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Running a red light

What happens when you run a red light? I accidentally did it yesterday as the light changed as I was passing through making it unsafe to do an emergency stop so I just kept going. There were no police/cameras/witnesses around but I'm extremely paranoid right now in case I get fined as I would have my license taking off me as I am a fairly new driver. There were no pedestrians on the road too waiting to cross or anything like that. Do you think theres not need to worry since there was no one around to see it? I've also been back down on that road to double check and there are no cameras on the road whatsoever.
(edited 7 years ago)

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By the sounds of it you did the right thing by passing through as the light changed anyway. A lot of drivers do it fairly frequently. Not many traffic lights have cameras and if they do they are usually fairly obvious - I wouldn't worry about it at all.
If you went through on an Amber it's fine, if you ran a Red and you were caught, then you'd be screwed but if no cameras and no one else to report, you'll be fine.

Original post by Anonymous
There's nothing wrong with that, don't worry. As far as I'm aware, as long as you're travelling over 50mph you can run a red light whenever, it's only if you're going slowly it's dangerous. Hope this helps :smile:


Cite where in the Highway Code they state that, I've not seen that.
Original post by Anonymous
There's nothing wrong with that, don't worry. As far as I'm aware, as long as you're travelling over 50mph you can run a red light whenever, it's only if you're going slowly it's dangerous. Hope this helps :smile:


Is there something wrong with you??
You shouldn't be on the road with that attitude to driving
And you wonder why insurance for young drivers costs so much!!!!
Original post by PandaSal
If you went through on an Amber it's fine, if you ran a Red and you were caught, then you'd be screwed but if no cameras and no one else to report, you'll be fine.



Cite where in the Highway Code they state that, I've not seen that.


It's just one of those rules of the road type things. The same way, flashing someone to say thank you is technically illegal but it's done all the time and no one would actually prosecute you for it. I think most would argue it's a sign of good driving. Hope this helps :smile:
Original post by Sammylou40
Is there something wrong with you??
You shouldn't be on the road with that attitude to driving
And you wonder why insurance for young drivers costs so much!!!!


I hate to break it to you but I'm in my late 40's, been driving since the age of 17 and never even had so much as a speeding ticket...
Original post by lharries13
What happens when you run a red light? I accidentally did it yesterday as the light changed as I was passing through making it unsafe to do an emergency stop so I just kept going. There were no police/cameras/witnesses around but I'm extremely paranoid right now in case I get fined as I would have my license taking off me as I am a fairly new driver. Do you think theres not need to worry since there was no one around to see it? I've also been back down on that road to double check and there are no cameras on the road whatsoever.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/light-signals-controlling-traffic

Amber means stop, unless to do so would cause an accident.

Sorry, but going through on red means that you shouldn't driving, as you're observation is clearly lacking (absent a traffic light fault).
Original post by Anonymous
I hate to break it to you but I'm in my late 40's, been driving since the age of 17 and never even had so much as a speeding ticket...


Snap, snap and snap
Advocating running a red light at 50 is truly idiotic
Original post by Anonymous
There's nothing wrong with that, don't worry. As far as I'm aware, as long as you're travelling over 50mph you can run a red light whenever, it's only if you're going slowly it's dangerous. Hope this helps :smile:

Was that meant to be a joke? It's not funny - running a red light can kill.
Original post by Anonymous
I hate to break it to you but I'm in my late 40's, been driving since the age of 17 and never even had so much as a speeding ticket...

The law applies to you, just as it does to everyone else. You urgently need to learn what the law says, before you kill someone. That not having happened yet is not evidence that your driving is good.
Moved to cars and motoring

Original post by Anonymous
There's nothing wrong with that, don't worry. As far as I'm aware, as long as you're travelling over 50mph you can run a red light whenever, it's only if you're going slowly it's dangerous. Hope this helps :smile:


And nearly kill people? I've lost the amount of times I've nearly been run over by someone running a red light. I'm partially sighted and rely on the lights and others to use their brains to allow me to cross roads safely.
Ignore post about seeding through red lights being okay - Incredibly stupid, and hopefully just a troll.

Skipping a red isn't usually a simple accident. In future, keep your wits about you and stop if you see amber. It'll save you a lot of worry, and be safer too.
Original post by lharries13
What happens when you run a red light? I accidentally did it yesterday as the light changed as I was passing through making it unsafe to do an emergency stop so I just kept going. There were no police/cameras/witnesses around but I'm extremely paranoid right now in case I get fined as I would have my license taking off me as I am a fairly new driver. There were no pedestrians on the road too waiting to cross or anything like that. Do you think theres not need to worry since there was no one around to see it? I've also been back down on that road to double check and there are no cameras on the road whatsoever.


Did you check whether the traffic light had a camera on the top of it?
Reply 13
Original post by Reality Check
Did you check whether the traffic light had a camera on the top of it?


Yes. I went back down the same road and looked everywhere and there was nothing.
Original post by lharries13
Yes. I went back down the same road and looked everywhere and there was nothing.


You might have got away with it then. But I agree with everyone else when they say that going through a red light can be incredibly dangerous. You could have caused an accident.
Original post by lharries13
Yes. I went back down the same road and looked everywhere and there was nothing.


Then hopefully this time there's no penalty. Have you learned your lesson? Concentrate a bit more next time. You don't want a major incident on your hands. Or points on your licence already
Reply 16
Original post by Anonymous
There's nothing wrong with that, don't worry. As far as I'm aware, as long as you're travelling over 50mph you can run a red light whenever, it's only if you're going slowly it's dangerous. Hope this helps :smile:


It doesn't. It's rubbish.
Reply 17
Original post by Reality Check
You might have got away with it then. But I agree with everyone else when they say that going through a red light can be incredibly dangerous. You could have caused an accident.


I know and I feel awful about the whole thing. I'm just grateful that nobody was around who could have maybe been injured.
Original post by Doonesbury
It doesn't. It's rubbish.


Fact.
Original post by Anonymous
It's just one of those rules of the road type things. The same way, flashing someone to say thank you is technically illegal but it's done all the time and no one would actually prosecute you for it. I think most would argue it's a sign of good driving. Hope this helps :smile:

So it states it nowhere and I bet if a policeman saw you, you'd be stopped and arrested for dangerous driving.

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