Flashed at the Traffic Lights!

[jaymanek]

Hi All,

Was around midnight last thursday, went through a yellow light and one of those grey cameras flashed me...

Got a letter of intended prosecution.

Whats the penalty here?

If its points then I will fight it to the bitter end as the light was yellow and I cant afford any on my license.

Cheers

 

[jaymanek]

Just to note that the light had just gone yellow, It was a wet and empty road and thought it safer to go through than brake harshly in the rain.

 

[PJH]

Should only work after the lights are red.....however the first article does say that they include speed detection technology, the same as a Gatso.
So if you were breaking the speed limit it would have flashed anyway.
http://www.speedcamerasuk.com/TrafficLight.htm
http://www.stvincent.ac.uk/Resources/Physics/Speed/road/redlt.html

Ask the Met

Almost a double funeral here....

 

[GrahamC230K]

You will most likely get a TS10 with 3-6 points I guess. In my experience insurers do not like this conviction and penalise your insurance more heavily than say a 3 or 6 point SP conviction.

Fight it. See at least what proof they have the light was red.

 

[BTB 500]

The first image should show the traffic light and your car crossing the line. If you've had a NIP the chances are someone has looked at this (to get your reg.), and it shows the light on red. But ask to see it anyway. AFAIK the cameras are pretty reliable, triggered by a sensor in the road if a car goes over it after the light has turned red.

 

[Dieselman]

AFAIK the camera device isn't even activated unless the light is on red, and then there may be a second before it is operational as well.
The detectors are inductive lines in the road after the line, so you have to have crossed the line before the camera flashes.

At the risk of being contraversial it sounds like you may have run the red but ask for the proof, and good luck.

 

[ADY1983]

Hi All,

Was around midnight last thursday, went through a yellow light and one of those grey cameras flashed me...

Got a letter of intended prosecution.

Whats the penalty here?

If its points then I will fight it to the bitter end as the light was yellow and I cant afford any on my license.

Cheers

Sounds like you will get a TS10, my wife got the same, £60 fine and 3 points im afraid. But these cameras are cr@p i was coming up to a set the other day the car in front went through as it changed amber and it flashed him. Definatly wasn't red, I dont know what you can do. Good luck with it tho
Ady

 

[jaymanek]

Not looking good! thanks for the advice anyway...

 

[illidan]

the standard penalty for running a red light is 3 points and a £60 fine,
this is what my brother in law got. if i was you i would ask for the picture and see what the picture shows. it normally tells you how long the light was on red when the picture was taken.

if you are sure it was yellow then i would fight it.

good luck.

 

[Plodd]

I can only echo what has been said above. The camera shouldn't trigger unless the light was red when you crossed the line. If you feel this wasn't the case ask to see the photographic evidence which should be conclusive proof one way or the other.

This is no way meant to be patronising or particularly adressed to you jaymanek but a genuine question, what does the amber light mean? Or green for that matter and the answer isn't a straight 'go'. I am always amazed how many people don't know the answer to these basic questions.

 

[GrahamC230K]

Plodd, come on. We all know green means go and amber means go faster!!

 

[KLP 92]

Plodd, come on. We all know green means go and amber means go faster!!

Exactly what i thought! Amber=kickdown

 

[Dieter]

Hi Jaymanek,

Best scenario is that lights were amber as you approached them then went red as you crossed them. Unfortunately, that's called 'jumping the lights' . You should always drive such that you can stop at a (potential) hazard so, unfortunately you don't have any (real) excuse. The fact that it was raining means you should have been travelling more slowly (so you could stop more quickly etc.).

Lets face it. You jumped the lights. No harm done I know, but in my book jumping the lights is far worse than speeding. I'd much prefer more cameras for traffic light offences than for speeding.

Move on. Don't get tangled up in trying to prove camera was malfunctioning etc. the 'grief' will just be perpetuated.

I'm just giving you an objective/honest point of view.

Cheers,

Dieter

 

[BTB 500]

BTW, I have another possible explanation that could explain being flashed on amber - aren't some traffic light cameras 'dual purpose' i.e. they act as speed cameras too? Presumably you could tell from the NIP what your offence was meant to be.

 

[jeremytaylor]

This is no way meant to be patronising or particularly adressed to you jaymanek but a genuine question, what does the amber light mean? Or green for that matter and the answer isn't a straight 'go'. I am always amazed how many people don't know the answer to these basic questions.

Putting my serious hat on, I would say:

Green. Proceed if clear (with usual caution, blah, blah, blah).

Amber. Stop, if safe to do.

Bought myself the Highway Codoe the other day to 'freshen up', but haven't got to this bit yet.

Would be glad to see your answer, Plodd.

 

[PJH]

BTW, I have another possible explanation that could explain being flashed on amber - aren't some traffic light cameras 'dual purpose' i.e. they act as speed cameras too? Presumably you could tell from the NIP what your offence was meant to be.

YES !!

Should only work after the lights are red.....however the first article does say that they include speed detection technology, the same as a Gatso.
So if you were breaking the speed limit it would have flashed anyway.
http://www.speedcamerasuk.com/TrafficLight.htm

 

[jaymanek]

No it says Contravening Red Traffic Light... dont think I was speeding....

 

[PJH]

All the photos on the stvincent.ac.uk website clearly show the red lights at the junction, not just the car.
If you're sure the lights were still amber then a photo will show this.
Ask for the photo evidence.

 

[BTB 500]

YES !!

Oops ... sorry ... missed that

Was distracted by the excellent picture!

 

[panason1c]

At the risk of sounding like a 'jobsworth'......Amber means exactly the same as red..........STOP!