I pulled out of a very well-lit gas station onto a very well-lit street blocked off by construction (which stopped for the night) I went maybe half a block traveling no more than 10MPH leaving the construction area and then realizing I had my lights off. I flipped them on, moments later I see the officer behind me pulling me over.
He tells me he was coming the opposite way (due to the construction he would have had to drive the whole block to be able to do a U-turn and pull up to get behind me, when my lights were in fact on)
I didn’t try and plead a case when he pulled me over, merely gave him what he asked for (Liscense, Reg, Insurance) He just went back to his car and wrote me up. I pleaded for a warning and told him that i came a half a block away at the gas station. He tells me he didn’t see me pull out. So I whip out my gas station receipt showing it was minutes before. He tells me since he already wrote the citation, theres nothing more he can do.
Anyone think I have a case?
I pulled out of a well-lit gas station to a well-lit road- went 1/2 a block no more than 10MPH then saw I had my lights off. I flipped them on, moments later I see the officer behind me pulling me over. He tells me he was coming the opposite way (due 2 road construction he had 2 drive the whole block to do a Uturn & pull up to get behind me when my lights were in fact on)
I pleaded for a warning & told him that i came a 1/2 block away at the gas station. He tells me he didn’t see me pull out. So I whip out my gas station receipt showing it was minutes b4. He says he already wrote the citation, theres nothing more he can do. Any1 think I have a case?
*UPDATE* Everyone says I’m guilty – which i was, but the law shouldn’t be black & white – 1/2 a block (not half a mile) in a well lit area isn’t a danger to ANYONE – some say “if he saw you flip em on 1st you might have a case” how is that diff from me doing it seconds before i saw him behind me? Its complete waste of his time & mine
your lights were off
you were driving
guilty, case closed
you dont have a chance
in the future always put your seat belt on and turn the lights on before you even put the car in drive.
if you had your lights on before he turned the flashers on you might have a good case, especially if it occurred in a well lit area (take the receipt to court as evidence to back up your story)
If you’re your only witness it sounds doubtful but if you wouldn’t lose time from work or there wouldn’t be any other inconveniences I would fight it just to make it a little harder on the unreasonable cop.
I doubt if you have a case. How long you had been on the road is irrelevant. One is required to have headlights on at dusk into dark by law. It was an unfortunate over site on your part. I believe you will be more careful in the future. Sorry!
Unfortunately the officer did see you driving without your headlights so the ticket is legitimate. You may be able to get it reduced or thrown out if you plead your case in court. Save your gas receipt as evidence that you had just left there.
It sucks, but the law is the law. My neighbor got pulled over because she unbuckled her seatbelt to reach something that fell over on the passenger side of her car. The cop saw her unhook her seatbelt and pulled her over and wrote her a ticket. Her seatbelt was off for less than 30 seconds.
i’ve had the same thing happen to me,sortta. if your lights were off , it doesn’t matter if he was 1/2 mile away and seen your car on the road w/o lights on. rules are rules. some cops around here actually use that as a way to profile drunk drivers. and when i got my ticket lo and behold ,i had a couple beers before going to the gas station, so i guess the system works!?
A case for what? It was night, and you were driving without headlights. The law doesn’t say “You must use your headlights from sunset until a half hour after dawn while driving unless you pull out of a very well lit filling station onto a very will lit construction zone.” after all.
You can go to court, plead guilty with an explanation, and tell the judge what you told us. He may or may not dismiss it.