Another red light fine, but....

Transportation, Travel and Trips
21
I got flashed by a red light camera in Zurich this afternoon

What happened was that I passed the light when it was still green, slowed to a crawl as I approached the junction to work out which road I needed to take (there were 3 and I was momentarily disorientated). Meanwhile, behind me the light turns red and a camera flashes me.

Do I have any grounds of appeal at all, because technically I didn't cross a red light? If the camera took a series of pictures that would immediately be very clear.

22
Believe its an absolute offence.

23
'Mitigating circumstances' is a term that doesn't translate, here, when it comes to traffic offences.

24
Fine it is then, however given that I was flashed dithering at a junction it might look like I crossed very late after the light went red, or would that be the other way around?

Grrrr, this sucks. I ain't done nuffink wrong

25
Wow, so Zurich has really strict traffic laws huh? In Geneva, I don't think we have flashes on intersections. Not that I've heard/encountered of.. yet.

26
This might be your biggest issue. Here is joping its a 2 flash camera and not a single

27
Be careful, if you use that excuse you might get an extra fine because of lack of vehicle control

28
You could say you simply stalled the engine.

29
My wife had something similar. She passed on green and then the car in front just stopped in the middle of the road. My wife was stuck behind it and got flashed as you did.

She did appeal but although the Police said they were sorry, there was nothing they could do.

So, I doubt you'd have more luck as you can't even blame someone else.

30
Sounds like it did not go to court, what the police say is irrelevant, it's what a judge says that counts, of course both you & the police can appeal the outcome of the court.

31
It's hardly irrelevant.

If you asked the next-door-neighbour, that would be irrelevant.

If you asked your dog, that would be irrelevant.

But asking the Police is not irrelevant. In this case, they suggested that my wife would probably not win an appeal based on similar previous cases.

32
Police opinion is just that, police lie in their reports, such. 'Misunderstandings ' can be successfully challenged.

The policeman said 'probably not' , he could have said 'possibly', it means pretty much the same, glass half full or half empty.

You wrote "my wife did appeal' which is incorrect, she asked a policemans opinion, which is why I originally replied.

33
Exactly, there is a case here and should be contested. Not like the OP went through a red light.

34
Seems like it is red light season (heh-heh). I was flashed at a gnarly intersection right after a tight turn. By the time I came out of the turn and noticed the lights turning red I only managed to stop after the white stripe before the lights (but still before entering the intersection). I was waiting there patiently, but still got flashed. I couldn't even reverse back because there was a car hugging my behind too closely.

How annoying..

35
"dithering" oh boy you are in big doodoo. dithering is a capital offence here . you will be lucky if they only remove your testicles.

36
You want rights? Move to the UK. I wonder how being charged to reexamine the evidence tallies with equal justice for all.

37
Karma mate. Karma. That's what happens when you go to Zurich.

38
If you are cought on or after the strip and you can see that it is red. DO NOT MOVE A SINGLE ÅNGSTRÖM . Neither forward nor backward. The cameras sense movement only.

PS: You may not enter an intersection if you are not sure you can make it in time, or you may held up by slow/stopping traffic.

39
In uk its also an absolute offence even if moving out the way for emergency services. I know many people that if at a red light wait until its green before moving for an ambulance.

A friends case went thru courts for 6 years before it was dismissed.

40
The funny thing is that I stopped there while it was still yellow. I might have triggered the camera as I was trying to reverse back behind the line. Ah well. I gained some experience at least.