The Student Room Group

Ran a red light?

Earlier while driving back from college, i was driving at 30mph (the speed limit) when i saw a pedestrian approach a red light and press the button. As I was so close I figured it would not change before I got there, but literally about 2 seconds after he pushed it, it went orange, just as i was about to go through. I started to slow, but realising I probably wouldn't make it in time (unless I did an emergancy stop) I kept going, and when I went through It may have been red. Out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw a flash coming from the other side of the road, and a few meters down from the lights (but i guess it could've come from anywhere... it was a flash afterall) but I thought nothing of it. But then I thought, possibly I've been flashed running a red light? The light may well have been just red by the time i got through it (although the pedestrian was oblivious as he was staring down at his phone, and the green man presumably had yet to appear). So I've been wondering, what is the likelihood that a ticket will come through? It was only a pedestrian crossing, its not like I went through a crossroad or anything, and it wasn't a big one. And if a ticket comes through, will I have any grounds to contest it? Maybe that stopping would have been unsafe (I had a full car, so stopping distance would have been increased, and I'm pretty sure there was a car behind me). Also, as I only passed in December, is it 6 points maximum that you can get, or if you get 6 points you lose your license? Because this seems like the kind of thing that could happen again quite easily, and it seems stupid that I could lose my license if it was to! :woo:
If you ran it, then you have no grounds. Just go with it & stay quiet..
Reply 2
If it's just a pedestrian I very much doubt it but check here just in case http://www.speedcamerasuk.com/speed-camera-database.htm

It may not have been a flash at all, might just be a lamp post blocking light for a millisecond (if you get what I mean) lol
Marcus_Q
It was only a pedestrian crossing, its not like I went through a crossroad or anything, and it wasn't a big one.

The people that use pedestrian crossings are soft and squishy and have lives, even if they are a bit more agile.
The cars that use crossroads tend to be made of metal, have extensive testing done on them to make them handle being hit/hitting things better and can be replaced with money.
Just a thought.
You wont get a ticket but you might want to look at taking an advance driving course!
Reply 5
Are you sure there was a red light camera there?

I usually go 10mph less than the limit for red light cameras.
Reply 6
http://www.speedcameramap.co.uk/

Check here if there is a camera. I think it's extremely unlikely for a pedestrian crossing.
Reply 7
I'm with the others, you don't see that many red light cameras and when you do they're on main road junctions not crossings..
Reply 8
It's if you get 6 points in your first two years of driving you have to retake you test iirc.
Yep 6 points and bye bye license. Followed by an extended driving test and one hell of an insurance premium. If you get a letter through, you don't really have any grounds to argue it. Maybe if you have the money, hire a solicitor to have a look in and see if there are any loopholes, but its most likely a fine and 3 points.

Just be careful over the next 2 years if you do, I can't think of anything worse than having to re-take my test!
fosters88
1) better forward planning. Driving requires constant refreshed anaylsis of the ongoing current situation you are in whilst driving. You should adjust your driving to the situation, so really you should have been at a speed where you could stop safely with no issue.



This is sound advice.
This is precisely what driving an automobile is about.
Reply 11
Im not expert on the Law, However ive been driving a while and it sounds like you were pretty much committed, doing an emergency stop is for an Emergency and you shouldn't be doing one unless it is just that. What if you had done an emergency stop lost control and hit the pedestrian or traffic light after losing control?

