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Jensad is retired. Not stupid.
It is refreshing to see someone own up to their mistakes.
I'm not saying a stop sign means yield. A Yield sign is not a stop sign. I'm saying that 95% of STOP signs should be changed to Yield signs and the reason they are not is because of revenue generation of stop signs/red light right turns. Pure and simple.
They aren't being used for the very blantant drivers. Instead of a blantantly dangerous red light runner (one who runs it more than a couple seconds after going red) being ticketed and taken off the road at least for a minimum of 5 minutes, you have the camera letting him go scott free without a care in the world, nor any clue that he just got a ticket and needs to adjust his driving accordingly. He'll find out weeks later, perhaps after killing himself or others doing the same thing.
Agreed, it shouldn't happen often. It'll be rare, but in those situations where it occurs (and it will if you drive a lot), be prepared to either speed up or hit the brakes hard. Not speeding up risks a red light ticket, and why even take the chance? If you feel that you'll have to brake too hard (and risk getting rear-ended) then I think speeding up is the better choice.
I want to avoid being in an accident first, avoid getting the most expensive ticket 2nd, and avoid getting the cheapest ticket last.
It's not a matter of needing to speed up to make the light, it's a matter of not risking JOHNNY LAW seeing things a second slow and thinking your guilty when your not due to split seconds. Why make the umpires call close? AT a minimum, you'll waste a ton of gas and time fighting your ticket in court. BEST to speed up and avoid any "close calls." When I speed up on those rare occassions, it is because I don't want to beat the red light by 1 second, but by 2 seconds.
parked cars would be a condition outside of the roadway itself to slow down a bit. I said when it's WIDE OPEN with good visibility. Parked cars everywhere reduce visibility. Again, going too fast for conditiions is the problem, not the sign being disobeyed under certain circumstances.
Also, having wide bike lanes to the right and left of a 4 lane roadway (2 going each way) mitigates the parked car problem. That gives you another 11 to 15 feet of buffer space between the sidewalk and your driving lane. Most of the residential areas around here with 4 lanes have bike lanes on both sides (double bike lanes). I'm sure with the extra 15 feet of buffer, I can stop even from 50 MPH in time for that child running from his lawn onto the street.
That is why people go faster in wider lanes, or where there's more lanes. Drive in the left lane and you add another 11' of buffer zone!
What about when the lens is clear or clean enough to read 5 of the 6 or 7 digits? Do they try and extrapolate the final number or letter? I'm sure that they do!
What happens if your driving a rental car? The owner of the rental car company is to blame for all your red light camera tickets? What if two people were authorized to drive the car during the rental period? Should man and wife have to incriminate each other? The answer is NO! SEE 5th Amendment!
If both people plead the 5th, the State has no case, but they blame the registered owner in that case! What a sham! The registered owner being the driver does NOT pass the Reasonable doubt test!
You have to be proven guilty by the STATE BEYOND a reasonable doubt. That is a constitutional right.
The distinction comes from the fact it's legal (in most states) to make a right turn during a red light. It is not legal to pass through an intersection in a straight line while the light is red, but you may make a right turn. Therefore, right turns are different. I don't understand what is so hard to understand here.
How so? Are you trying to justify law breaking?
Yes, like speed limits not set according to the 85th percentile statute, I believe most stop signs and all right turn red lights could be changed to read "yield" wherever the vehicle code says "complete STOP". Not only could it, but it should. The only reason it doesn't is for revenue generation, pure and simple. 5% of stop signs excluded. The other 95% gotta change!
I'd actually agree with that. In fact, I think the vehicle code violation should be changed to include a requirement that someone in traffic had to modify or alter their driving behavior due to Defendents action on the road!
That would be a failure to yield/failure to yield the right-of-way properly situation. The problem is most officers only issue this ticket when there's no one else around for miles, and there was no vehicle remotely affected by your manuever.
My opinion is that if nobody was effected by said manuever, then no safety violation was commited (in right turn and U turn situations for that matter). And without a safety violation, I don't believe ANY type of citation should be written. I think most every vehicle code should have SAFETY impairment be a part and element of the crime. No safety hazard created should equal reasonable and prudent LEGAL behaviour. Unfortunately, most CA Vehicle codes are not written that way. Safety does not need to be an element of the crime, nor proven in court.
These idiots need to learn the law says "Right turn permitted on red after a complete stop". Of course, most of them can't read, and shouldn't be driving anyway.
Drive in the left lane and you add another 11' of buffer zone!
But isn't the left lane for passing only? It seems rather inconsiderate to treat the left lane as your "driving" lane, dontcha think?
No they don't, the whole plate number, type and state must be clear. No guessing, if its not claer no citiation is issued.
What happens if your driving a rental car?
Thats between you and the rental company. Most rental companies contract state you are responsible for the operation of the car, something to do with bailment.
If both people plead the 5th, the State has no case
Nope they just go after the one that was the primary signer of the contract. But they can also go after both seeing that legally they can be treated as one.
You have to be proven guilty by the STATE BEYOND a reasonable doubt.
I see no reasonable doubt. The car is registered to you and you cannot name the person that was driving so who could it be?
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
There is no distinction because the law state that you may turn right on a red light AFTER a complete stop.
Therefore, right turns are different. I don't understand what is so hard to understand here.
