Trapped in a red light at a junction - squad car behind

[Globulator]

Ok, here's the situation:

Regular traffic lights crossroads.
Lots of traffic.
I want to go straight on and I'm stuck behind a car + trailer
turning right as he is blocking my lane
The car then moves forward, I'm half way over the 'line' into the
junction as the lights change amber, he moves off and I
think about stopping, realise I'd block the road slightly so I
cross as they change red. Just one of those things, no hurry or
intent.
Thing is there was a full squad car just behind me in the queue...
... so I was wondering would he have stopped me if he wanted a word?
It was obvious where I was going so he could have easily caught up
with me if he'd wanted to.

I'm just wondering if I'll get a NIP in the post despite not being
pulled over?

Any thoughts?

[mg6b]

I doubt they will bother!

Time will tell.

If I had been in the squad car, I would have ignored it.

[TOPTON]

Once you have crossed the stop line, or started to cross, then the only thing stopping you from proceeding is traffic movement. You no longer have right of way so must stay still if left/right traffic moves, if not you drive on. Bib was right to not follow you to pull you up

[justinp1]

TOPTON said:

Once you have crossed the stop line, or started to cross, then the only thing stopping you from proceeding is traffic movement. You no longer have right of way so must stay still if left/right traffic moves, if not you drive on. Bib was right to not follow you to pull you up

Agreed. This would be the correct procedure. However, I have been in exactly this situation, where the lights had changed whilst I was waiting to turn inside the junction. I *think* the fact that I was a young lad in a nice car was enough for the squad car to perform a U-turn and follow me. I was astonished to find that I was pulled over. I was more astonished to find that when I explained the situation, the same situation that they must have seen, they offered me the chance to take a £60 fine and 3 points on my licence!

I didnt back down, and asked to be heard in court. When I got the three police officers statements through the story had changed from me waiting in the centre of the junction for a gap in traffic when the lights changed to me flying into and through the junction between 4 and 6 seconds after the lights had turned red!

Of course, this was not backed up by a dangerous driving charge as you would expect, and when I cross examined each of the officers they were at a blank when I asked them if this were correct how I weaved through 4 lanes of moving traffic to perform this feat....

Luckily, representing myself in court worked, and the magistrate, who was a visiting crown court judge in his summing up told the court that he immediately discounted two of the officers testimonies, and the third was debatable, so I was found not guilty.

In short, in a situation like that what would be the common sense thing to do and what you might get pulled over for, some of it is still unfortunately outside our control.