running red light-can I get a course instead of the 3 points
Discussion
marshalla said:
Given that an amber means stop unless you've already crossed the stop line, you really don't stand a chance with that argument either.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/light...
Not quite my reading of it.https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/light...
GovUK said:
You may go on only if the AMBER appears after you have crossed the stop line or are so close to it that to pull up might cause an accident
0000 said:
marshalla said:
Given that an amber means stop unless you've already crossed the stop line, you really don't stand a chance with that argument either.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/light...
Not quite my reading of it.https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/light...
GovUK said:
You may go on only if the AMBER appears after you have crossed the stop line or are so close to it that to pull up might cause an accident
By their own wording they are guilty.
4rephill said:
It seems that more and more drivers think the amber light means "speed up and beat the red light" these days, whilst far too many other drivers think it's perfectly okay to drive through a red light.
Perhaps if every single traffic light had a camera fitted to catch red light jumpers, and the punishment for jumping the red light was a £1000 fine and an instant one year driving ban, then people might think twice about chancing it!
Perhaps if every single traffic light had a camera fitted to catch red light jumpers, and the punishment for jumping the red light was a £1000 fine and an instant one year driving ban, then people might think twice about chancing it!
Devil's advocate here-
If you're already less than your stopping distance away from the line by the time you see the amber - and you might not see it in time due, for example, to another vehicle temporarily obscuring your view - then you really don't have a prayer of being able to stop in time.
Should that be the case, then speeding up would increase your chances of crossing the line before it turns red.
Now I know there are probably people who want to tell me that you should slow down if your view of the lights is obscured, but doing so is no guarantee of staying out of trouble - in fact you could actually be making things worse by increasing the time during which the lights could change unseen, so unless you think that it's a good idea to perform a full-on emergency stop as soon as the lights become obscured from view...
If you're already less than your stopping distance away from the line by the time you see the amber - and you might not see it in time due, for example, to another vehicle temporarily obscuring your view - then you really don't have a prayer of being able to stop in time.
Should that be the case, then speeding up would increase your chances of crossing the line before it turns red.
Now I know there are probably people who want to tell me that you should slow down if your view of the lights is obscured, but doing so is no guarantee of staying out of trouble - in fact you could actually be making things worse by increasing the time during which the lights could change unseen, so unless you think that it's a good idea to perform a full-on emergency stop as soon as the lights become obscured from view...
Edited by Pete317 on Sunday 22 November 15:28
Pete317 said:
Devil's advocate here-
If you're already less than your stopping distance away from the line by the time you see the amber - and you might not see it in time due, for example, to another vehicle temporarily obscuring your view - then you really don't have a prayer of being able to stop in time.
Should that be the case, then speeding up would increase your chances of crossing the line before it turns red.
Now I know there are probably people who want to tell me that you should slow down if your view of the lights is obscured, but doing so is no guarantee of staying out of trouble - in fact you could actually be making things worse by increasing the time during which the lights could change unseen, so unless you think that it's a good idea to perform a full-on emergency stop as soon as the lights become obscured from view...
Quoted before the cold light of reality kicks in and you realise just how bloody silly it is to accelerate towards a situation that you've not even caught a glimpse of for the last two or three seconds.If you're already less than your stopping distance away from the line by the time you see the amber - and you might not see it in time due, for example, to another vehicle temporarily obscuring your view - then you really don't have a prayer of being able to stop in time.
Should that be the case, then speeding up would increase your chances of crossing the line before it turns red.
Now I know there are probably people who want to tell me that you should slow down if your view of the lights is obscured, but doing so is no guarantee of staying out of trouble - in fact you could actually be making things worse by increasing the time during which the lights could change unseen, so unless you think that it's a good idea to perform a full-on emergency stop as soon as the lights become obscured from view...
Edited by Pete317 on Sunday 22 November 15:28
TooMany2cvs said:
Pete317 said:
Devil's advocate here-
If you're already less than your stopping distance away from the line by the time you see the amber - and you might not see it in time due, for example, to another vehicle temporarily obscuring your view - then you really don't have a prayer of being able to stop in time.
Should that be the case, then speeding up would increase your chances of crossing the line before it turns red.
Now I know there are probably people who want to tell me that you should slow down if your view of the lights is obscured, but doing so is no guarantee of staying out of trouble - in fact you could actually be making things worse by increasing the time during which the lights could change unseen, so unless you think that it's a good idea to perform a full-on emergency stop as soon as the lights become obscured from view...
