Disobey Traffic Signal Question

I have a question and I was wondering if John might now the answer, however I am certain someone here knows.

Last night I got a ticket "Disobey Traffic Signal" Civil Infraction. Long story short I was driving my explorer home Ann Arbor. I turned my head when my fiancee in the back seat asked me a question. When I turned my head back I saw the light had changed from green to yellow (Within one block of me turning onto the street and the light was green).

I know how badly my Explorer stops (No ABS, bald tires, and a sticky rear caliper). Fearing that I could not stop safely from 35 MPH. I accelerated to 40 MPH through the light. As I passed under it changed from yellow to red. Once through the light I returned to 35 MPH. The cop pulled me over immediately passed the intersection after he tore out from behind a building in the darkness. Note, at no point was I hot rodding or goofing around, just trying to get home.

I had maintained the speed limit all the way through town and I tried to explain the situation to the cop, including the fact that I just interviewed for a job that morning that I have a good possiblility of getting but it involves driving a company car and that a ticket on my record may rob me of this position before I can start. In response he told me " Tough luck, thats life the points will come off in 2 years"!

Now I admit, my decision not to jam on my brakes to stop may not have been the best choice. But in my mind I feel like I made the safest choice I had. I consider myself a safe driver and everyone makes fun of me for driving like an old lady. I have never had any points on my license after 10 years of driving.

I know the concept of getting out of a ticket in MI is quite a common effort on this forum, however I cannot allow a stupid mistake to keep me from getting a job to support my family. I am willing to take traffic school or a defensive driving course in addition to paying a fine, But I cannot afford the points or a moving violation right now.

I plan on taking my case before the magistrate to see if he/she will offer me an alternative to the points. So I guess my question is, what are my chances here? Can I get the points removed or reduced to a non-moving violation like "impeading traffic" or "improper start /squealing tires" What should I stress to the Magistrate? I want to make right but I do not wish to be crucified in the process. Any help you guys could offer would be awesome!

Thanks!

[Darren]

How is your record now? When is the last time you got a ticket?

If you have a clean record and been a while since you had a ticket taking the ticket to court is a good choice. Your chances of getting it reduced are high as that is usually what happens. Just remember if you hear the word impeding you jump on that!

Good Luck Ben, however it is a long process so it shouldnt show up on your record before your job decision gets processed. You shouldnt go to court for at the least a month from now.

[93formulalt1]

If the company you interviewed with hires you, they will run your traffic record AFTER you start work. Go to court over it, the points won't be assessed until after your day in court. A simple ticket like that will not prevent you from being able to drive a company vehicle. Go to court, explain the situation, and hope for the best.

[phoenix_rising]

How is your record now? When is the last time you got a ticket?

If you have a clean record and been a while since you had a ticket taking the ticket to court is a good choice. Your chances of getting it reduced are high as that is usually what happens. Just remember if you hear the word impeding you jump on that!

Good Luck Ben, however it is a long process so it shouldnt show up on your record before your job decision gets processed. You shouldnt go to court for at the least a month from now.

I do have a clean record in fact when I got my last ticket in 2008 the police officer complimented me on my record as he handed me a ticket and told me to take it to the court to get the points waived, which I did and they changed my "3 MPH over to a 5 MPH over on a freeway with no points".

[Darren]

Exactly Ben, I would be confident when you go to court you'll get it knocked down to impeding traffic which is just a fine and no points. Will hope for the best Ben! However explaining it to the place you interviewed for after you get hired might not be a bad idea either.

[phoenix_rising]

If the company you interviewed with hires you, they will run your traffic record AFTER you start work. Go to court over it, the points won't be assessed until after your day in court. A simple ticket like that will not prevent you from being able to drive a company vehicle. Go to court, explain the situation, and hope for the best.

I hope you are right Nick. We really need the money and I know people who have been guilty of a lot worse things and were OK afterward.

[81DaytonaPaceCar]

How is your record now? When is the last time you got a ticket?