I wouldn't worry but that's just me.
Reply 12
Camera's on traffic lights are normally activated 2 seconds after the light has gone red. From the description the OP could clearly not stop safely and for that reason I would have done the same thing.
fosters88

1) better forward planning. Driving requires constant refreshed anaylsis of the ongoing current situation you are in whilst driving. You should adjust your driving to the situation, so really you should have been at a speed where you could stop safely with no issue.


i was going to say the esact same thing...when you dive you need to be decisive and plan ahead....you shouldnt be in a situation where the light is green, turns to orange and you think you cna make it through...but then decide you cant and carry on....

if the light has been on green for a while then 'assume' that it may go to orange soon...lights dont stay green forever, what my adi taught me was if someone is AT the crossing and has PRESSED the button....thats a pretty obvious indicator that the light will be changing soon... you need to pay more attention to what is going on and not get 'tunnel vision' and just focusing on the road ahead

it does get my goat how indecisive drivers are..you either do or dont when it comes to driving...yesterday i was coming down a narrow road only 1 car could squeeze down at a time and i saw a car coming in the distance towards me (it was dark and i could see headlights), so i pulled over into a space to let it through.....sat there about 7 seconds or so...only for the other car to come right near me...then pull into a space itself and flashed its headlights to let me through!!!........when i had aleady stopped!!!!! people need to adapt to situations quicker...if someone stops for you...go through, take it! dont stop yourself and you both end up sitting there not knowing who should go through 1st....i just sat there and flashed them so they went through, im not going to risk us both going at once!!!

my driving instructor always taught me (and rightly so) to be a 'defensive driver' ie: be prepared for other people to make mistakes and you be the one to correct it, rather than expecting other people to correct their own mistakes...

edit: also the story sounds a bit fishy to me...if the OP was doing 30mph, i dont see how they could have been heading towards a green light, it changed to orange...they tried to brake but couldnt as it would be an emergency stop so they ended up going thorugh a red... surely if you were doing 30, you would have been far enough away to brake in time or if you were really going too fast you would have been past the light during the orange phase and not seen the red light at all.... i have been driving for 3 years and i dont understand how at 30 you could have seen the green, orange and red lights and not have a chance to react when going that slow, the only time i have encountered this kind of thing is when i have been on a 50mph road with traffic lights and sometimes when it turns orange it really would be too sudden of a stop....but 30...? i think someone needs to have quicker reactions... you should have just gone through the orange without stopping as you made it worse by being indecisive wether you could stop or not..
Reply 14
Meh, there is a pedestrian crossing near me that is broken, literally if the person presses the button next thing you know the traffic light is red with no care for the amount of traffic going through the lights or anything. This is why I can understand the OPs story, because the exact same thing happened to me. Now I know it is there you prepare for it, but you don't expect a pedestrian to walk up to a crossing as you are right on top of it and the lights to change straight to red with a large queue of traffic behind you! Safer option in this case is to go through the red than emergency stop and cause a pile up.

As well as doing the generic safe driving that an ADI teaches you, you also have to be flexible and react to individual situations. To lecture on limited information is unwise.
Reply 15
Original post by Marcus_Q
Earlier while driving back from college, i was driving at 30mph (the speed limit) when i saw a pedestrian approach a red light and press the button. As I was so close I figured it would not change before I got there, but literally about 2 seconds after he pushed it, it went orange, just as i was about to go through. I started to slow, but realising I probably wouldn't make it in time (unless I did an emergancy stop) I kept going, and when I went through It may have been red. Out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw a flash coming from the other side of the road, and a few meters down from the lights (but i guess it could've come from anywhere... it was a flash afterall) but I thought nothing of it. But then I thought, possibly I've been flashed running a red light? The light may well have been just red by the time i got through it (although the pedestrian was oblivious as he was staring down at his phone, and the green man presumably had yet to appear). So I've been wondering, what is the likelihood that a ticket will come through? It was only a pedestrian crossing, its not like I went through a crossroad or anything, and it wasn't a big one. And if a ticket comes through, will I have any grounds to contest it? Maybe that stopping would have been unsafe (I had a full car, so stopping distance would have been increased, and I'm pretty sure there was a car behind me). Also, as I only passed in December, is it 6 points maximum that you can get, or if you get 6 points you lose your license? Because this seems like the kind of thing that could happen again quite easily, and it seems stupid that I could lose my license if it was to! :woo:


Did you get a fixed penalty notice?
Best thing you can do tbh is keep quiet and hope for the best

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