I have a question I would like to ask concerning turning right on a red light. I was approaching on the right turn only lane to the traffic light which turned from amber to red. As soon as the red light came on, there were advance green left turn arrow for the intersection I was for the cars that were traveling right to left and left to right of me. Since there was a lot of traffic from where I was coming home from work, I was forced to make a complete stop several car lengths behind the line. As soon as I noticed that there were no cars entering the lane I was turning into, I quickly accelerated and proceed with the right turn when the advance green left arrow was still in effect. A police officer pulled me over accusing me of not stopping for the red light and wrote me a ticket for the Highway Traffic Act 144.18. I decided to go to trial for this traffic ticket. Do you have any suggestions or advice that I should take note of or be aware of? Any help is appreciated.

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Turning Right on a Red light 144.18

by: Ravage on

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Reflections
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Re: Turning Right on a Red light 144.18

So next traffic stop I have all I have to do is subliminally mention "TIMS" 15 to 20 times and the officer will thank me for my time and tell me to be on my way???????????????

So next traffic stop I have all I have to do is subliminally mention "TIMS" 15 to 20 times and the officer will thank me for my time and tell me to be on my way???????????????

http://www.OHTA.ca OR http://www.OntarioTrafficAct.com
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Bookm
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Re: Turning Right on a Red light 144.18

I'm turning right on a Red unless there's a sign specifically stating not to. It's what people behind me would expect me to do, and being predictable is usually the safe thing to do and decreases the chance of road rage. Note: We have ONE intersection in town that says "No right on red" and is meant to deter drivers from using a certain side-street. It was put up to pacify a bunch of whiny (but influential) residents who felt there were too many cars using "their" road. I'm not sure if disobeying it would be an HTA offence or it it's just a city by-law. Most cars ignore it and turn. The speed limit on this side-street was also reduced to 40kmh, for no other reason than to appease the residents living there. I'm not sure if a municipality can legally enforce an artificially low speed limit (for reasons other than safely) but I regularly see the local LEO's running radar (*or) laser on it.

I'm turning right on a Red unless there's a sign specifically stating not to. It's what people behind me would expect me to do, and being predictable is usually the safe thing to do and decreases the chance of road rage.

Note: We have ONE intersection in town that says "No right on red" and is meant to deter drivers from using a certain side-street. It was put up to pacify a bunch of whiny (but influential) residents who felt there were too many cars using "their" road. I'm not sure if disobeying it would be an HTA offence or it it's just a city by-law. Most cars ignore it and turn.

The speed limit on this side-street was also reduced to 40kmh, for no other reason than to appease the residents living there. I'm not sure if a municipality can legally enforce an artificially low speed limit (for reasons other than safely) but I regularly see the local LEO's running radar (*or) laser on it.

Last edited by Bookm on Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:52 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Turning Right on a Red light 144.18

just don't whine to the rest of us IF you should ever get a ticket then...you are now well informed!! :) HTA charge with 2 demerit points = Disobey sign Absolutely enforceable, and municipalities can set their own speed limits. HTA 128(2)

Bookm wrote:

I'm turning right on a Red unless there's a sign specifically stating not to.

just don't whine to the rest of us IF you should ever get a ticket then...you are now well informed!! :)

Bookm wrote:

I'm not sure if disobeying it would be an HTA offence or it it's just a city by-law. Most cars ignore it and turn.

HTA charge with 2 demerit points = Disobey sign

Bookm wrote:

The speed limit on this side-street was also reduced to 40kmh, for no other reason than to appease the residents living there. I'm not sure if a municipality can legally enforce an artificially low speed limit (for reasons other than safely) but I regularly see the local LEO's running radar of laser on it.

Absolutely enforceable, and municipalities can set their own speed limits. HTA 128(2)

Above is merely a suggestion/thought and in no way constitutes legal advice or views of my employer. www.OHTA.ca
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Bookm
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Re: Turning Right on a Red light 144.18

just don't whine to the rest of us IF you should ever get a ticket then...you are now well informed!! :) NP.. I obey the sign. But I was once honked at, from behind, to get going (groan).

hwybear wrote:

Bookm wrote:

I'm turning right on a Red unless there's a sign specifically stating not to.

just don't whine to the rest of us IF you should ever get a ticket then...you are now well informed!! :)

NP.. I obey the sign. But I was once honked at, from behind, to get going (groan).

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Re: Turning Right on a Red light 144.18

HTA charge with 2 demerit points = Disobey sign And what would be the OHTA subsection for that?

hwybear wrote:

Bookm wrote:

I'm not sure if disobeying it would be an HTA offence or it it's just a city by-law. Most cars ignore it and turn.

HTA charge with 2 demerit points = Disobey sign

And what would be the OHTA subsection for that?

"The more laws, the less justice" - Marcus Tullius Cicero
"The hardest thing to explain is the obvious"

Ontario Traffic Ticket | Ontario Highway Traffic Act
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hwybear
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Re: Turning Right on a Red light 144.18

HTA charge with 2 demerit points = Disobey sign And what would be the OHTA subsection for that? HTA 182(2) Signs also must be in listed in Regulations to be enforced...most of those are in Ont. Reg. 615

racer wrote:

hwybear wrote:

Bookm wrote:

I'm not sure if disobeying it would be an HTA offence or it it's just a city by-law. Most cars ignore it and turn.

HTA charge with 2 demerit points = Disobey sign

And what would be the OHTA subsection for that?

HTA 182(2) Signs also must be in listed in Regulations to be enforced...most of those are in Ont. Reg. 615

Above is merely a suggestion/thought and in no way constitutes legal advice or views of my employer. www.OHTA.ca
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