LEO Stoplight Question

[Stephen]

For you officers out there, I have a question. Last night a friend and I were discussing what constitutes running a red light. My understanding has always been that once your front tires were over the white line, you were supposed to continue safely through the intersection.
For example: The light is yellow and you are moving. The light turns red, but your front tires are over the white line. Should you continue through the intersection or should you stop?

 

[Chevycrew]

<< not a cop

I thought once the light turns yellow if you can safely stop, you should.

 

[1995zj]

^^^ I think that's the smart thing to do.

 

[gijohn40]

if your whole vehicle is in the intersection when the lite turns red you are ok... but if any part of your vehicle is still in the crosswalk when the lite turns red then you have run a red lite as explained to me by a few officers....

 

[OREGON85]

Hmm.... in Oregon if any part of you vehicle is in an intersection when the light is red you're in trouble. That includes "committing" when making a left turn. Also there is not moment of red in all directions like there is here.

 

[Jinx]

I had to look this up for a ticket I was fighting about 8 years ago. As it is explained in the utah state code. I should look up the reference, but I am lazy.

but there is a line that is generally in front of the crosswalk line which is the start of intersection. As you stated when your front tires cross that line you are in the intersection and should safely exit.

My problem was there was a gentleman who decided he needed to make a left turn in to me...

oh yeah, I am not a LEO

 

[EROK81?]

I had to look this up for a ticket I was fighting about 8 years ago. As it is explained in the utah state code. I should look up the reference, but I am lazy.

but there is a line that is generally in front of the crosswalk line which is the start of intersection. As you stated when your front tires cross that line you are in the intersection and should safely exit.

My problem was there was a gentleman who decided he needed to make a left turn in to me...

oh yeah, I am not a LEO

This is what I have learned from the 4-5 traffic classes I have taken.

 

[Jesser04]

I had to look this up for a ticket I was fighting about 8 years ago. As it is explained in the utah state code. I should look up the reference, but I am lazy.

but there is a line that is generally in front of the crosswalk line which is the start of intersection. As you stated when your front tires cross that line you are in the intersection and should safely exit.

My problem was there was a gentleman who decided he needed to make a left turn in to me...

oh yeah, I am not a LEO

Did you get out of the ticket? The same thing happened to my dad he was at fault because the other car was in the intersection before he was.

 

[SAMI]

I've owned two rigs that wouldn't stop safely even 20ft from a yellow light at say, 30mph. It's a miracle I never killed myself or anyone else.. That situation usually called for dropping a gear, petal to the floor, and pull the chain for the air horn to make my presence known..

^don't do that...

 

[Jinx]

Did you get out of the ticket? The same thing happened to my dad he was at fault because the other car was in the intersection before he was.

No, the prosecution came up with a lady in a mini van full of kids as a witness who said she saw the light turn red before I entered the intersection.

I was pretty bummed because my witnesses didn't show at the last min and I was to young and dumb to ask to reschedule. Doing the math from the skid marks proved I wasn't speeding. The judge was impressed but still found me guilty based of the distracted soccer moms testimony.