Got a traffic ticket for the most ridiculous scenario involving school bus and turning lane... (Griffin: insurance, lawyer)

[smoky_topaz]

Ok guys....I have not posted anything new on here in about a million years...BUT now I really need to share this.This traffic ticket I recently got "awarded " with, has really gotten me ratched up, enough to make a comeback on here .

My backstory: I live in Spalding County Georgia. I've always had a very clean record...Ok, I'm not perfect, but I'm definitely not some reprobate either. But I digress a little. Anyway, long story short, I got this ticket in the mail that said I was in "violation of the school bus stop arm" policy.

I reviewed the pictures caught on camera, basically the long and the short of this , my better half and I were driving on the main drag (a busy intersection -those of you familiar with Griffin, McIntosh road and Hwy 19.41 intersection)with a divided highway and 5-6 lanes of traffic,counting the transition one in the middle) The school bus in question was in the far right/mandatory lane.

And yes, I am fully aware of what the laws say about what motorists are supposed to do...if it's a two lane road and they're approaching, and stopping to let kids off/pick them up and when you are behind the bus you have to stop and wait for them to proceed again, I learned that way back when I was in Drivers' Ed.

I enclosed a small screenshot so you can get a big picture visual of what was going on, that text alone may not illustrate. I don't know if I'm allowed to do that or not so I'll remove it if I need to.

Anyway even though the bus driver did have the stop arm out at the time, there was no way she would have been letting kids out on a busy place like that, in the mandatory right lane. We were three lanes down from the bus. In no way impeding things.

I'm sorry, but this sounds like total b.s. Has anyone been in a situation like this? This has got to be the most cockamamie "offense" I've ever seen.

What would YOU do if you were in this situation? Do you think this is B.S.? And no, don't tell me this whole camera thing is done to "protect the children". It's all just a big fat cash cow. Anyway, that's my rant for the day...

[First24]

From what I understand, you have to treat that situation as a red light no matter the lane.

If I’m not mistaken that’s a citation with a standardized fine not an actual moving violation ticket so there should be no affect on your driving record or insurance.

How do I know? I received a similar citation via the mail for going 10 MPH over the speed limit within 1000 feet of a school zone (this was outside the hours with the flashing lights). Drive aware out there folks, they’re watching & taking pictures.

[Born 2 Roll]

We’re obviously not lawyers here and can’t give you legal advice, but it looks like your vehicle was driving in the same direction of the divided highway as the stopped bus… Which meant that your vehicle was eligible to be issued a citation under Georgia law, if your vehicle drove past a stopped school bus with its stop arm extended and its red lights flashing.

It doesn’t matter how many lanes one direction of a divided highway has or how many lanes away from the school bus a vehicle might be. When the school bus is stopped and has that stop arm extended and its red lights flashing, all vehicles heading in the same direction as the school bus on a divided highway are supposed to stop.

And all of the vehicles driving in the same direction as the school bus on a divided highway that drive past that stopped school bus when it has its stop arm extended and its red lights flashing can be issued a citation under Georgia law.

If you have any questions about this citation, you probably need to consult a lawyer who specializes in traffic law. Though, you may not like what a traffic lawyer may have to tell you about this one. That’s especially if said consultation with lawyer costs you in addition to what the school bus stop arm citation already costs.

[smoky_topaz]

It still seems nebulous to me, I have lived here 12+ years so I know the area well. That intersection is mostly just a big shopping plaza, I do know that McIntosh Rd is a long thoroughfare - it's got residential areas at both ends, but the nearest actual houses had to be at least a mile from that point. From the way that image shot looks, the driver was unloading kids in the shopping plaza. I'm sorry, but that's just the way the camera angle looks. Of course, I realize the way a situation can "look" is always up for interpretation.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by smoky_topaz

It still seems nebulous to me, I have lived here 12+ years so I know the area well. That intersection is mostly just a big shopping plaza, I do know that McIntosh Rd is a long thoroughfare - it's got residential areas at both ends, but the nearest actual houses had to be at least a mile from that point. From the way that image shot looks, the driver was unloading kids in the shopping plaza. I'm sorry, but that's just the way the camera angle looks. Of course, I realize the way a situation can "look" is always up for interpretation.

