Sharp
01-06-2009, 03:35 PM
This has happened to me a couple of times, and was wondering how you, as an on-duty officer, would handle it.
Its 23:30, and you are driving on main road through town. At 23:00, about 90% of the traffic lights turn "off", so that main-road traffic gets a flashing yellow light, while cross traffic gets a flashing red. In IN, flashing red means to treat the light as a stop sign, and proceed when safe. However, flashing yellow means to go ahead through, but be cautious. (IC 9-21-3-8) As you approach an intersection from the south, you see another car approaching from the east and notice they are coming to a complete stop. You figure its safe to go ahead and continue on, but as you reach the point where you can not brake safely, the other driver decides to enter the intersection, almost causing a collision.
I have had to slam on my brakes once, as the other driver decided to sit IN the intersection, before I could go around him, and have also had to swerve into the other lane to avoid hitting a driver who pulled out and realized I had the right of way. Both times, they came to a complete stop, and entered the intersection just as I passed the "point of no return". Neither time was I speeding.
As an on-duty officer in my position, what would you do? Chalk it up to not paying attention and continue on your way? Or write them a ticket for disobeying a traffic signal, failure to yield right of way, etc etc?
For reference, both of these incidents occurred in the same intersection, which is well lit, and cross traffic signals are clearly visible from all directions.
Its 23:30, and you are driving on main road through town. At 23:00, about 90% of the traffic lights turn "off", so that main-road traffic gets a flashing yellow light, while cross traffic gets a flashing red. In IN, flashing red means to treat the light as a stop sign, and proceed when safe. However, flashing yellow means to go ahead through, but be cautious. (IC 9-21-3-8) As you approach an intersection from the south, you see another car approaching from the east and notice they are coming to a complete stop. You figure its safe to go ahead and continue on, but as you reach the point where you can not brake safely, the other driver decides to enter the intersection, almost causing a collision.
I have had to slam on my brakes once, as the other driver decided to sit IN the intersection, before I could go around him, and have also had to swerve into the other lane to avoid hitting a driver who pulled out and realized I had the right of way. Both times, they came to a complete stop, and entered the intersection just as I passed the "point of no return". Neither time was I speeding.
As an on-duty officer in my position, what would you do? Chalk it up to not paying attention and continue on your way? Or write them a ticket for disobeying a traffic signal, failure to yield right of way, etc etc?
For reference, both of these incidents occurred in the same intersection, which is well lit, and cross traffic signals are clearly visible from all directions.