50 plus drivers prosecuted for driving through a Red X light!!!!

[Deleted member 65149]

For years I've bleated that we should all be retested each 5 years,
2 years grace so after 7 years you have no licence.
That and my bleating that all internationals wishing to drive here should attain a level of pc based competence at the port of entry on arrival.
Mrs Me arrived from Russia having effectively bought a licence there, the lessons in a Lada were a complete joke. She didn't go beyond 3rd gear on the test. The hill start was a mound of earth. The town back then had one set of traffic lights and no roundabouts. I learned pretty fast she shouldn't be diving my 2 litre petrol BMW I easily insured her for.

Our bleaders have a lot to answer for, historically too.

It’s an interesting point about foreign nationals having to prove a level of competence at the port of entry. BUT, I’ve driven in very many different countries and I wouldn’t be too happy to have to add yet another delay on my arrival after a journey of several hours. It would be interesting to discover what percentage of drivers caught breaking laws in the UK. I suspect it’s very low, so tests at entry ports would make little or no difference.

I also suspect, but again with no data to back this up, that the majority of car drivers are only interested in getting from A to B as quickly and easily as they can. Therefore they take no notice of changes until it’s too late - either an incident or a fine. Education is obviously needed, but getting people interested in learning and staying up-to-date is a major challenge. When you consider that everyone behind the wheel of a car is in control (or not!) of a potential killing machine then surely the only answer is routine testing as set out by m80. I would even go so far as to say that the retests should’ve to a higher standard than the original ones - people should get better with experience.

 

[Stratman]

.........................................

But I think part of the issue is that the majority of drivers on the road today took their theory test well before smart motorways ever came into being. In fact, I took my own theory test sitting with the examiner in the car (as I suspect many others here did).

I also suspect that too many drivers are not sure if the red X is the same as a 'no entry' sign or a red light, or perhaps it is akin to the 'lane closed ahead' sign of old.

.............................................

When you and everybody else applied for their full licence, they undertook to keep themselves up to date with traffic law and the Highway Code. You might not even remember ticking the box but you did, and it's both a legal undertaking and a condition of your licence being issued. As you rightly say in your post, ignorance is no defence. It really isn't.

 

[m80]

When you and everybody else applied for their full licence

Blimey I can't remember that far back.,you could tell me anything.
I was so excited about getting a passion wagon to lose my cherry in I would have ticked anything.

 

[Dryce]

It would be interesting to discover what percentage of drivers caught breaking laws in the UK. I suspect it’s very low, so tests at entry ports would make little or no difference.

Anecdotally .... speeding has been a disproportionate problem in the past. Impunity breeds contempt.

And I suspect there have been a more than a few 'driving on the wrong side of the road' incidents in Scotland that are simply not talked about as such - swept under the carpet.

 

[markjay]

The issue with imposing any sort of restrictions on drivers with foreign driving licenses is, of course, reciprocity. We obviously don't want any restrictions imposed on us whenever we drive to the Continent or hire a car while on holiday abroad.

 

[Rayny]

Just to bring cyclists into the lack of adherence to the rules of the road -
Today I saw a cyclist ignore a red light, another cyclist at the crossroads rode up onto the pavement to cross the junction (because their light had just turned red).
The two cyclists almost 'T'-boned' each other.

On a more serious note I have seen so many cars and motorbikes ignoring road signs (No entry, solid white lines, driving half on the incorrect side of the road Etc. ), and risky driving (using the incorrect lane to overtake on roundabouts, I even had somebody overtake me on a railway crossing) that I am becoming ever more overcautious.

 

[AW8]

I have driven in deserted built up areas at 3am...I wouldn't ignore red traffic lights unless in exceptional circ's , (someone trying to dangerously attack me etc).

A red X should be treated at least as seriously as a red traffic light.

Red "X" lane closures, ( & other variable signage), may often seem daft but road users seldom know the full circ's.....Police may have received a report of a scaffold pole, persons, animals or diesel on the carriageway. Gantry lights can be initiated before a resource has arrived to deal.

There may be occasions when variable displays aren't needed.....I am not a fan of Russian Roulette.

I have more of an issue with automated enforcement cameras at badly designed junctions.

 

[John N]

Deleted!

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Lots of jerking creaking knees in this thread, aren't there? FFS... Get a sense of proportion, will you?

Far too often, a lane is closed and there's nothing there, so if you can clearly see the whole road for a decent distance, and traffic is flowing normally in the remaining open lanes, I don't see that you're doing anything hazardous by driving in the closed lane. Yes, you're breaking the law, as indeed you are by doing 100 mph in an AMG on a bone-dry, deserted motorway at 7 a.m. on a sunny Sunday morning, but hazardous? The main objective of traffic laws is to keep the roads safe, and where no hazard exists, penalising drivers simply 'because it's the law' doesn't impress me much.