I can very much understand how being given a ticket in this situation can seem highly questionable on a multi-lane divided highway (with six lanes going in one direction of said multi-lane divided highway) in a heavy commercial area.

But the number of lanes that one side of a divided highway has and the type of development of the area is irrelevant here.

What is relevant is that Georgia state law allows for the issuance of traffic citations for school bus stop arm violations when vehicles drive past school buses with their stop arms extended and their red lights flashing on the same direction of a divided highway. That’s all that matters here.

It may not seem fair and it’s up to you as to whether you want to expend the time and resources required to attempt to fight the ticket in court or if you just simply want to pay the ticket and learn from this situation moving forward that school bus stop arm cameras will be issuing tickets when school buses are stopped with the stop arms extended and red lights flashing… Including when they are stopped on the side of busy multi-lane divided highways in areas of heavy commercial development.

[Southern man]

Originally Posted by smoky_topaz

Ok guys....I have not posted anything new on here in about a million years...BUT now I really need to share this.This traffic ticket I recently got "awarded " with, has really gotten me ratched up, enough to make a comeback on here .

My backstory: I live in Spalding County Georgia. I've always had a very clean record...Ok, I'm not perfect, but I'm definitely not some reprobate either. But I digress a little. Anyway, long story short, I got this ticket in the mail that said I was in "violation of the school bus stop arm" policy.

I reviewed the pictures caught on camera, basically the long and the short of this , my better half and I were driving on the main drag (a busy intersection -those of you familiar with Griffin, McIntosh road and Hwy 19.41 intersection)with a divided highway and 5-6 lanes of traffic,counting the transition one in the middle) The school bus in question was in the far right/mandatory lane.

And yes, I am fully aware of what the laws say about what motorists are supposed to do...if it's a two lane road and they're approaching, and stopping to let kids off/pick them up and when you are behind the bus you have to stop and wait for them to proceed again, I learned that way back when I was in Drivers' Ed.

I enclosed a small screenshot so you can get a big picture visual of what was going on, that text alone may not illustrate. I don't know if I'm allowed to do that or not so I'll remove it if I need to.

Anyway even though the bus driver did have the stop arm out at the time, there was no way she would have been letting kids out on a busy place like that, in the mandatory right lane. We were three lanes down from the bus. In no way impeding things.

I'm sorry, but this sounds like total b.s. Has anyone been in a situation like this? This has got to be the most cockamamie "offense" I've ever seen.

What would YOU do if you were in this situation? Do you think this is B.S.? And no, don't tell me this whole camera thing is done to "protect the children". It's all just a big fat cash cow. Anyway, that's my rant for the day...

Pay the ticket.

[b29510]

if its not a divided highway, all lanes stop

[lookingtoreloc78]

The whole camera thing is done to protect the children.

[1200RT]

Seems pretty black and white

O.C.G.A. 40-6-163 (2010)
40-6-163. Duty of driver of vehicle meeting or overtaking school bus; reporting of violations


(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, the driver of a vehicle meeting or overtaking from either direction any school bus stopped on the highway shall stop before reaching such school bus when there are in operation on the school bus the visual signals as specified in Code Sections 40-8-111 and 40-8-115, and such driver shall not proceed until the school bus resumes motion or the visual signals are no longer actuated.

(b) The driver of a vehicle upon a highway with separate roadways need not stop upon meeting or passing a school bus which is on a different roadway, or upon a controlled-access highway when the school bus is stopped in a loading zone which is a part of or adjacent to such highway and where pedestrians are not permitted to cross the roadway.

(c) Every school bus driver who observes a violation of subsection (a) of this Code section is authorized and directed to record specifically the vehicle description, license number of the offending vehicle, and time and place of occurrence on forms furnished by the Department of Public Safety. Such report shall be submitted within 15 days of the occurrence of the violation to the local law enforcement agency which has law enforcement jurisdiction where the alleged offense occurred.

[grampaTom]

Pay the ticket and learn from the experience. You may not agree with the law but is IS the law and you broke it.