contesting red light camera ticket in dc - do i have any chance?

[Anonymous]

I'm so mad at myself! Several weeks ago I was driving home on K Street, headed towards the Key Bridge. It was after 7 pm and during twilight. Right before going through an intersection, the sun got into my eyes and completely blinded me. I literally could see nothing high up where the light was for several seconds (which was really scary, that has never happened to me before for that length of time). I had to make a decision immediately and decided to just follow traffic (there was another car moving about one car length ahead of me in the next lane over and one directly in front of me) rather than jerk to a complete stop and potentially cause an accident with the person behind me.

About halfway through the light I realized that it had been red (I can't remember how I realized this but I did) and totally freaked out. I was 8 months pregnant at the time and would NEVER EVER have run a red light intentionally. I have never run a red light before and have a great driving record.

Anyway, I just tried to contest the ticket online.. has anyone done this? Trying to figure out whether I have a chance or not at getting out of it. I'm so bummed because I really did NOT mean for this to happen at all whatsoever and the fine is so expensive I really think that if a policeman had been there and pulled me over, they would have been able to see what I meant by the twilight induced lack of sight. If it helps, you can see the twilight in the pictures they took with the violation..

[Anonymous]

So you admit to running a red light but think you should get out of it because rather than being careful when you couldn't see you blissfully sailed through the intersection?

If you had told a cop in person that you couldn't see if the light was red so you went through it, they would have given you a ticket too. Maybe added one for reckless driving on top of it. You're lucky you got out of the situation with just a ticket and didn't cause an accident. I'd count my blessings and pay the fine.

[Anonymous]

Please just pay it.

[Anonymous]

I've contested tickets online - won one, lost one. You might not have meant to run a red light, but you did, right? So it seems like you should pay the fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So you admit to running a red light but think you should get out of it because rather than being careful when you couldn't see you blissfully sailed through the intersection?

If you had told a cop in person that you couldn't see if the light was red so you went through it, they would have given you a ticket too. Maybe added one for reckless driving on top of it. You're lucky you got out of the situation with just a ticket and didn't cause an accident. I'd count my blessings and pay the fine.

Please remember that she was 8 months pregnant also. I believe if you look closely on the ticket there is a special area where blinded-by-the-sun-while-8-months-pregnant people can get out of paying tickets.

[Anonymous]

Love how folks keep casually mentioning their pregnancy in the context of not paying for services (ambulance in Canada), running red lights, general bitchiness, etc. Seriously, no one cares.

[Anonymous]

To be fair, I think the OP was mentioning it to explain that she was being extra careful while driving rather than as an excuse for running the light.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To be fair, I think the OP was mentioning it to explain that she was being extra careful while driving rather than as an excuse for running the light.

When in doubt stop, and if you can;t clear the intersection, don't enter the intersection. Here is yoru ticket, please be more aware of the fact that the sun sets in the west and you need to be prepared when driving in that direction. Seeing you were driving home, I take it as it not being the first day the sun was in your eyes.

[Anonymous]

Hey losers, pregnancy brain is REAL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey losers, pregnancy brain is REAL.

Maybe for losers like you. I closed a 10M deal while still in the L&D unit.

[Anonymous]

Just suck it up and pay it. You made a mistake. Be glad you didn't have an accident.

[Anonymous]

OP, if you had T-boned another car in the intersection, would you be trying to get out of those consequences because "the light was in my eyes"?

Pay the bill and count yourself very, very lucky.

[Anonymous]

OP, if you'd hit someone, do you think it would be all okay because you were 8 months pregnant and not wearing sunglasses? Seriously, everyone makes mistakes, but you've got an incredible amount of nerve to expect to be absolved from any consequences simply because you were pregnant while driving.

[Anonymous]

You have no chance in getting out of the ticket for that reason.

[Anonymous]

I actually think the OP should contest the ticket. There is a design flaw if a driver cannot see the light until after she has entered the intersection. She can't be the only one and I bet the records would show that they catch a lot of people at that light at that same degree of dusk. My guess is that DC likes it that way because it generates revenue. I doubt she will win though. I wouldn't mention the pregnancy in your appeal, it undermines your argument.