You're right what is so hard to understand about "AFTER a complete stop".
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Nah, the cookie crumbles on my side because the LAW is on my side:
CA VC 40518. Whenever a written Notice to Appear has been issued by a peace officer or by a qualified employee of a law enforcement agency on a form approved by the Judicial Council ... and delivered by mail within 15 days of the alleged violation to the current address of the registered owner of the vehicle on file with the department, with a certificate of mailing obtained as evidence of service ...
I recall getting that red light camera ticket without certified mail. Since they don't send it via certified mail, they aren't meeting the requirements of a proper notification and accusation for the notice to appear.
To answer your request:
VC 21453(a) A driver facing a STEADY circular red signal...
VC 21452(a) Yellow light...
The yellow light means only that traffic facing that light is warned a red light will soon follow. It is NOT illegal to deliberately drive through a yellow light.
Therefore, as long as the front of your vehicle has crossed that limit line prior to the light turning a steady red, you are legally within that intersection and you haven't broken the law in any way, shape, or form.
I dunno, my long lost cousin from Bolivia, South American? Or it could have been my long lost uncle from some other location halfway across the world. Either way, it's not my job to do the investigative, detective, and evidence research for the State! I don't see my paycheck coming in from the DA's office with that citation! No paycheck, no work!
That doesn't make any sense. There can only be one driver, and therefore only one person that committed the so-called alleged crime. It's not like a murder where two people could take turns stabbing you to death. Unless you'd argue it's reasonable to assume two people were spooning in the driver's seat while driving!
Your problem isn't with people not coming to a complete stop, but with people that are not properly yielding the right a way to you and having poor judgment of time, distance, and speed. They are also inconsiderate if they don't speed up quickly to make up for their poor speed/distance/time judgment.
Most of the time I would argue that it wasn't really poor judgment or not recognizing your speed and distance correctly, but simple plain rude behavior and a lack of care or consideration. Then again it could be lack of skills. I by no means advocate impeding traffic, but it doesn't take a complete stop to do a right turn correctly. If anything, rolling through a right turn should enable you to accelerate and reach proper speeds more quickly, thereby lessening the chance (for ultra crazy light footed gas conservers) to impede the flow of traffic.
I understand your rationale, and it is valid. As long as no vehicles pull into your path to undermine your plan, all should work out well. If one of those endearing right-turners-who-only-slow-before-turning folks doesn't notice you and pulls in front, though, things might get a little tense if you're actively accelerating your car on the way through the intersection. Again though, that's an equally "rare" event, so the combination of the two (unfamiliar intersection with a last moment stop/go decision to make combined with a right-turner who pulls out in front of you) is extremely unlikely.
Are we allowed to offer applause on this forum? :P
It just boggles the mind. It's RUSH HOUR on an urban freeway, folks. It's not a racetrack or obstacle course. Just go with the flow and everyone will get home safe and sound and with relatively low blood pressure. And your zipping and zagging won't buy you more than a few seconds on your commute. Is it really worth it?
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
Sun came out here this afternoon, always fries a lot of brains. I can't see how people can obliviously drive at 10+ under the limit in any lane they please. Do they not see what is going on around them? There was one woman (not even very old, didn't appear to be a new resident either) in a Corolla who would brake for every turn in the road. Insane. Licensing standards need to be completely overhauled.
Paraphrased: And to add to it - people who have an entitlement mind that makes them think slow traffic should make way for them. :P
If you are in the left/fast lane that is what the laws says you must do.... make way for faster traffic. :P
What? :P
What a great idea!! That dead-horse deserves another beating. :sick:
Defensive driving is motivated by the knowledge of 20% of WA drivers are driving without any financial responsibility. Of that 20%, the majority are believed to be citizens of another country. A good reason to get out of the way of the anarchist speeder.
that, and to try to figure out the stupidest thing another driver could do, because they were likely to do exactly that!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Speeding to any legitimately dangerous level is difficult on 405 anyway, thanks to idiot slowpokes, LLCs, and general congestion.
The other smaller reason is the Lakers, because I'm a Dallas Mavericks fan, go MAVS, Up 1 game to none!
that, and to try to figure out the stupidest thing another driver could do, because they were likely to do exactly that!
That is an excellent way to teach new young drivers out there. I recommend it in fact. Let them know that you should expect the worst in people out on the road. Always constantly assume worst case scenarios, because you will be shocked until you gain some experience and see what bad drivers are capable of on the road.
Saw a taxi make a right turn, unsignalled, from the far left lane. Apparently our new immigrants don't have to be tested at all. Multiculturalism, grand.
Also saw an Elantra blow a red light and almost get T-Boned by a PT Cruiser...it was close, screeching tires and all.
:P
You got two choices honey!, a date with the court or a date with me tonight baby, what'll it be!
We had a cop around here that pulled that. I can't remember if he's been released from prison yet.
I can't believe how closely Eric Peters mirrors my thoughts and ideas exactly. It's like were long lost identical twins. If I was being paid to write articles or blogs, I may have written the exact same article as that linked above.
On a side note, I think it is appropriate to speed during an emergency or during an accident avoidance manuever, or to help not impede the flow of traffic.
The only thing to do is to fall back about a mile and then resume hoping another will not arrive.