Slightly worried about crossing red traffic lights - I have mitigating circumstances in my favour

[BTB 500]

You clearly stated I rang "101." I asked you to direct me to the posts where I had said that which of course I had not.

Ah OK, that's the confusion. That's not what I said at all:

A quick hands-free call to 101 (the police non-emergency number) would perhaps have been the best action - they would likely have cleared you to go through and logged the issue. Getting someone else in the car to video what was going on might also have been a good idea as this could have been used to support your account if necessary.

It's just occurred to me though that English might not be your native tongue ... I noticed in a post on another thread today that you seemed to get genders mixed up:

Someone who I knew ago felt he was a racing driver just because she had a slk. I told him once that he'd not only get banned but possibly kill someone
and end up in jail when he told me about speeding down the Embankment along the river Thames.
When he eventually got a ban of only 3 months as magistrates took pitty I guess, ie he needed car for her work
as he had a certain target to complete ie assessments which were often miles apart, did she cry like....

If that's the reason then I apologise - you are way better at English than I am at any other language!

 

[MSG2004]

Ah OK, that's the confusion. That's not what I said at all


you are way better at English than I am at any other language!

I've never personally called 101, but even if you didn't get through to someone the fact that you'd made the call would have been further evidence of your desire to act lawfully.

What does the highlighted bit say?
Thanks.

 

[MrGreedy]

What does the highlighted bit say?
Thanks.

It was a hypothetical 'even better if' that we can all bear in mind for next time.
That's how I read it, and I think it's a good idea. I don't think it was an accusation nor intended any offence.

 

[BTB 500]

What does the highlighted bit say?
Thanks.

It says "would have been further evidence". Conditional upon you having made a call, which everyone knows you didn't.

As I said, it was just a suggestion.

 

[V12cat]

Your only mistake is actually worrying about this. If you get a letter, deal with it. If you don't, which is epically more likely, forget about it. The rest of the above is pure conjecture.

Worst case you'll end up on a zoom course for 3 hours.

 

[MSG2004]

It was a hypothetical 'even better if' that we can all bear in mind for next time.
That's how I read it, and I think it's a good idea. I don't think it was an accusation nor intended any offence.

You iposted "It's just occurred to me though that English might not be your native tongue
........ I'm not going to argue with
that as I don't have a Masters in English


You stated. yesterday "fact that you'd made the call would have been further evidence ."

"Fact " is not "hypothetical," - You are at your liberty to look up the definitions of these two "hypothetical and fact,"

If there has been any misunderstanding, it is not on my part.

 

[keith of kent]

Many years ago at a set of roadwork traffic lights that had been stuck on red for a least 10 mins I drove carefully and slowly across. Unfortunately witnessed by an off duty copper who reported me and I received a summons to the magistrates court.
I admitted what I had done and the magistrates said they would all have done as I did, but because I had admitted crossing a red light I got 3 points, no fine. Would rather have had the fine.
I later learnt that if I had argued that the equipment did not constitute a set of traffic lights as they were not functioning, I would have got away with it

 

[MSG2004]

Many years ago at a set of roadwork traffic lights that had been stuck on red for a least 10 mins I drove carefully and slowly across. Unfortunately witnessed by an off duty copper who reported me and I received a summons to the magistrates court.
I admitted what I had done and the magistrates said they would all have done as I did, but because I had admitted crossing a red light I got 3 points, no fine. Would rather have had the fine.
I later learnt that if I had argued that the equipment did not constitute a set of traffic lights as they were not functioning, I would have got away with it

Cheers for sharing. Did you cite rule 176, the part that refers to stuck lights having given it "reasonable time" and driving through "with extreme caution"?

You did the right thing by going to court as you genuinely felt, observed and considered for a reasonable time that the lights were stuck on red.

Where I was stuck at the lights, there was no option to turn back either.

What you have posted may help many GENUINE drivers who are caught up in this type of scenrio.

 

[BTB 500]

Many years ago at a set of roadwork traffic lights that had been stuck on red for a least 10 mins I drove carefully and slowly across. Unfortunately witnessed by an off duty copper who reported me and I received a summons to the magistrates court.
I admitted what I had done and the magistrates said they would all have done as I did, but because I had admitted crossing a red light I got 3 points, no fine. Would rather have had the fine.
I later learnt that if I had argued that the equipment did not constitute a set of traffic lights as they were not functioning, I would have got away with it

Good to know. A few years back on one of those police shows on TV I saw people being nicked for going through apparently broken lights at a short set of roadworks. I guess they just let the court sort it out.

In the old days traffic lights ran on fixed timings regardless of traffic flow, so it was pretty much impossible for them to get 'stuck'. I think the issue now is when a sensor fails to pick up a vehicle for whatever reason, but AFAIK they are programmed to handle this by periodically setting a light to green 'just in case' (I certainly see this happen, when there's nothing waiting). Temporary traffic lights use IR sensors I think and people occasionally stop too far back to be picked up. I wonder if some permanent lights are like this now as it would be a much cheaper setup than the traditional strips let into the road surface.

 

[Pontoneer]

Surely there isn't a traffic light in the land that takes more than 5 minutes to change?

Some rely on their sensors detecting approaching vehicles before they will change , particularly those controlling a side road or minor entrance where relatively less traffic is likely to arrive .

 

[Pontoneer]

Good to know. A few years back on one of those police shows on TV I saw people being nicked for going through apparently broken lights at a short set of roadworks. I guess they just let the court sort it out.

In the old days traffic lights ran on fixed timings regardless of traffic flow, so it was pretty much impossible for them to get 'stuck'. I think the issue now is when a sensor fails to pick up a vehicle for whatever reason, but AFAIK they are programmed to handle this by periodically setting a light to green 'just in case' (I certainly see this happen, when there's nothing waiting). Temporary traffic lights use IR sensors I think and people occasionally stop too far back to be picked up. I wonder if some permanent lights are like this now as it would be a much cheaper setup than the traditional strips let into the road surface.

I have in the past , if stopped for temporary lights and no one behind , backed up and then moved forward again , and found that this movement can trigger the lights to change .

The other thing with temporary lights is that they on occasion will not control a side entrance part way through them , and people emerging , despite looking both ways , can find themselves in conflict with other traffic which subsequently arrived and proceeded with their green light . They also sometimes don't allow enough time for slow moving vehicles , or cyclists , to clear the length of the roadworks . Caution is always required , even if you do see a green light .

 

[Pontoneer]

Calling 101 from the traffic lights is hilarious!

It is a perfectly sensible thing to do , because the call is recorded and it would provide you with a defence if you were caught on camera .

 

[Pontoneer]

I've never personally called 101, but even if you didn't get through to someone the fact that you'd made the call would have been further evidence of your desire to act lawfully.

The other thing that can be helpful is if you have a dashcam recording that showed how long you waited , possibly recorded impatient horn soundings from behind , and the passage of traffic from other directions .

 

[Pontoneer]

Kinda losing the will to live...

What does the team think the correct action should be here?

View attachment 166320

It is for real!
Extra point if the location is identified...

I would wait a few moments , assuming the lights had just changed from red and the oncoming car had gone on green , then I'd proceed with caution , giving a horn warning before the bend to alert any oncoming traffic of my presence and approach . I'd also be checking the lights at the other end to see if they were also at odds with each other . As in all these cases , dashcam footage is invaluable .

 

[Pontoneer]

Hasn't this thread run it's course?

Perhaps the lights are stuck ?