Cop pulled me over for failing to stop for school bus

[DainBramaged]

GTA diagrams are awesome! Full plus extra credit!

 

[AdamSnow]

Originally posted by: audi
10/10 for the diagram

 

[gigapet]

in connecticut if there is a median or barrier you DO NOT have to stop.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: gigapet
in connecticut if there is a median or barrier you DO NOT have to stop.

this was at an intersection

 

[classy]

From that diagram you are suppose to stop. While there is a median for safety reasons that a child may run across in the opposite direction you should stop. Two because more than likely that bus had its yellow lights on first, which means you should start coming to a stop. And 3 if the cop seen the bus then so did you. And while you quote law, wreckless driving can open for interpretation. You were lucky.

 

[classy]

Originally posted by: EGGO
Sorry to say, but I know here in NJ you have to stop still.

Yep this why I posted what I did. Here you have to stop and you should stop.

 

[gigapet]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: gigapet
in connecticut if there is a median or barrier you DO NOT have to stop.

this was at an intersection

Yeah that still looks like a median to me. The whole reason why they have that law is so people dont cause an accident slammintg on the breaks on a highway trying to stop for a bus three lanes over.

 

[classy]

39:4-96. Reckless driving; punishment

39:4-96. A person who drives a vehicle heedlessly, in willful or wanton disregard of the rights or safety of others, in a manner so as to endanger, or be likely to endanger, a person or property, shall be guilty of reckless driving and be punished by imprisonment in the county or municipal jail for a period of not more than 60 days, or by a fine of not less than $50.00 or more than $200.00, or both.


A school bus stopping with children even if its 3 lanes over would fall under that definition. And the biggest problem is if the cop could see the stopped school bus, why didn't you?

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: classy

Originally posted by: EGGO
Sorry to say, but I know here in NJ you have to stop still.

Yep this why I posted what I did. Here you have to stop and you should stop.

The New Jersey Driver's Manual is ambiguous at best:

Stopping for School Buses
Do not pass or closely approach a school bus with ? ashing red lights.
State law requires that motorists stop at least 25 feet away if traveling
on a two-lane road, or on a multi-lane highway where lanes
are only separated by lines, or on a privately maintained road.
Slow down to 10 mph if traveling on a dual highway, if on the opposite
side of a safety island or a raised median.
School buses are equipped with yellow, amber or red ? ashing lights.
Yellow or amber lights alight before the bus stops, and red lights go
on when it has stopped. Do not depend on these lights if traveling
behind a school bus. These lights could be malfunctioning.
When the bus stops, motorists traveling behind or approaching
the bus must stop at least 25 feet from the school bus. Watch for
children, and then proceed slowly, at 10 mph.
If a school bus has stopped directly in front of a school to pick up or
let off children, pass from either direction at no more than 10 mph.

Emphasis added.

Nothing about intersections. Classy, do you have a link the MV code itself? The dumbed-down manuals almost never tell the whole story, but I can't find NJ's MV code.

 

[classy]

Originally posted by: Jzero

Nothing about intersections. Classy, do you have a link the MV code itself? The dumbed-down manuals almost never tell the whole story, but I can't find NJ's MV code.

No I couldn't find it either.

 

[classy]

The only I am looking at is, if the cop saw the bus and he was behind him, then he seen it too.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: classy

Originally posted by: Jzero

Nothing about intersections. Classy, do you have a link the MV code itself? The dumbed-down manuals almost never tell the whole story, but I can't find NJ's MV code.

No I couldn't find it either.

The only version I've ever found was ridiculously difficult to navigate and unsearchable. They sure don't make it accessible to people.

 

[element]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ
BTW, after looking at the diagram I think the cop was right and the OP was wrong. If the bus stopped at an intersection, there are usually crosswalks there. Therefore you had to stop for the bus. The median was interrupted by the intersection.

QFT, this is exactly how I saw it.

 

[lizardboy]

A+ on the diagram.

 

[Kelemvor]

I've never heard that intersections are anythign different than the normal road. It's still a divided road, you just happen to be where that road meets another road. What if the bus had stopped somewhere that had a left turn lane so the median had a break in it... You still don't have to stop. I think the cop needs to learn the law a bit better.

I would call the police station and tell whoever that you have a question on the school bus stopping laws and ask them how it works if the bus stops at an intersection when the road it's on is divided with a median...

If they tell you that you were right, I'd mention that you were treated very rudely by a police officer who yelled at your for not stopping at the intersection and that he might need some training...
If they tell you that you were wrong, then now you know for next time.

 

[edmundoab]

Originally posted by: Yossarian
I wouldn't have stopped.

i won't stop either,
hmm, but since the cop didn't give you a ticket, then..
really nothing much of a case there right?

other then not feeling good that he yelled at you

 

[captains]

1. not guilty
2. bring diagram to court
3. show prosecuter(sp?)
4. go home ticket free