Traffic Lights Out.

[AK_Alex]

Simple question:

Say, a traffic light is out. (blacked out, from power outage, etc). In my state, the intersection would now be treated as a four way stop.

Hypothetically, if a driver was to get stopped after blowing through this intersection, would he be issued a cite for fail to stop at a stop sign, or a red light?

Or maybe something else?

[LA DEP]

Here in CA, they would be cited for....wait for it......failure to stop at an inoperable traffic signal.....which I think is around 21457 CVC or so.....

[AK_Alex]

Yeah, I wasn't sure if there was a specific statute dedicated to that. I guess I can always dig around traffic code books on my own time. Thanks though.

[VA Dutch]

Here in VA, the unwritten rule is that all drivers just asssume their light should have been green.

[DACP]

Here in VA, the unwritten rule is that all drivers just asssume their light should have been green.

Same here.

[LA DEP]

Here in VA, the unwritten rule is that all drivers just asssume their light should have been green.

Well, put that way, its the same rule here as well!

Which is why you usually will not see us directing traffic at a dead traffic signal late at night......just put out some flares, and light up the intersection as well as possible.

I'm getting too old and slow to be playing 'frogger' with the DUI drivers!

[SRT936]

Here the cite would be for Failure to Yield at an Uncontrolled Intersection.

As mentioned, most people just assume that if the light isn't red, they don't care.

[AK_Alex]

That's what it seems like to be here. Some people give me looks/honks when I actually stop. Others, from seeing me stop, suddenly remember what their DMV handbook said and slam on their brakes halfway through the intersection.

[fishAK]

That's what it seems like to be here. Some people give me looks/honks when I actually stop. Others, from seeing me stop, suddenly remember what their DMV handbook said and slam on their brakes halfway through the intersection.

Sounds like what they do in and at the roundabouts, too....I swear, people need to learn the difference between "yield" and "stop".

[VA Dutch]

And EVERY time they have complained when they got a ticket that I should have been in the intersection directing traffic, not ticketing them.

You gotta admit that such a thought would come to mind.