Messed up badly (red light)

[anonymous-user]

I’ve messed up quite badly running a red light and not sure if I have a case to argue for when/if the letter comes through.

Anyway I was sat behind a red light at a junction at around 11pm. I was pretty tired from the day I had and i was also distracted by the gf telling a story. I noticed the car to my left move. For some stupid reason and without realising I assumed it was a green light and drove off. I noticed my error and stoped halfway through the junction and reversed back. Luckily it wasn’t busy otherwise it could have been ugly.

That particular junction has a red light camera however there weren’t any camera flashes. Am I fked and secondly if I do get caught do I just suck it up?

[Zetec-S]

Without wishing to come across as antagonistic, what would your defence be...? Too tired to be driving or driving while distracted?

If you were caught on camera I’d say you don’t really have much choice.

[Butter Face]

Yeah, I wouldn’t personally use either of those as a defence, looks like a quick journey to a driving without due care conviction to me!

[anonymous-user]

Yes and yes.

[Bill]

I'd be very surprised if the camera was triggered by someone going halfway over the line and stopping.

But your "defences" are rubbish.

[anonymous-user]

Bill said:

But your "defences" are rubbish.

This

[skilly1]

I think they only go off a few seconds after changing to red, if you didn’t see any flashes you are probably fine.

[Kiwi79]

Depends on the camera eg. I don't think digital ones flash. A friend of ours accidentally ran one a few weeks back we were passengers and I think we saw about 3 flashes. Maybe see if you can identify the camera type otherwise sit back and wait for the post.

[paintman]

Who is the car registered to & are all details current & correct?
You have 14 days to wait & see if an NIP drops through the letterbox of the registered keeper.

[anonymous-user]

You messed up. We all do it, I accidentslly drove through a red on a roundabout as I was watching the traffic instead of the red.

But the excuses are crap, there is no excuse (for yours or mine) it's bad observation and not focussing on the job in hand.

If you do get a ticket, take it gracefully and learn, if you don't make an offering to the traffic gods for letting you off

[Matt-il77s]

Some of them measure speed too and only flash if you're over a certain speed, as though you had no intention to stop rather than just rolling over the line

[BertBert]

Matt-il77s said:

Some of them measure speed too and only flash if you're over a certain speed, as though you had no intention to stop rather than just rolling over the line

There is no relation between the speed detection and the red light jumping detection if that's what you are suggesting.

The two things are independent functions of the cameras that measure both.

Bert

[Pit Pony]

DoodoolTala said:

I’ve messed up quite badly running a red light and not sure if I have a case to argue for when/if the letter comes through.

Anyway I was sat behind a red light at a junction at around 11pm. I was pretty tired from the day I had and i was also distracted by the gf telling a story. I noticed the car to my left move. For some stupid reason and without realising I assumed it was a green light and drove off. I noticed my error and stoped halfway through the junction and reversed back. Luckily it wasn’t busy otherwise it could have been ugly.

That particular junction has a red light camera however there weren’t any camera flashes. Am I fked and secondly if I do get caught do I just suck it up?

Don't beat yourself up. We all do st occasionally

[recordman]

Pit Pony said:

Don't beat yourself up. We all do st occasionally

+ 1.

Fingers crossed you won't hear anything further, but if you do, just roll over and pay whatever's required.

[matjk]

I had a stupid habit of pulling right up to if not over the line of a local traffic light. It’s one of those ones that’s on a roundabout, the lights are part time , so if not operating the line is a stupid place to stop as it’s 2 car lengths back from the actual roundabout entrance and visibility is bad looking to the right . One night I went over the line by about 12 inches and something set the camera flash off . I panicked for 2 weeks waiting for a letter but never got one, I would have been stationary for both photos . I’m sure they could have sent one , the stop line is very worn out and not in a natural place so maybe I got lucky

[Solocle]

I did once start moving on red-amber, only for it to turn out that the light was for left turn only! Stopped before I conflicted with other road users. I wouldn't have made the mistake if the taxi next to me wasn't sat on the advance stop box, which meant that I was under pressure to move quickly. Still highly embarassing, especially since it's a junction I use fairly regularly.

[TVR1]

OP, which part of the country are you? Many Police authorities offer red light awareness courses, similar to the speeding ones. You can easily Google your Plod. The Met still offers them IIRC.
Saves the points, at least.

Secondly, if you find yourself in that situation again, don’t reverse back through the junction. Best to keep going if it’s clear. Remember that the opposing lights will be green and drivers coming across the junction simply won’t be expecting a car to be reversing through it.

[anonymous-user]

Pit Pony said:

Don't beat yourself up. We all do st occasionally

This. I have stopped at a green light before too

[LunarOne]

Grahamdub said:

Pit Pony said:

Don't beat yourself up. We all do st occasionally

This. I have stopped at a green light before too

Yup. Everyone has done it or will do it if they drive often enough.

[Sticks.]

LunarOne said:

Yup. Everyone has done it or will do it if they drive often enough.

Or tired enough.

Driving while too tired is as bad as DD. I hope it's useful lesson for the OP.