Quoted before the cold light of reality kicks in and you realise just how bloody silly it is to accelerate towards a situation that you've not even caught a glimpse of for the last two or three seconds.If you're already less than your stopping distance away from the line by the time you see the amber - and you might not see it in time due, for example, to another vehicle temporarily obscuring your view - then you really don't have a prayer of being able to stop in time.
Should that be the case, then speeding up would increase your chances of crossing the line before it turns red.
Now I know there are probably people who want to tell me that you should slow down if your view of the lights is obscured, but doing so is no guarantee of staying out of trouble - in fact you could actually be making things worse by increasing the time during which the lights could change unseen, so unless you think that it's a good idea to perform a full-on emergency stop as soon as the lights become obscured from view...
Edited by Pete317 on Sunday 22 November 15:28
TooMany2cvs said:
Pete317 said:
Devil's advocate here-
If you're already less than your stopping distance away from the line by the time you see the amber - and you might not see it in time due, for example, to another vehicle temporarily obscuring your view - then you really don't have a prayer of being able to stop in time.
Should that be the case, then speeding up would increase your chances of crossing the line before it turns red.
Now I know there are probably people who want to tell me that you should slow down if your view of the lights is obscured, but doing so is no guarantee of staying out of trouble - in fact you could actually be making things worse by increasing the time during which the lights could change unseen, so unless you think that it's a good idea to perform a full-on emergency stop as soon as the lights become obscured from view...
Quoted before the cold light of reality kicks in and you realise just how bloody silly it is to accelerate towards a situation that you've not even caught a glimpse of for the last two or three seconds.If you're already less than your stopping distance away from the line by the time you see the amber - and you might not see it in time due, for example, to another vehicle temporarily obscuring your view - then you really don't have a prayer of being able to stop in time.
Should that be the case, then speeding up would increase your chances of crossing the line before it turns red.
Now I know there are probably people who want to tell me that you should slow down if your view of the lights is obscured, but doing so is no guarantee of staying out of trouble - in fact you could actually be making things worse by increasing the time during which the lights could change unseen, so unless you think that it's a good idea to perform a full-on emergency stop as soon as the lights become obscured from view...
Edited by Pete317 on Sunday 22 November 15:28
There's always going to be situations where strict adherence to the rules isn't going to help you.
ETA: if your view is obscured for two or three seconds then you generally have enough time to do something without risking getting into deeper trouble.
But it's when your view becomes obscured for around a second or less at the wrong time that you might find yourself in a situation that there's no good way out of
Edited by Pete317 on Sunday 22 November 15:56
TwigtheWonderkid said:
TooMany2cvs said:
Pete317 said:
Devil's advocate here-
If you're already less than your stopping distance away from the line by the time you see the amber - and you might not see it in time due, for example, to another vehicle temporarily obscuring your view - then you really don't have a prayer of being able to stop in time.
Should that be the case, then speeding up would increase your chances of crossing the line before it turns red.
Now I know there are probably people who want to tell me that you should slow down if your view of the lights is obscured, but doing so is no guarantee of staying out of trouble - in fact you could actually be making things worse by increasing the time during which the lights could change unseen, so unless you think that it's a good idea to perform a full-on emergency stop as soon as the lights become obscured from view...
Quoted before the cold light of reality kicks in and you realise just how bloody silly it is to accelerate towards a situation that you've not even caught a glimpse of for the last two or three seconds.If you're already less than your stopping distance away from the line by the time you see the amber - and you might not see it in time due, for example, to another vehicle temporarily obscuring your view - then you really don't have a prayer of being able to stop in time.
Should that be the case, then speeding up would increase your chances of crossing the line before it turns red.
Now I know there are probably people who want to tell me that you should slow down if your view of the lights is obscured, but doing so is no guarantee of staying out of trouble - in fact you could actually be making things worse by increasing the time during which the lights could change unseen, so unless you think that it's a good idea to perform a full-on emergency stop as soon as the lights become obscured from view...
Edited by Pete317 on Sunday 22 November 15:28
You would do well to make sure you understand what someone's saying before going off on one, instead of adopting your apparent default position that they must be some kind of total idiot, just because you can't be bothered to take it all in.
Edited by Pete317 on Sunday 22 November 17:16
Hilts said:
mybrainhurts said:
7and911 said:
My question is there anyway I can get "red light awareness course"
This is a red light -----> 
Be aware of it.
Hope that helps...
How much do I owe you?
Pete317 said:
So what do you do if you're far too close to the line to be able to stop by the time you see the amber?
I genuinely cannot think of one single occasion when I've SUDDENLY had a clear view of amber traffic lights that've been COMPLETELY obscured for the preceding few seconds, and I've been so close to them that I can't stop.<shrug> Maybe it's just me. I mean, I've not quite been driving for thirty years so far, I don't think I've ever covered more than about 35k/year, and I've only driven on four continents and in about 30 countries, so I'm still a bit of a noob by some people's standards.
