Did I run a red light

[DSORB]

So I was on my way to work this morning, in Tomball, when I was approaching an intersection. The light was yellow, so I decided to push it. Well as soon as I had crossed into the intersection (yellow light) it turned red. Will I get a ticket?

 

[The Big Unit]

My wife got a ticket a couple of years ago up in Dallas for running a red light. She told the policeman that she entered the intersection when the light was yellow. The officer explained to her that in Texas if any part of your vehicle is in the intersection when the light is red you are in violation.

 

[Bob in Houston]

Yeah, if you fail to stop (or even go into the crosswalk), you can get a ticket. I got one once for that... trolling through the light because I couldn't stop.

 

[Orangesweat]

Yes.

 

[hornpharmd]

If your bumper is across the start of the intersection when it turns red you are okay. However you cannot increase your speed while the light is yellow. So yes you broke the law.

 

[Statalyzer]

Sometimes increasing speed while yellow is necessary to avoid being in the middle of the intersection when the light turns red, unless you want to make a more-sudden than usual stop with somebody right on your bumper.

 

[Nordberg]

It should also be illegal to slam on your breaks about 10 feet from the intersection while doing 60 MPH, just as the light turns yellow. And then sit there at a complete stop for 2-3 seconds while the light is still yellow, as the cars behind you attempt to keep from slamming into each other.

 

[GHoward]

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[MaduroUTMB]

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[DRAG69]

I thought the law was as long as you enter the intersection before it turns red you were okay. Another words if part of your vehicle has crossed that white line while the light was yellow you were not in violation.

A simple fix would be to put a countdown clock on all traffic signals so you know when it is going to change. They have many of those installed for the crosswalk signals in downtown Austin and you can see when the light is going to change. It is so much safer.

 

[Bob in Houston]

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[Huckleberry]

I don't see how it's discretionary. It is not an offense by the traffic code to enter an intersection with a yellow light. It is not an offense to be in an intersection with a red light. The only offense is to enter an intersection displaying a steady red light. Technically, it is an offense if you don't stop at the clearly marked stop line or before entering the crosswalk or nearside of the intersection if no clearly marked stop line exists. If you are already past that line it's pretty clearly impossible to stop before reaching it.

The Link

 

[FondrenRoad]

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[Bob in Houston]

True, Huck. What I meant to say about discretion is the determination by the officer whether the vehicle entered on red or yellow.

 

[accuratehorn]

Exactly, you did not run a light if any part of the car crossed the white line behind which you should stop at an intersection prior to the light turning red. But you can get a ticket from a cop who may not have measured that nanosecond precisely. It isn't against the law to accelerate in an intersection, either, unless you are speeding.
You can get a ticket for lots of things, but you aren't always actually guilty of breaking the law in question.
There is a difference between driving so as to not get tickets and driving so as to not quite break a law, also. You can irritate cops by certain practices, and get a ticket, when you really shouldn't get a ticket.

 

[zzzz]

This thread had a bad influence on me as I started speeding up to hit the intersection while the light was still yellow.

I felt I was being a bit reckless so today I slowed for a yellow and came to a stop at the red light.

The guy behind me flipped me off using both hands.

 

[WooHorn]

I get the rule questioned in the OP, but I want to clarify it when turning left on yield. I always thought that is was illegal to sit in the intersection waiting to turn left if you cannot go until the light turns red. Technically, you are accross the white line on green, so is it ok to sit out there and wait for oncoming cars to stop on red before you clear out of the intersection?

 

[hornpharmd]

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[Statalyzer]

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[accuratehorn]

The meaning of a yellow light is to look in your rear view mirror to see if it is even an option to stop. Many times this makes the decision for you. When you see the lady talking on her cell phone speeding up three feet behind your rear bumper, you best now even consider trying to stop.

 

[mandingo]

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[ImissWallyPryor]

When I moved from San Antonio to Austin, I had to get used to 4 second yellow lights instead of 5 second yellow lights. Now, I live in a city with yellow lights that are only 3 seconds long. When they turn yellow, it means one thing: slam the breaks.