If you have a clean record and been a while since you had a ticket taking the ticket to court is a good choice. Your chances of getting it reduced are high as that is usually what happens. Just remember if you hear the word impeding you jump on that!

^^^ What this guy said...if your record is good, they will most likely let you plead down to a different charge (for me, it went from a 10-over ticket to a double parking ticket), but that lesser charge is going to be more expensive ($80 for a 10-over...$110 for double parking)...

But do NOT tell them the same story that you just described...if you admit that you're driving an unsafe vehicle and that caused you to break the law, you have no chance and they'll throw the book at you...

[93formulalt1]

I do have a clean record in fact when I got my last ticket in 2008 the police officer complimented me on my record as he handed me a ticket and told me to take it to the court to get the points waived, which I did and they changed my "3 MPH over to a 5 MPH over on a freeway with no points".

That's still going to show up in your traffic record check. Most companies will overlook it if it isn't part of a trend. You'll be fine. Go to court, it'll work out.

[wasjo6431]

If i can get out of tickets with my record repping myself without a lawyer these days. You can too. just sched a court date. they wont make the Ticket worse than it is. but the fines can go up and the points be buh bye via changing to impeading. I think i have like 14 of those now.

[Dummybait]

Sounds like another cop with nothing better to do than to harass and make life hell for innocent peeps. .. BS i say.. with a good record... no reason for the ticket. It's cops like these that make the rest of them look bad.... i know a few good cops, they would say the same thing. As for the ticket, i would fight it. and bring the witness along with you. Record everything that happened down to the tee.. and good luck

[sgurzick]

How is your record now? When is the last time you got a ticket?

If you have a clean record and been a while since you had a ticket taking the ticket to court is a good choice. Your chances of getting it reduced are high as that is usually what happens. Just remember if you hear the word impeding you jump on that!

Good Luck Ben, however it is a long process so it shouldnt show up on your record before your job decision gets processed. You shouldnt go to court for at the least a month from now.

Insurance works differently than the states record for points, just because the state says it's no points, does not mean it isn't for insurance. Impeding still shows up on a MVR when we run them and any moving violation counts as 2 points for insurance.

Hopefully you can the ticket under advisement and you still have to pay the fine, but in 6 months, as long as no tickets, it is off your record permanently.

[Darren]

Insurance works differently than the states record for points, just because the state says it's no points, does not mean it isn't for insurance. Impeding still shows up on a MVR when we run them and any moving violation counts as 2 points for insurance.

Hopefully you can the ticket under advisement and you still have to pay the fine, but in 6 months, as long as no tickets, it is off your record permanently.

Since when or are you sure? I have had MANY impeding tickets and not one of them show up on my record or insurance record. My aunt is my insurance agent therefore I have that information all the time and I work the government where I have my divers license run on a regular basis to ensure no points. Again like I said I have had MANY tickets reduced to impeding traffic.

[farmington]

Last two tickets I recieved, (both were BS tickets), I went to court and in both cases the cop didn't show up. Dismissed!

[sgurzick]

Since when or are you sure? I have had MANY impeding tickets and not one of them show up on my record or insurance record. My aunt is my insurance agent therefore I have that information all the time and I work the government where I have my divers license run on a regular basis to ensure no points. Again like I said I have had MANY tickets reduced to impeding traffic.

I don't know of many people with an impeding traffic ticket, but I had one client that had received one, and it had shown up on his MVR and the insurance company charged for it. This has been a while ago. If you want, you can send me a PM with your name, address and DL# and I can run yours just to see if it shows up. I just remember my client being ticked because he had paid an attorney to represent him also.

[Darren]

I don't know of many people with an impeding traffic ticket, but I had one client that had received one, and it had shown up on his MVR and the insurance company charged for it. This has been a while ago. If you want, you can send me a PM with your name, address and DL# and I can run yours just to see if it shows up. I just remember my client being ticked because he had paid an attorney to represent him also.

That's really weird, I just walked across the hall from my office and had the Chief run my DL# and nothing shows up, I got two tickets reduced to impeding last summer so if they were going to show up they would have been on there by now.