TooMany2cvs said:
Pete317 said:
So what do you do if you're far too close to the line to be able to stop by the time you see the amber?
I genuinely cannot think of one single occasion when I've SUDDENLY had a clear view of amber traffic lights that've been COMPLETELY obscured for the preceding few seconds, and I've been so close to them that I can't stop.<shrug> Maybe it's just me. I mean, I've not quite been driving for thirty years so far, I don't think I've ever covered more than about 35k/year, and I've only driven on four continents and in about 30 countries, so I'm still a bit of a noob by some people's standards.
And with so many millions of people on the road, if something can possibly happen then it will.
I've driven longer and further than you have, and it's not happened to me either, although I have seen it happen to others once or twice.
Then again, there are many things that you read about happening to people all the time, which have never happened to me.
It's not a case of whether you can stop
- it's all about whether it's safer to go through the amber than to attempt to stop.
I was stopped in Henley a few years ago at around midnight by some police after going through an amber that had changed from green as I approached.
They basically wanted to use tbe light as a reason to breathalise me due to the time . After blowing negative, they asked why I had gone through the amber light. I replied that I deemed that safer that trying to stop. They agreed.
- it's all about whether it's safer to go through the amber than to attempt to stop.
I was stopped in Henley a few years ago at around midnight by some police after going through an amber that had changed from green as I approached.
They basically wanted to use tbe light as a reason to breathalise me due to the time . After blowing negative, they asked why I had gone through the amber light. I replied that I deemed that safer that trying to stop. They agreed.
Pete317 said:
Theoretically, it can happen.
Of course it can.If you aren't paying the slightest attention to where the f
k you're going and tailgating an articulated wagon. Which probably isn't the greatest defence to a red light ticket. Mind you, if you are, I'm not sure accelerating is going to help much, so it's just the first part - with bells on.TooMany2cvs said:
Pete317 said:
Theoretically, it can happen.
Of course it can.If you aren't paying the slightest attention to where the f
k you're going and tailgating an articulated wagon. Which probably isn't the greatest defence to a red light ticket. Mind you, if you are, I'm not sure accelerating is going to help much, so it's just the first part - with bells on.And even if not, have you, for example, never been distracted by another driver doing something stupid, at what may turn out to be an inopportune moment?
Edited by Pete317 on Sunday 22 November 20:52
This latest discussion is hilarious. Ambers tend to be timed for the speed of the road and give p,e try of time to stop. What tends to happen is people try to exactly what the OP was caught doing, instead of using the time to slow down and stop.
As for not seeing an amber light. Really? There are usually multiple traffic lights at controlled junctions to ensure that you can always see them. That's not to say you will always see them, closing your eyes will do that.
As for the idea of approaching and having the lights obscured so accelerating, surely you'd be more cautious. What would you do if they turned out to be red and you've just floored it?
As for not seeing an amber light. Really? There are usually multiple traffic lights at controlled junctions to ensure that you can always see them. That's not to say you will always see them, closing your eyes will do that.
As for the idea of approaching and having the lights obscured so accelerating, surely you'd be more cautious. What would you do if they turned out to be red and you've just floored it?
LoonR1 said:
This latest discussion is hilarious. Ambers tend to be timed for the speed of the road and give p,e try of time to stop. What tends to happen is people try to exactly what the OP was caught doing, instead of using the time to slow down and stop.
As for not seeing an amber light. Really? There are usually multiple traffic lights at controlled junctions to ensure that you can always see them. That's not to say you will always see them, closing your eyes will do that.
As for the idea of approaching and having the lights obscured so accelerating, surely you'd be more cautious. What would you do if they turned out to be red and you've just floored it?
No matter how highly improbable it may seem, with the sheer number of car journeys every day, if it can happen then it will.As for not seeing an amber light. Really? There are usually multiple traffic lights at controlled junctions to ensure that you can always see them. That's not to say you will always see them, closing your eyes will do that.
As for the idea of approaching and having the lights obscured so accelerating, surely you'd be more cautious. What would you do if they turned out to be red and you've just floored it?
Or do you think that it's impossible for anybody to ever win the lottery because the odds are so against it?
Edited by Pete317 on Sunday 22 November 21:20
LoonR1 said:
Pete317 said:
No matter how highly improbable it may seem, with the sheer number of car journeys every day, if it can happen then it will.
Amd I'm sure the scapenario does happen, but easing off the power when you're unsighted is a fairly obvious and simple action. Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff