your points go onto your record) + the new ticket is not allowed to be deferred and those points also go on your record (ie now you're totally screwed).

Isn't it amazing that in this Modern Age of Digital Technology, it's still a case of your word against his. The police officer should be required to show video evidence in court. He'll probably tell his side of the story without any real solid evidence. And the judge will probably accepthis wordas real evidence, even though the technology is available to videotape traffic violations.

You'll have to show all sorts of video and photographic evidence toprove tothe judge that you are innocent. Even then, the judge will most likely believe the police officer.

According to the Constitution, youare supposed to be "innocent until proven guilty". However, you are going to have to spend all sorts of time and money proving that you were innocent.

Your situation sux. Good luck.

ORIGINAL: So_Cali

Its gonna be one of those "your word vs. his" type deals, evenif thats the caseits stillworth a shot taking your buddy.

TELL IT TO THE JUDGE PAL[:@]LMAO!


Did you even READ the thread? The intersection was recently redesigned, and some how it screwed up so there is a signal with both a green light and a green turn arrow at lane. There is no way to go straight on this light, and in his case the green arrow was red but the turn signal was green which makes no sense.

This interpriation takes a bit of creative licence, but here's how I see it in two possible ways:

(MS paint)

local://upfiles/47654/FC5CEECDC63E459EA1672744C35A792E.jpg

local://upfiles/47654/FD03214331B34212ACDB67B339E86B00.jpg

you could go to traffic school also

then proceed to tell me that my “arrow� light turned red however, I might not of notice that and was just looking at the “green� light above it

You will lose based upon the above

HA!! i got pulled over several years ago for not wearing a seat belt although i had it on. The cop said he couldnt see the seat belt because it was a gt convertible and the shoulder strap was lower and he couldnt see it. So then i get the third degree...where you going...where are you coming from. Can i search your car? I was fresh out of high school and scared ****less. I had a cop pat me down because he said i was nervous. They had another cop watch me while thecop searched my car. They thought i was a f*cking drug dealer because i had a nice car and was only 18!!! What a crock of sh@t. In the end he didnt find anything because i didnt have anything and he acted like he did me a favor because he didnt give me a $25 ticket for having my proof of registration with me. I always wanted to be a cop until that daybut then i realized that there are alot of cops that are just as crooked as the crooks but they have a badge and can get away with it. (Im not saying all cops)

Normally when you have a green arrow and a normal green light in your lane controlling left turn traffic the green arrow signifies that you have a 'protected' left turn. When that light is lit, no other traffic would be permitted to either cross your path or join it. The normal green means that you can still go, but you must yield to other traffic.

I've been through this intersection before, during,and after the work to get rid of the circle but don't remember any details of how the lights change (sequencing, timing, etc.).


Norm

Norm is correct. I also know that light.. Bring Norms info to court and explain to the Judge this.. You may get off but watch out in Berlin township if you do win. That cop will be on the lookout for you..:)


ORIGINAL: Norm Peterson

Normally when you have a green arrow and a normal green light in your lane controlling left turn traffic the green arrow signifies that you have a 'protected' left turn. When that light is lit, no other traffic would be permitted to either cross your path or join it. The normal green means that you can still go, but you must yield to other traffic.

I've been through this intersection before, during,and after the work to get rid of the circle but don't remember any details of how the lights change (sequencing, timing, etc.).


Norm

ORIGINAL: Norm Peterson

Normally when you have a green arrow and a normal green light in your lane controlling left turn traffic the green arrow signifies that you have a 'protected' left turn. When that light is lit, no other traffic would be permitted to either cross your path or join it. The normal green means that you can still go, but you must yield to other traffic.

I've been through this intersection before, during,and after the work to get rid of the circle but don't remember any details of how the lights change (sequencing, timing, etc.).


Norm


Exactly.

I would go back to the intersection and look at the lights for a few cycles at the same time of night. See if you screwed up or if the officer was wrong. That should ease your mind and give you a better idea of your options.

Take pictures, especially where any signs might be (or supposed to be).

haha, try getting a ticket for going the wrong way up a 1-way street when its a 2-way street with a nice, solid,double yellow right next to your car and the cop happens to be standing on it. lol i won the case in court and made the cop look like an idiot.

ORIGINAL: Legion5

ORIGINAL: So_Cali

Its gonna be one of those "your word vs. his" type deals, evenif thats the caseits stillworth a shot taking your buddy.

TELL IT TO THE JUDGE PAL[:@]LMAO!


Did you even READ the thread? The intersection was recently redesigned, and some how it screwed up so there is a signal with both a green light and a green turn arrow at lane. There is no way to go straight on this light, and in his case the green arrow was red but the turn signal was green which makes no sense.

This interpriation takes a bit of creative licence, but here's how I see it in two possible ways:

(MS paint)

local://upfiles/47654/FC5CEECDC63E459EA1672744C35A792E.jpg

local://upfiles/47654/FD03214331B34212ACDB67B339E86B00.jpg


when that arrow turns red you dont have the right of way to turn. but that green light says you can turn but must yeild to oncoming traffic. that ticket doesnt sound legit.

Going by the second pic, I interpret it as saying exactly what it says, you cannot turn left, but if your going straight, you can proceed. Last I checked red meant STOP, so with the red pointing to the road you are trying to turn onto, it means you cannot go that way until the light turns off or green whichever way it works where you are at.

ORIGINAL: Simon1

ORIGINAL: Norm Peterson

Normally when you have a green arrow and a normal green light in your lane controlling left turn traffic the green arrow signifies that you have a 'protected' left turn.Â* When that light is lit, no other traffic would be permitted to either cross your path or join it.Â* The normal green means that you can still go, but you must yield to other traffic.

I've been through this intersection before, during,Â*and after the work to get rid of the circle but don't remember any details of how the lights change (sequencing, timing, etc.).


Norm


Exactly.

I would go back to the intersection and look at the lights for a few cycles at the same time of night.Â* See if you screwed up or if the officer was wrong.Â* That should ease your mind and give you a better idea of your options.


http://www.nj.gov/transportation/traffic/cameras/rt73/rt73_17.6.shtm

I found a link to a live camera w/ the intersection, however; you cant see where i was standing. But that's 73 that i made a left on to. And by the looks of it; you can make a right.

But, me and buddy still remember the light being green.

I'm going go back and check out the light and like you guys said; study the patterns.

ORIGINAL: MustangFanatic4

ORIGINAL: Legion5

ORIGINAL: So_Cali

Its gonna be one of those "your word vs. his" type deals, evenif thats the caseits stillworth a shot taking your buddy.

TELL IT TO THE JUDGE PAL[:@]LMAO!


Did you even READ the thread? The intersection was recently redesigned, and some how it screwed up so there is a signal with both a green light and a green turn arrow at lane. There is no way to go straight on this light, and in his case the green arrow was red but the turn signal was green which makes no sense.

This interpriation takes a bit of creative licence, but here's how I see it in two possible ways:

(MS paint)

local://upfiles/47654/FC5CEECDC63E459EA1672744C35A792E.jpg

local://upfiles/47654/FD03214331B34212ACDB67B339E86B00.jpg


when that arrow turns red you dont have the right of way to turn. but that green light says you can turn but must yeild to oncoming traffic. that ticket doesnt sound legit.


No, he would of had to yield IF the arrow light was flashing red, but if it was solid he has to stop. It doesn't matter which color the stoplight is, hell it could of been red, but if the arrow was green he could turn and would be ok, but the ARROW was solid red=STOP.

I went back to 73 just to re-act what I did and where the cop was located. I really can’t see how the officer could have seen my light. Because it was dark out, I though maybe he could have seen my light bouncing off something but when I was in front of that light where he was, I could not see anything.

After I was done putting my self where the cop was, I went and took my turn like I did when I got the ticket. Like I though, there’s ONLY a green arrow, and not a two stages green light and green arrow. Which means I have no idea what he was talking about with maybe I was looking at the green light above it.

And bottom line, me and my buddy remember that light being green, so once again, back to square one.

I know that area and rt 73 in general is a pain.
Your best bet is to document everything with pictures and go to court.
Maybe the officer won't show up.