opinion needed on traffic violation needed!

I recently got a traffic ticket for cvc 21800 (D) (1). I ran a 4 way
inoperative traffic light at normal speed. The sun is the only legitimate
excuse I have for not seeing the dead light in front of me (3PM traveling
West directly into sun). It is a light that is set up to be green more
often in the direction I was traveling.

The dilemma I have: the cop that wrote the ticket told me he was called out
to the intersection because there were some "close calls" earlier due to the
traffic light being dead. He also stated that it was due to some miscue
caused by some workers on the side of the road (I believe it was PG&E). If
that was the case, is it okay for the cop to not mark the intersection
and/or control traffic either by flares or physically being out there in the
intersection? Will the Judge side with me on this type of entrapment?

Thanks,
Gino

 

An inoperative light is treated as a stop sign. There is no excuse, pay
attention.

 

"I ran a 4 way inoperative traffic light at normal speed." The judge
wouldn't probably let you finish your sentence with an intro like that.

Did you bother to read the CVC you mentioned?

"(d) (1) The driver of any vehicle approaching an intersection which has
official traffic control signals that are inoperative shall stop at the
intersection, and may proceed with caution when it is safe to do so. This
subparagraph shall apply to traffic control signals that become inoperative
because of battery failure."

Another cry baby who admits breaking the rules but doesn't want to be held
responsible.

If the lights at an intersection aren't working you treat the intersection
like it's a 4-way stop. Period. Forget about "normal speed" whatever the
hell that means. You failed to stop.

How is that entrapment?

You made a mistake and got caught. Sure, the cop was being a lazy by not
directing traffic like he probably should have but that's not the first time
a cop hasn't done his job and it won't be the last. The cop would probably
say it wasn't safe to stand in the intersection because of the angle of the
sun.. which he might have a good point now that I think about it.

So pay the fine, go to traffic school if that's an option, and learn from
your mistake.

 

As a solar astronomer at Stanford I can tell you that the Sun is pretty
friggin' high in the sky at 3pm this close to the Summer Solstice. Of
course, any sunbather could tell you that. Being a scientist, I just
steeped out and measured it (2:45 PDT = 1:45 PST) it was nearly 70
degrees above the horizontal!! So unless you were going up the side of
the TransAmerica building "Sun in my eyes" doesn't wash.

Being a true empiricist, I went outside wearing my helmet and I had to
crane my neck uncomfortably to be able to see the Sun. Try it
yourself. I canot imagine how you could get the Sun in your eyes if
you were driving safely. Maybe I ought to volunteer to be an expert
witness for the prosecution.

PS. A colleague laughing added this: supposing you have a flexible neck,
if you waited to look at the traffic light until you were so close that
it was at a 70 degree angle you wouldn't have been stop safely before
entering the intersection ... in fact, you would have to be IN the
intersection in most cases.

 

About the only legitimate defense would be if this area had many lights
put out that weren't yet in service. Perhaps then you might mistake a
dead one for one of them.

If the sun caused this, I'd suggest you put a dark visor on your helmet.
This time of year I find I'm always riding into a hard sun and I've been
much happier since I made this switch. Come September or so I'll move
back to a clear one and remember my sunglasses. Huge improvement in
vision.

 

Good point Ray!... but I don't think I will try, I will choose the traffic
school route.

Thanks,
Gino

 

I'll take a cup of coffee with this one!

Thanks,
Gino

 

Ouch!... thanks for straightening me out!

 

IANAL, but it doesn't say it ONLY applies to battery failure. It just
says it does apply to battery failures.