24 replies to this topic

[Flying Brick]

Hello there,

Just a quick question (because I'm worried):

Is a driver liable to be prosecuted for hopping over the thick white line when the ATS/traffic lights go from amber to red, if the front wheels are already over the line on an amber (i.e. before red)? No camera flash seen (though it doesn't mean it didn't happen) and camera a more traditional type (i.e. probably doesn't have infra-red flash).

Full story coming later if you want.

Many thanks for now - much appreciated.

F.B.

[GazT4R]

I believe they time delay activate once the red is active, plus they also record speed.
Don't worry you'll know if it went off.

Edited by GazT4R, 15 September 2010 - 17:20 .

[garytheanimal]

You're right it is time delayed, 2 seconds after the red light and will only activate if a car is in the middle of the junction, don't worry about it mate

[Heman]

They don't all record speed, however I think they are getting more popular. The ones that do record speed have to be coloured in a highly visable reflective sheet (i.e yellow). But as per time delay .

[V70Ben]

Talk about bringing a thread back from the dead

In any case...

Even the old ones recorded speed on a violation, and also timing information from the ATS.

The new ones will/can enforce speeding AND red light offences seperately or together.



The "sensors" on the vast majority are Piezo Strips buried in the road surface, usually about 2 metres in front of the stop line (in some cases it's 2 foot!).

Got nothing to do with you being in the middle of the junction...

[grainqey]

+1 to what ben says, if you go over the line on some you'll get done provided your after the time delay, i thought about creeping forward but my mate told me not to as i'd get done lol (because of where the strips were positioned)
alex

[garytheanimal]

[grainqey]

dont give me that look and dont ask why i wanted to try it, i was bemused by the idea of rolling over the line just to trick it into going off

[RobbieH]

grainqey, on 15 July 2011 - 07:26 , said:

dont give me that look and dont ask why i wanted to try it, i was bemused by the idea of rolling over the line just to trick it into going off

Alex, think about why this thread is in this section of the forum? Whats the third word of the section title? Hint

Don't forget, I've met Gary and know just a leetle bit about his background   .

[grainqey]

sorry Gary   
....a family member is of the ex plod nature but i did wonder what'd happen if you set off a red light camera from triggering it but without actually going through it properly. anyway i've just been thinking how long 2 seconds is at 40mph and its quite far to not stop....  why the F would somebody run a red light when it'd turned to red after being on amber and been on red for 2 seconds or so
do they like to play bumper cars?

[garytheanimal]

grainqey, on 15 July 2011 - 09:16 , said:

sorry Gary   
....a family member is of the ex plod nature but i did wonder what'd happen if you set off a red light camera from triggering it but without actually going through it properly. anyway i've just been thinking how long 2 seconds is at 40mph and its quite far to not stop....  why the F would somebody run a red light when it'd turned to red after being on amber and been on red for 2 seconds or so
do they like to play bumper cars?

It was me!   i was the imbecile that went through on Red, 3am after finishing a shift late i approached a filter system Green going left and Red to go straight on, i was in the left lane to go home but realised at the last minute i was going to my girlfriends that at the time meant going straight on, i switched lanes checking my mirror but not checking that the light for me was Green, it flashed of course but i was more happy it was 3am and there wasn't any traffic to cause a pile-up. My fault and i accepted it when i got the letter, Trafford Council told me (after accepting it) that i would get the mandatory 3 points but they were now trialling a scheme whereby your fine was based on your earnings, doh! so my fine was £140 + £20 court costs (i never opted to go to court )

After this i looked into the way the cameras operate and was told what i posted earlier, i'll have it that cameras depending on make and design do differ in the way they work but that was my personal experience. Maybe that because it was a major junction and you come downhill to it the delay is set at two seconds after Red? To my knowledge the NIP is still two weeks so i give it the two weeks then stop panicking, happy to say that i've gone from nine points to none now, and i'm hoping to keep it that way.

Obviously reading the posts on here all the lines and sensors are set at different intervals, i'm just surprised at the two foot one....must be a lot of taxi drivers with Red light points

[garytheanimal]

Oh and apologies for reviving a dead thread, didn't realise until i'd posted the reply

[grainqey]

no worries gary
...i wouldnt like to think how much i would get fined based on earnings, the amount of tax is a big enough fine lol

[Exocet]

The bit that's concerned me - What if you're stopped in the middle of the junction, on a right turn for example, after the light has gone red. Perhaps your rear wheels are behind the sensor strips, and you go - What's the legality there? This is fairly standard practice for lights that don't have a dedicated right turn signal.

This is one of the reasons I hate all these automated cameras. A traffic cop can look at each situation individually, and usually you're going to be treated fairly.

[Philiprreeves]

Ok, if ur rear wheels have crossed thee solid wh line prior to the red light u are safe. It doesn't matter which way u r turning as long as ur rear wheels are across that line. U can some times be waiting upto a minute to turn right at a busy junction and as long as ur back wheels are across the line ur ok. The camera will trigger if it sees movement across that line at the time of displaying red.

[Exocet]

V70Ben, on 14 July 2011 - 17:55 , said:

The "sensors" on the vast majority are Piezo Strips buried in the road surface, usually about 2 metres in front of the stop line (in some cases it's 2 foot!).

I'm not so sure.

As Ben has stated, the strips are usually 2 metres in front of the stop line, chances are right where you're going to be stopped whilst waiting to turn right!

[Philiprreeves]

Hi mate, Ben is correct in that the strips are ; positioned after the line, however i'm not too sure of the correct distance. I'll have a word tomorrow at work.

When i was on my 5 week advanced Police pursuit driving course, back in  November this was a question that came up a number of times in our car. The instructor, who back it up with the legislation repeatedly stated to one of the students that as long as the rear wheels were across the line prior to red displaying u do not commit an offence, where u get a NIP through ur door for  prosecution is another matter and one for ur solicitor to argue depending on where the strips are located on that particular junction.

ALWAYS request the photo, guilty or not..

The offence is crossing the solid line whilst the light is displaying RED. If u have already crossed that line ur safe. The strips are there for that reason, to count and detect if the vh has already crossed the line prior to or after RED.

Edited by Philiprreeves, 17 July 2011 - 09:31 .

[grainqey]

come on phil, i thought your answer would read "i now go so fast in my now fast T5 that i can evade speed cameras because im going so fast"

[Philiprreeves]

Well that's also true mate lol

[grainqey]

lol you'll have to be a traffic instructor phil show them how to drive properly...like a nutter