And then there's the d*ck who gave me a ticket for 69 in a 55 on an interstate while everyone else was doing 70+ ... so all in all I guess I'm ahead of the game so won't complain too much. The county of Newton got their road tax and I got no points.

 

Before you go to court, contact the maker of the sensor in the street and find out how much weight it takes to trip it. Then go armed with the weight of you and your bike.
Los Angeles used to have those and I would bounce on the seat (like bump starting the bike) as I rolled over it. Worked sometimes but not always.
good luck!
mikey

 

I'm not saying that this story is BS cause crazy things happen, but I do find it hard to believe you sat at the light for 20 mins while the cops were laughing at you and than had the audacity to ticket you. It just doesn't seem to add up.

 

You could also turn off the bike and then turn it back on. That works......sometimes.

 

You can buy these lil boxes that will trip the light for you http://www.light-changer.com/

I think there just a magnet though lol

 

Most cop cars have a built in video recorder, so you could try to see if they could somehow use the time stamp on that to prove how long you sat there. It's a long shot but would be positive evidence.

 

Wait... I must be missing something because what I'm reading is that you knew there were cops watching you and you proceeded to run a red light.


...And you blame them?

Why didn't you make a right turn, make a U-turn, then another right turn?

What are you expecting police to do?? I mean, why do you think they were sitting there in the first place??



I'm sorry, truly, but it sounds kind of.... dumb.

edit: And I don't understand you guys saying fight it. The fact is he pulled an illegal maneuver in front of the police, probably on camera. There were other options than running the light. Protesting the funcionality of the light after-the-fact, while true, is pretty irrelevant. You chose to run the light in front of the cop dude..

 

I may be wrong here but don't the sensors discriminate against bikers? The county judge I know rides a CB200 around town and I have seen him wait awhile then just turn right when traffic is clear. Yes I am from a small town but I think it is pretty much standard practice here to let you run it. I try to go as far forward as I can and motion to the car behind me to move up (if there is one) it works sometimes.

I would fight it but get all the facts on the sensor and have someone video tape you sitting at the light for 10minutes and bring that to court. It proves the sensor won't trip.

 

If you were in MN, that ticket would be TOTAL BS!

I run red lights all the time! Because I can, and it's LEGAL! (even right in front of cops)

MINNESOTA RED LIGHT LAW

Sec. 42. Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.06, is amended by adding a subdivision to read: Subd. 9. [AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE RELATING TO UNCHANGING TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNAL.]
(a) A person operating a motorcycle who violates subdivision 4 by entering or crossing an intersection controlled by a traffic-control signal against a red light has an affirmative defense to that charge if the person establishes all of the following conditions:
(1) the motorcycle has been brought to a complete stop;
(2) the traffic-control signal continues to show a red light for an unreasonable time;
(3) the traffic-control signal is apparently malfunctioning or, if programmed or engineered to change to a green light only after detecting the approach of a motor vehicle, the signal has apparently failed to detect the arrival of the motorcycle; and
(4) no motor vehicle or person is approaching on the street or highway to be crossed or entered or is so far away from the intersection that it does not constitute an immediate hazard.
(b) The affirmative defense in this subdivision applies only to a violation for entering or crossing an intersection controlled by a traffic-control signal against a red light and does not provide a defense to any other civil or criminal action.