How to Avoid Common Traffic Tickets Other Than Speeding
Ignorance of the law is no excuse, they say, but sometimes we just don't know. What is the general rule about going through a yellow light? Making U-turns? Going too slowly? Using turnouts? Take the time to find out ... and take your time to drive with care.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
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1
Come to a complete stop at a stop sign and where a right turn is allowed at a red light. Drivers making rolling, "California" stops are easy prey.
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2
Proceed through an intersection only if the front of your vehicle has entered (crossed the limit line or marked or unmarked crosswalk line) before a stoplight turns red and it is safe to do so. In most states, you have not run a red light if your front bumper is in the intersection when the light becomes red.
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3
Refrain from making a U-turn in a business district or across a traffic island. In a residential area and on some highways, make sure no car is approaching within 200 feet (12 car lengths) when making a U-turn; turn left into a driveway or parking lot to avoid a U-turn violation.
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4
Make turns as close as is practicable to the edge of the road. Cautiously enter a bike lane marked in white dashes to turn right, for example.
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5
Maintain a distance behind another vehicle equal to one car length for every 10 miles per hour that you're driving. Don't tailgate.
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6
Minimize the number of lane changes you make. Signal a lane change and look in your side and rear-view mirrors and over your shoulder. Your weaving in and out of traffic followed by the application of brake lights by the cars behind you attracts traffic officers' attention.
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7
Pass another vehicle only in designated areas (not when there is a solid line in your lane) so as not to "interfere with the safe operation of any vehicle" travelling in your direction or coming toward you.
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8
Drive in the lane to the far right and maintain a normal and reasonable speed when other traffic is going faster than you so that you don't "impede" traffic and suffer the indignity of getting a ticket for driving too slowly. Use turnouts on a two-way, two-lane road when you are slowing down vehicles behind you.
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9
Know who has the right-of-way. Yield to merging traffic; to the first driver who comes to an intersection that has no signs or signals or is a four-way stop; at an intersection where your road ends; when making a left turn; and, of course, at stop and yield signs and for pedestrians. If two of you get to an intersection at the same time, let the person to your right go first.
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10
Make sure there is no opened container of an alcoholic beverage inside your car or truck 'including the glove compartment.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Some states prohibit driving into a marked or unmarked crosswalk until a pedestrian is completely off the street.
California has a new law stating that, if a vehicle has turn signals, they must be used rather than hand signals.
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Comments
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Robert Drury
May 06, 2007
There are two violations that are commonly overlooked. They are not stopping prior to executing a right turn at a red light or stop sign, and cruising in the passing lane. Both are particular pet peeves of mine. Rarely are people pulled over for either, but I sure wish they would be. When it does happen, the fines are often extremely stiff (which makes me very happy). -
Robert Drury
May 06, 2007
There are two violations that are commonly overlooked. They are not stopping prior to executing a right turn at a red light or stop sign, and cruising in the passing lane. Both are particular pet peeves of mine. Rarely are people pulled over for either, but I sure wish they would be. When it does happen, the fines are often extremely stiff (which makes me very happy).
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Aug 26, 2006
This guide is about driving in the city, or city highways, when police patrols are waiting on the corners and pulling cars over for either routine check or because they saw you make a traffic violation - for that they're usually waiting on problematic spots, where a lot of violations and accidents occur. Number one, fasten your seatbelt and turn your headlights on. Of course, don't use your cell phone. Cops are especially irritated by people who make these small mistakes, and usually when they see you driving with your headlights on, seatbelt fastened, and both hands on the steering wheel, they'll immediately forget about you and turn their eyes to the car behind you. Another trick - if you see a cop looking at you (with peripheral vision, don't ever look back at them), check your rear view mirror. Cop thinks - OK, this one is driving safely and paying attention to conditions in the traffic. Won't pull you over, unless he's a young gun with no experience. But, young cops are accompanied by older cops, so no real danger. Number two, respect all traffic rules and speed limits, don't even make a tiniest violation. Number three, make your car look good, but not too good. If it's an older one, wash it, polish it, make it look new. If it's a new car, don't drive it perfectly cleaned, for the cop will think "this one is an inexperienced driver, he just got his first car" (if you're younger) or "this one pays too much attention to his car, he must be a potential speeder". I won't explain the psychology further, just follow these words. Number four, and possibly the most important one. Cops always wait on the right side of the road, even if there are two lanes. So, if there are two lanes (city highway), drive in the left one and you're safe. If there's just one lane, act like you didn't notice the patrol and continue with your current speed. You're not speeding, right? We covered that in rule number two. Don't slow down, don't look at the cop, otherwise he won't have any other choice but to pull you over. Psychology, once again. If you prepare yourself for getting pulled over, and the cop sees it, you will get pulled over. That's about it, and I think it's clear that this guide was intended for situations where you must not get pulled over (driving without license, driving an unregistered car). Of course, you'll do that only when necessary - when you need to get somewhere without delay, and are willing to risk paying a huge fine for it. Or, if you just hate getting pulled over and talking to cops, this is the guide to follow as well. You know the traffic rules, follow them, follow this guide, and you can get pulled over only by a very young cop or a mentally challenged one. Foolproof, if you follow this guide, you did your part to avoid getting pulled over.
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Aug 26, 2006
This guide is about driving in the city, or city highways, when police patrols are waiting on the corners and pulling cars over for either routine check or because they saw you make a traffic violation - for that they're usually waiting on problematic spots, where a lot of violations and accidents occur. Number one, fasten your seatbelt and turn your headlights on. Of course, don't use your cell phone. Cops are especially irritated by people who make these small mistakes, and usually when they see you driving with your headlights on, seatbelt fastened, and both hands on the steering wheel, they'll immediately forget about you and turn their eyes to the car behind you. Another trick - if you see a cop looking at you (with peripheral vision, don't ever look back at them), check your rear view mirror. Cop thinks - OK, this one is driving safely and paying attention to conditions in the traffic. Won't pull you over, unless he's a young gun with no experience. But, young cops are accompanied by older cops, so no real danger. Number two, respect all traffic rules and speed limits, don't even make a tiniest violation. Number three, make your car look good, but not too good. If it's an older one, wash it, polish it, make it look new. If it's a new car, don't drive it perfectly cleaned, for the cop will think "this one is an inexperienced driver, he just got his first car" (if you're younger) or "this one pays too much attention to his car, he must be a potential speeder". I won't explain the psychology further, just follow these words. Number four, and possibly the most important one. Cops always wait on the right side of the road, even if there are two lanes. So, if there are two lanes (city highway), drive in the left one and you're safe. If there's just one lane, act like you didn't notice the patrol and continue with your current speed. You're not speeding, right? We covered that in rule number two. Don't slow down, don't look at the cop, otherwise he won't have any other choice but to pull you over. Psychology, once again. If you prepare yourself for getting pulled over, and the cop sees it, you will get pulled over. That's about it, and I think it's clear that this guide was intended for situations where you must not get pulled over (driving without license, driving an unregistered car). Of course, you'll do that only when necessary - when you need to get somewhere without delay, and are willing to risk paying a huge fine for it. Or, if you just hate getting pulled over and talking to cops, this is the guide to follow as well. You know the traffic rules, follow them, follow this guide, and you can get pulled over only by a very young cop or a mentally challenged one. Foolproof, if you follow this guide, you did your part to avoid getting pulled over.
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Jul 05, 2006
In Ontario, it is considered running a red light if your vehicle is anywhere in the intersection when the light turns red, either just entering or just leaving. Also, you can be charged if you obviously accelerate through a yellow when you had a more than reasonable distance to stop.
