Red Light
- Thread starter howy1
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Only if it can be proved that the light changed to amber before you crossed the white line.
Only serious jobsworths would attempt a prosecution in these cases which is why you don't hear about it all that often ... Or where accidents occur as a result of course
Besides, there are enough people crashing red lights to keep the dibble occupied.
MW
Only serious jobsworths would attempt a prosecution in these cases which is why you don't hear about it all that often ... Or where accidents occur as a result of course
Besides, there are enough people crashing red lights to keep the dibble occupied.
MW
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The way I always look at is when the amber light appears, you have about 2 seconds to stop your vehicle before the line. If you cant stop your vehicle safely and before the line, then IMO running an amber light is OK. But I agree, running it when its red is not acceptable.
Every case is different, but locally there is a set of lights on a straight 50mph dual carriageway. You can see it about 500 yards off. Lets say the lights have been on green for the duration of my visible approach. I will slow to 40 in anticipation of them changing because I know they are due to change. This way I will have time to stop my car before i hit the line.
Also closer to town, the lights all follow phase - they are all linked and change together so as to keep traffic moving. Most of the time there is no risk of being caught at any amber lights, unless you're pulling out of a side road.
Every case is different, but locally there is a set of lights on a straight 50mph dual carriageway. You can see it about 500 yards off. Lets say the lights have been on green for the duration of my visible approach. I will slow to 40 in anticipation of them changing because I know they are due to change. This way I will have time to stop my car before i hit the line.
Also closer to town, the lights all follow phase - they are all linked and change together so as to keep traffic moving. Most of the time there is no risk of being caught at any amber lights, unless you're pulling out of a side road.
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I thought I went through what I thought was an amber light, two in a car chased me and said they were waiting in the right filter and see me go through red.
There was also a gatso there and I said I knew it was there so would have stopped if it was red, but they changed to amber when I was too close and the road was wet.
I tried to dispute it and was told to shut up or be done for due care and attention AS WELL.
I even looked in the mirror for the flash as I crossed and could even see the opposite carriage way still on amber.
I was not speeding 50mph limit,yet they replied I should have slowed down ANYWAY just in case the lights changed, and then told the camera dont work, and that everyone knows that round here.
I went home fuming with a fine and points.
I returned next day and after watching people go through red, It was true camera did not work.
If it had it may have PROVED my innocence.
My view is the amber to red time should be at least the time to stop safely at the max speed of the road with the lights on.
If it is not surely in court someone could prove mathematically that there would then be a minimum distance from the lights where driving at the legal road speed, this point once passed, if the light changed to amber, it would not physically be able to safely stop before the red shows.
Perhaps by timing the lights amber to red and using the highway code stopping distances, that distance can be calculated.
If someone could then prove it, I wonder where they would legally stand.
This same formula could be reversed to work out the length of amber needed to safely stop
Another time I prepared to take a traffic light case to court, they then said I had to get proper detailed scaled and measured plans of the busy junction.
This alone was in excess of £200 so I reluctantly gave up
There was also a gatso there and I said I knew it was there so would have stopped if it was red, but they changed to amber when I was too close and the road was wet.
I tried to dispute it and was told to shut up or be done for due care and attention AS WELL.
I even looked in the mirror for the flash as I crossed and could even see the opposite carriage way still on amber.
I was not speeding 50mph limit,yet they replied I should have slowed down ANYWAY just in case the lights changed, and then told the camera dont work, and that everyone knows that round here.
I went home fuming with a fine and points.
I returned next day and after watching people go through red, It was true camera did not work.
If it had it may have PROVED my innocence.
My view is the amber to red time should be at least the time to stop safely at the max speed of the road with the lights on.
If it is not surely in court someone could prove mathematically that there would then be a minimum distance from the lights where driving at the legal road speed, this point once passed, if the light changed to amber, it would not physically be able to safely stop before the red shows.
Perhaps by timing the lights amber to red and using the highway code stopping distances, that distance can be calculated.
If someone could then prove it, I wonder where they would legally stand.
This same formula could be reversed to work out the length of amber needed to safely stop
Another time I prepared to take a traffic light case to court, they then said I had to get proper detailed scaled and measured plans of the busy junction.
This alone was in excess of £200 so I reluctantly gave up
So do most people which is what they rely on
You could have requested the plans from the local authority under the Freedom of Information Act ... I did.
I guarantee that, if you turn up to court armed with plans and a detailed argument (and you were innocent, of course) that you will get off ... The police are never prepared properly in these cases IMO as they don't expect people to contest them and they see court appearances to defend them as annoyances more than anything else.
On a pragmatic note, with two of them in the vehicle ... You're really stuffed I'm afraid as one charges you and the other corroborates.
MW
Might be a good idea if the green light flashed 3 times before changing to amber which would warn people that the lights were about to change.
2
2scoops0406
Might be a good idea if the green light flashed 3 times before changing to amber which would warn people that the lights were about to change.
I thought that the amber light was there to tell you it was about to turn to red. The phasing of amber to red allows enough time to stop within the highway code stopping distance limits in relation to the prevailing road speed limit (plus a bit extra) so while there is every possibility that you may run an amber light, you should never run a red.Make the green light flash 3 times to warn people that the lights are about to change
Maybe the green light should flash 4 times to warn that it is about to flash three times, and then maybe the green should flash 5 times to warn it is about to flash 4 times, where will it all end
In court for speeding , my solicitor questioned them,the police driver just said he was driving and watching the road,and could not give the answer to some questions
The other said he was watching MY car and not the speed of the police car,and also did not answer some of the questions
It seemed a well rehearsed double act.
I assume so there answers did not contradict.
This was 20 years ago , my solicitor said the alleged 58 mph was the speed they done to catch up with me rather than my actual speed
Anyway still fined and by too many points after banned for 3 months.
Would make sense,
On the A12 through romford they have sensors on the road, at night if no traffic flow they go green amber red in less than about 1 second.
Then the other traffic crosses.
Dont know if it is set wrong, but if you are just before the sensor when it does happen, you certainly have to brake hard to stop.
My girlfriend lives on the route and I have been rollocked many times due to the sudden braking.
During the day the road is fine and the amber is well long enough to stop
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