R2500 fine for going through a roadblock.

[UsernameLadiesMan217]

'Negligent driving'

So I was driving on the N1, there was a roadblock on the side of the road and a traffic cop waving his torch at me, I wasn't sure if he wanted me to stop or not, but it looked like he was waving me ahead... apparently not. It was dark, I couldn't really see him so well and there was no clear indicator that I was supposed to stop.

I did slow down and looked back... Saw nothing. 1 minute later I see lights flashing and I just knew it was for me, pulled over. Showed my license, he asks me why I didn't stop - I said I didn't know I was supposed to.

Bam, R2600 fine for 'negligent driving'. I didn't even know fines could be this large.

Now, I have no qualms paying a fine, it's just the amount that bothers me, I would never intentionally skip a roadblock what the hell, I wasn't even drinking it was like 9:30 pm anyways and they didn't even want to be blow a breathalyzer, was wishing they would too... I had no reason to skip it, I even slowed down. It was honestly just a bad judgement call.
It was only one traffic cop car too, how often have we seen one traffic cop on the side of the road just standing there with a pulled over vehicle in front of him? The whole thing was just so weird/awkward feels like he wanted me to go past so he could chase me.

Either way, I can attest it in a court apparently, do I need a lawyer for that, is it expensive? Is some government lawyer gonna stomp all over me?

 

[Hemi300c]

How was he waiving the torch.
Up and down = slow down
Side to side = stop
Either way wait for summons and go to the court and speak to the clerk of the court or magistrate.
Or go to fines office and speak to magistrate or head honcho.

 

[Swa]

And some idiot on here was saying they are always visible? Clearly he wasn't following correct procedure and they aren't even allowed to stop you on a highway.

 

[Budza]

How was he waiving the torch.
Up and down = slow down
Side to side = stop
Either way wait for summons and go to the court and speak to the clerk of the court or magistrate.
Or go to fines office and speak to magistrate or head honcho.

And where the **** does that come from?

 

[Garson007]

I was caught for running a stop street once because a traffic officer parked in the opposing lane was confusing the **** out of me. I just paid the fine and was done with it.

 

[Swa]

And where the **** does that come from?

Certainly not the rules of the road as it isn't in my learners book or any learners test.

 

[TEXTILE GUY]

Take it to court, claim that with the high spate of crime you got nervous and were on your way to the nearest police station......

Hey, its worth a try.

 

[ghostR]

'Negligent driving'

So I was driving on the N1, there was a roadblock on the side of the road and a traffic cop waving his torch at me, I wasn't sure if he wanted me to stop or not, but it looked like he was waving me ahead... apparently not. It was dark, I couldn't really see him so well and there was no clear indicator that I was supposed to stop.

I did slow down and looked back... Saw nothing. 1 minute later I see lights flashing and I just knew it was for me, pulled over. Showed my license, he asks me why I didn't stop - I said I didn't know I was supposed to.

Bam, R2600 fine for 'negligent driving'. I didn't even know fines could be this large.

Now, I have no qualms paying a fine, it's just the amount that bothers me, I would never intentionally skip a roadblock what the hell, I wasn't even drinking it was like 9:30 pm anyways and they didn't even want to be blow a breathalyzer, was wishing they would too... I had no reason to skip it, I even slowed down. It was honestly just a bad judgement call.
It was only one traffic cop car too, how often have we seen one traffic cop on the side of the road just standing there with a pulled over vehicle in front of him? The whole thing was just so weird/awkward feels like he wanted me to go past so he could chase me.

Either way, I can attest it in a court apparently, do I need a lawyer for that, is it expensive? Is some government lawyer gonna stomp all over me?

Eish - Nasty fine - Yea like Hemi300c said - Wait for summons and go to the court and speak to them or go to the fines office.

Was there any beacons or traffic cones around the cop car or infront of it?

 

[ToxicBunny]

Talk to the prosecutor.. don't pay that fine.

 

[SauRoNZA]

And where the **** does that come from?

Certainly not the rules of the road as it isn't in my learners book or any learners test.

I can't say where I learnt it exactly but it's common knowledge to me that that's what it means.

So presumably it must be covered under hand signals somewhere.

Might have been part of the marshaling stuff I've attended.

Either way I agree it's not a clearly obvious symbolism and I would also have ignored it if there wasn't a STOP sign involved.

 

[supersunbird]

Sometimes its difficult to know if they are trying to pull you off or the car behind you, so I slow down a lot till I determine what they want.

 

[Gnome]

You actually pulled over?

I wouldn't stop for some random guy next to the road with a torch. Don't care if he has flashing blue lights.

Doubt he has a leg to stand on. Legally he would need to prove you were recklessly negligent. Don't see that happening when he was standing next to a highway, at night, with a little torch.

In fact he should be charged for negligent driving, that is bloody dangerous.

These cops don't live in the modern SA clearly.

 

[UsernameLadiesMan217]

How was he waiving the torch.
Up and down = slow down
Side to side = stop
Either way wait for summons and go to the court and speak to the clerk of the court or magistrate.
Or go to fines office and speak to magistrate or head honcho.

Alright, thanks for this, I never knew this.

He was waving it diagonally though... Like seriously, he was holding it like a pencil and did a diagonal motion up and down rapidly. -_-'

 

[UsernameLadiesMan217]

Eish - Nasty fine - Yea like Hemi300c said - Wait for summons and go to the court and speak to them or go to the fines office.

Was there any beacons or traffic cones around the cop car or infront of it?

No, none at all! I was the first in line of a long string of cars too, I swear if I wasn't in front someone else would have skipped it.

 

[UsernameLadiesMan217]

Wait let me clear this up though, he wasn't a lone traffic cop, there was one more guy with him, but he didn't have a torch and he was standing by the traffic cops car so I didn't know what he was, when I was pulled over though, the other guy was with the cop with the torch, he didn't say anything to me though, I can only assume he was the guy on the side of the road.

 

[UsernameLadiesMan217]

Talk to the prosecutor.. don't pay that fine.

Okay, I've never done that before, anyone know where to do that in Cape Town? Preferably Northen Suburbs?

I can't say where I learnt it exactly but it's common knowledge to me that that's what it means.

So presumably it must be covered under hand signals somewhere.

Might have been part of the marshaling stuff I've attended.

Either way I agree it's not a clearly obvious symbolism and I would also have ignored it if there wasn't a STOP sign involved.

There was no stop sign, if there was I'd have stopped @_@

 

[kianm]

He trapped you, or he was just looking to fine someone and you were the unfortunate one. Sorry bud

 

[bruce_the_loon]

Never seen the torch thing myself, always been in daylight roadblocks in PE.

The up/down to go on and left-right/diagonal thing to stop could be related to the proceed straight ahead and proceed to turn hand signals that the traffic cops controlling intersections use.

BTW, the Western Cape has a specific find for failing to stop when ordered to do so by a traffic officer and prescribes R500 to R1500 fine. http://www.wheels24.co.za/News/Western-Cape-traffic-fines-What-youll-pay-20140610

 

[marine1]

Never heard of a fine for negligent driving, its usually an arrest.
Also failing to stop for a police officer also is an arrest

 

[stiller]

Go to court on the court day and speak to the prosecutor. Explain everything to him/her and your fine will surely be scrapped. As far as i know you don't get fined for Reck and Neg, you get arrested.