# I got a red light ticket :-( **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 11, 2012, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-red-light-ticket/637466 "2012-10-11T22:22:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-red-light-ticket/637466/21 "2012-10-12T22:53:02Z")
> [@MannyL](#): > > After reviewing the video tape there is no way I can honestly say that the light was anything but red before I reached the stop line. > > I can say the perception of my speed was that I could not safely stop after the light went from yellow to red so I had to continue through it. However if I had slowed when the light went yellow instead of trying to “make the light” I would have been able to stop in time. > > I also consider the fine I have to pay small compared to what I would pay if I was stopped for the everyday “speeding” I do. > > Speeding in “” because I am over the posted limit but not going faster than the cars around me. In New Jersey all intersections which are going to have cameras have to be surveyed. The speed of vehicles has to be recorded. The timing of the yellow light must be long enough for vehicles going the speed of the 85th percentile to stop safely. They don’t just go by the speed limit. So if 85% of the vehicles go 45 then the yellow light is timed for 45. Even if the speed limit is 35. There was a bit of a kerfluffle a little while ago when it was found that some of the lights around the state were not timed right. > [@Diamonds02](#): > > Drive in some mud or tint your license plate cover. We have a statute for that. 39:33-3. That will get you pulled over a lot more often than getting a red light camera ticket. Thanks for playing though. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-red-light-ticket/637466/22 "2012-10-12T22:54:40Z")
> [@MannyL](#): > > After reviewing the video tape there is no way I can honestly say that the light was anything but red before I reached the stop line. > > I can say the perception of my speed was that I could not safely stop after the light went from yellow to red so I had to continue through it. However if I had slowed when the light went yellow instead of trying to “make the light” I would have been able to stop in time. > > I also consider the fine I have to pay small compared to what I would pay if I was stopped for the everyday “speeding” I do. > > Speeding in “” because I am over the posted limit but not going faster than the cars around me. Looking at the ticket some more, it says “Amber: 4.0”. I assume that means the light was yellow for four seconds? If so, that should be plenty of time to stop. In Illinois, the law is 3 seconds. It’s tricky, because in the city the yellows are short (3 seconds). In the suburbs, they last four to four-and-a-half seconds, usually. The difference is noticeable. Four seconds seems like an eternity to me, being used to the shorter Chicago timing. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-red-light-ticket/637466/23 "2012-10-12T23:48:30Z")
> [@MannyL](#): > > After reviewing the video tape there is no way I can honestly say that the light was anything but red before I reached the stop line. > > I can say the perception of my speed was that I could not safely stop after the light went from yellow to red so I had to continue through it. However if I had slowed when the light went yellow instead of trying to “make the light” I would have been able to stop in time. It helps if you have already made your decision to stop or go before the light turns yellow. If I’m approaching a light that has been green for some time and I feel it’s about due to change, I will constantly re-evaluate whether I will stop or go if it changes. Then if/when it does change, the decision is made and I just have to brake or do nothing, no time is wasted in making a decision. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-red-light-ticket/637466/24 "2012-10-13T00:08:40Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > You were not clear if you actually ran the light or not. Did it turn red before you hit the stop line? > > Be careful with the right on reds. Those cameras are unforgiving with rolling stops. Tell me about it. A couple years ago my wife ended up with a $500 fine after she was caught by a camera for doing a rolling right on red. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-red-light-ticket/637466/25 "2012-10-13T01:18:51Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Tell me about it. A couple years ago my wife ended up with a $500 fine after she was caught by a camera for doing a rolling right on red. Yikes. Where was that? They are unpopular enough around here and it’s only $85 and no points. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-red-light-ticket/637466/26 "2012-10-13T02:14:47Z")
Here they screw you pretty bad on red light camera tickets. You can either pay the same fine you would if an officer ticketed you and get points on your license or you can pay about $200 to take an 8 hour safety class and not get any points. The really awesome part? After paying the fine and taking the points you learn that you still have to pay for and attend the same class anyway. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-red-light-ticket/637466/27 "2012-10-14T02:50:04Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Yikes. Where was that? They are unpopular enough around here and it’s only $85 and no points. California – San Francisco bay area. Here the basic fine itself is reasonable, but they add court costs and various other fees which ends up tripling it or even more. All traffic tickets are like that around here: They can’t raise taxes but they can raise fees on tickets and they sure have. They don’t even try to hide the fact that they are using the extra revenue as a funding source for the court system. Eta:$85 is about what the cheapest parking ticket costs around here. No moving violation would be anywhere near that low. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-red-light-ticket/637466/28 "2012-10-14T03:07:29Z")
> [@Diamonds02](#): > > tint your license plate cover. One of my employees picked up a set of those. I told him they were illegal in Wisconsin (or at least in Milwaukee). He said “Whatevs, I’ll be fine” I tried a few more times to tell him they’re illegal which resulted in a few iterations of “But they sell them at AutoZone”/“But I see them all the time on other cars” etc. A few days later when I saw him next he told me he got pulled over TWICE inside of 24 hours for them. He took them off. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-red-light-ticket/637466/29 "2012-10-14T04:39:11Z")
> [@Diamonds02](#): > > Drive in some mud or tint your license plate cover. Can’t speak for the mud (except to agree with another poster who thinks that’ll get you pulled over a lot), but I’m pretty sure I remember the Mythbusters busting those license plate covers as far as making life harder for a red light camera. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-red-light-ticket/637466.md?page=1)