Obviously, though, if you are going to get caught you don't do it! I'm not sure that in this specific example the drivers who carried on in the closed lane deserve much sympathy; they should have seen both the flooded section, and the police car, and moved out of the closed lane.

So although there are road rules, you interpret the rules to suit you? What if all road users did that?

If "the traffic is flowing normally in the remaining open lanes" why do you need to use the closed lane?

 

[baxlin]

As a ‘Senior Citizen’ I think it’s ageist to only prosecute 50plus drivers, why not punish the younger perpetrators as well?

 

[BTB 500]

I have driven in deserted built up areas at 3am...I wouldn't ignore red traffic lights unless in exceptional circ's , (someone trying to dangerously attack me etc).

Subjectively I see more people going through red lights now than I ever did in the past - blatantly steaming through at full speed a second or two after they've gone red at large junctions. I wonder if it's to do with more widespread use of satnavs/phone apps that warn of red light cameras? I know it's always been good practice to check to the sides when going through a green light but I'm trying to do it all the time now. These two junctions near me are terrible - the first one is new (it used to be a roundabout) ... the cost was over £3 million so it seems crazy they didn't include a few red light cameras when building it (there's been one for decades a couple of miles up the road). The second junction is a roundabout with permanent traffic lights all the way round it. They're both on the the 'A322/A329 corridor' (the main route between the M3 and M4), so are pretty busy most of the time.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

As a ‘Senior Citizen’ I think it’s ageist to only prosecute 50plus drivers, why not punish the younger perpetrators as well?

That’s how I first read the thread title.

 

[whitenemesis]

Can traffic lights go "out of sync"?
There's a set I frequently pass through and many times cars cross when my light is on green. I've learnt not to be too prompt at moving off!
Reported to highways dept but nothing done

 

[John N]

Can traffic lights go "out of sync"?
There's a set I frequently pass through and many times cars cross when my light is on green. I've learnt not to be too prompt at moving off!
Reported to highways dept but nothing done

If "Out of Sync" is to blame almost ALL Sets of Traffic Lights in Peterborough must be suffering from the same Fate!

 

[Deleted member 150136]

Crikey, I'm glad I hardly drive these days.
I usually walk or ride my bike to the nearest market town 2 miles away, I hardly ever go to the big real town(and even that isn't substantial).
After reading that most on here see incidents on numerous occasions on a daily basis I'm to keep the car parked for polishing purpose only!

 

[BTB 500]

Can traffic lights go "out of sync"?

Not AFAIK - I think you are seeing people jumping the lights. But I suspect on many busy roads the delay between one set going red and the other going green has been reduced (to try and speed up the traffic flow).

 

[Deleted member 65149]

Subjectively I see more people going through red lights now than I ever did in the past - blatantly steaming through at full speed a second or two after they've gone red at large junctions. I wonder if it's to do with more widespread use of satnavs/phone apps that warn of red light cameras? I know it's always been good practice to check to the sides when going through a green light but I'm trying to do it all the time now. These two junctions near me are terrible - the first one is new (it used to be a roundabout) ... the cost was over £3 million so it seems crazy they didn't include a few red light cameras when building it (there's been one for decades a couple of miles up the road). The second junction is a roundabout with permanent traffic lights all the way round it. They're both on the the 'A322/A329 corridor' (the main route between the M3 and M4), so are pretty busy most of the time.

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I didn’t know that the Coral Reef roundabout had been replaced. I must have spent hours in total sitting in cars on Nine Mile Ride waiting for half a gap to let me enter!

Back(ish) on subject, the red light jumpers are one of my major worries. There have been a few occasions when I’ve gone through lights whilst they’re changing and berated myself because I could have stopped, only to see in my mirrors at least one vehicle following me through at speed. The thought of what might have happened if I did stop was frightening. I share your need to check either side when passing through green lights.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

If "Out of Sync" is to blame almost ALL Sets of Traffic Lights in Peterborough must be suffering from the same Fate!

Ain’t that the truth. Just as I keep missing the signs on the slip roads entering the Parkways that give motorists on the slips priority over everyone else!

 

[E55BOF]

So although there are road rules, you interpret the rules to suit you? What if all road users did that?

As I said earlier, it depends on the circumstances.

If "the traffic is flowing normally in the remaining open lanes" why do you need to use the closed lane?

Good point, well put. If I can see the way is clear, and I can make progress without inconveniencing any other driver, or getting a ticket, why not, though?

 

[Stratman]

^^^Your eyesight must be exceptional to see spilt diesel, pieces of broken glass, nails or a myriad of other reasons for the full distance of the lane closure at 70mph.

As already mentioned, just because you personally can't see a reason for the closure doesn't mean there isn't one.