Right turn on Red ?

[SS MAYFLOAT]

A friend of mine got a ticket the other day for making a right on red. There is a sign posted at this intersection the states "No Turn on Red during school days"

School was out and not in session but he got a ticket. The officer told him that school days are monday thru friday. This is something that I've always have thought was in somewhat a gray area. Yeah, monday thru friday is school days when school is in session, but not when school is out.

So does any LEO's here have more of an answer? Thanks,,,,,,,,,SS

 

[artic-z]

Re: Right turn on Red ?

dont lie, we know it was you!!!

j/p if you cant find an answer here check out this forum


www.okshooters.com a few leo's from my area i talk to about laws. while they were probably say it up to the leo's discretion or area and state law he patrols in

 

[QC]

Re: Right turn on Red ?

Not a LEO, but in CA signs like that say "When School is in Session" . . . The cop that gave your friend a ticket is the type that give LEOs a bad name. Grrrrrr.

 

[Pony]

Re: Right turn on Red ?

Maybe they consider summer school to be in session during certain months? I guess I would consider anytime when kids could be present to be a "school" day. JMHO​

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Right turn on Red ?

If there is no summer school in session then that day was not a school day. If that is the case I'd tell your friend to fight it. If it was a year round Mon thru Friday issue, the the sign should have said 'no right turn on red, mon-fri.

I'd take it to the highest court if nec. Ambiguous laws serve no one.

 

[Terry Olson]

Re: Right turn on Red ?

I am a cop and I have to say that I have never been a fan of ambiguous restrictions like decreased speed limits "when children are present", which we encounter here in Minnesota on occasion. Ask 3 different cops their opinion about the meaning of this restriction and you'll get four different answers. Hell, ask 3 different prosecutors or judges this question and you'll get four different answers.

So - spend the afternoon in court fighting the ticket and take your chances as to which prosecutor or judge you get, or pay the fine and go on with your life. There is no correct answer to this dilemma - just many conflicting opinions.

Let's not bash the cop - if he were sitting around doing nothing you'd complain. He's out there enforcing the law and you complain. Cops don't write the laws and they're expected to enforce them, whether they agree with them or not. Place the blame on the legislature who mindlessly passed such a ridiculous statute to begin with.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Right turn on Red ?

I think the cop had more teeth than brain cells !!!!

 

[QC]

Re: Right turn on Red ?

Just to clarify . . . it may be called bashing, but the LEO is also capable of interpreting the law with some common sense . . . School Day does not = Weekday

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Right turn on Red ?

Just to clarify . . . it may be called bashing, but the LEO is also capable of interpreting the law with some common sense . . . School Day does not = Weekday

Pretty much what I said.....More teeth than brain cells !!!!

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Right turn on Red ?

My friend looks on the shady side, sorta typical biker. We're thinking the officer was hoping to get something more out of the stop. Yep, he's going to fight it. I agree if they didn't want right on red through the weekday, it should say weekday.

There wasn't any school going on, it doesn't start until this wednesday. So wednesday by the school zones is going to be heavily monitored. They always get quiet a few speeding right on through. Time to use my bypass route

 

[rolmops]

Re: Right turn on Red ?

In N.Y.S. it is the same as in California. Only when school is in session.
Just remember that there is a good reason why some people are policeman and not rocket scientists.
If you go to court,remember to always give the impression that you were doing what the policeman did right before you.
I once followed a state trooper on the NY Through Way while he was doing 92mph without a siren or blue light. He stopped and wrote me a ticket.
I went to court and told the judge that I followed the trooper because I was convinced that the law enforcer would never break the law or disobey the speed limit.The ticket got thrown out of court.

 

[treedancer]

Re: Right turn on Red ?

Your right SS that cop was fishing, go to court it will be thrown out.

 

[Terry Olson]

Re: Right turn on Red ?

Pretty much what I said.....More teeth than brain cells !!!!

Agreed - I didn't say that I would have written the ticket. In police work those who can do and those who can't write traffic tickets.

I'd never say cops are perfect - they're human, just like the rest of you. I'm sure if your boss, or the media, or the general public, or your mother followed you around all day long watching and scrutinizing your every move and holding you to a higher than usual standard there would be times when you didn't look so good either. Luckily for most, they don't attract that kind of attention and scrutiny and or they don't do anything so important that mistakes are of real consequence. It's easy to criticise when you don't have to live up to the standards you impose on others.

I can't help but wonder if there isn't more to the story (there usually is when a friend relates their version of events). The story usually starts with the standard "there I was minding my own business when for no reason at all..." I'm not calling the friend a liar mind you. Human nature is such that we present ourselves in the best light possible and for many this means leaving that which might not be so flattering out of the story, often without consciously intending to do so. I assume your friend is human and as such this is a distinct possibility. There's a reason for the old saying "take it with a grain of salt".

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Right turn on Red ?

Agreed - I didn't say that I would have written the ticket. In police work those who can do and those who can't write traffic tickets.

I'd never say cops are perfect - they're human, just like the rest of you. I'm sure if your boss, or the media, or the general public, or your mother followed you around all day long watching and scrutinizing your every move and holding you to a higher than usual standard there would be times when you didn't look so good either. Luckily for most, they don't attract that kind of attention and scrutiny and or they don't do anything so important that mistakes are of real consequence. When that's your station in life it's easy to criticise.

I can't help but wonder if there isn't more to the story (there usually is when a friend relates their version of events). The story usually starts with the standard "there I was minding my own business when for no reason at all..." I'm not calling the friend a liar mind you. Human nature is such that we present ourselves in the best light possible and for many this means leaving that which might not be so flattering out of the story, often without consciously intending to do so. I assume your friend is human and as such this is a distinct possibility. There's a reason for the old saying "take it with a grain of salt".

I have several friends that are LEO's and do not just write tickets for the heck of it. They are fair and just folk who seem to more often than not give someone a break for a minor traffic offences as long as they are legal with the vehicle they are driving. They also tell them that next time they have to pull them over they will issue a ticket. Amazing how a lot of the younger folk around here have slowed down and become courteous and thoughtful drivers. (My son being one of them !!!)

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Right turn on Red ?

In Louisiana, for school zones, we have speed limit signs that say "XXmph when flashing" with two alternating yellow lights that are either flashing, or not. Pretty simple and easy to interpret. I've never seen anything about turns.

Your sign is very gray.

 

[Pony]

Re: Right turn on Red ?

I work with a few guys who are LEO's and they have told me they will often write a ticket for something small, like in this case, to give the driver a break for a different infraction. i.e. "you were going 10mph over but I'm just going to get you on a seatbelt infraction.................just slow it down from now on." Not saying that happened here. Maybe the cop was just having a bad day.

 

[PierBridge]

Re: Right turn on Red ?

Pretty simple really Kids go to school Mon-Fri which are School days "No Turn on Red during school days" means no turning on Red...kids and others use Schools at night, in the summer and on vacation also.
So you turned on Red which is the same as going through the stop sign on a School day which means your guilty you'll probably get the fine reduced and it won't be on your record but you are guilty and you should have been ticketed.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Right turn on Red ?

I'm going to guess that your friend didn't come to a complete stop first.

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: Right turn on Red ?

Pretty simple really ...you are guilty and you should have been ticketed.

Well there's a nice compassionate fellow.

 

[oddjob]

Re: Right turn on Red ?

Well there's a nice compassionate fellow.

At least he's not a mean ole Neo-con...lol.