Ran A Red Light After Feeling Threatened

[Martin350]

A bit of a strange thing happened to me this afternoon.

I was second in the queue at a red traffic light in my local town centre, the only other traffic coming round from my right.

A guy, who looked drunk and/or off his face on something, stepped off the pavement, stood in front of my car and just stared at it and me.
The lights went green and he didn't move, just kept staring.
I'm not a powerfully built etc. so I gestured him to move but I didn't much fancy getting out for a chat.
The lights went red again. He then walked round and reached for the passenger door handle, so I moved forward a car's length, to the white line.

That seemed to send him into a rage and he came back for another go at the door, so I looked to the right, nothing was coming and I drove through on red, He, I think, then slapped the back of the car and looked highly agitated in my mirror.

If this was caught on cctv, which is highly likely, and I'm sent an N.I.P. am I likely to have a reasonable defence that I was removing myself from a threatening situation?

[Jasandjules]

Just report it to 111.

[Martin350]

I considered it but but he'll be long gone and I'll be alerting their attention to my red light jumping!?

[Tony1963]

Martin350 said:

I considered it but but he'll be long gone and I'll be alerting their attention to my red light jumping!?

If you had reported it immediately, your defence would be much more convincing than ‘coming up with an excuse’ a few weeks later once the dreaded letter lands on your door mat.

[Martin350]

Hmm, that's a good point.

I guess it's a gamble either way..?

[Jasandjules]

Martin350 said:

I considered it but but he'll be long gone and I'll be alerting their attention to my red light jumping!?

You report it now to ensure that it is recorded in the event that the red light camera was triggered. The camera may also have seen the chap in question.

[Pizzaeatingking]

Did the lights have a camera on them?

[elanfan]

No cameras = you’ll hear no more.

Cameras with video you have all the evidence needed

Red light camera you might have to plead your case

[Martin350]

I don't think the lights have cameras.

Anyway, I've made a report to Kent Police, the lady I spoke to was most helpful.

Thanks for the advice!

Edited by Martin350 on Friday 24th July 20:43

[Semmelweiss]

It's an absolute offence to proceed through a red traffic light. No excuses, unless advised to proceed by a Police Officer.

[TheOrangePeril]

Semmelweiss said:

It's an absolute offence to proceed through a red traffic light. No excuses, unless advised to proceed by a Police Officer.

Well that's just nonsense. Even with a relatively strong rule of law (at least for us plebs) the UK has a heavily discretionary system in which previous cases and mitigating circumstances play a huge role.
If self-defence is a defence against murder charges, it certainly is against running a red. Proportionality is key.

[Mr Pointy]

TheOrangePeril said:

Semmelweiss said:

It's an absolute offence to proceed through a red traffic light. No excuses, unless advised to proceed by a Police Officer.

Well that's just nonsense. Even with a relatively strong rule of law (at least for us plebs) the UK has a heavily discretionary system in which previous cases and mitigating circumstances play a huge role.
If self-defence is a defence against murder charges, it certainly is against running a red. Proportionality is key.

There have been previous posts about being done for pulling past a red light to let an ambulance through so don't rely on your "discretionary system". You'll find posts from ambulance drivers who indicate they have been told they should not sit behind a car with lights & sirens going to pressure drivers into pulling forward across a red light.

[Martin350]

I do get that it's a difficult one to defend should it come to it.

If I get penalised for it, it would be very annoying and in my opinion somewhat unfair, but it's still better than than being assaulted or stabbed by an aggressive stranger who was off his head or mentally unwell.

I can only really hope that nothing more comes of it.

[Gilhooligan]

Get on google street view and check for red light cameras. Might put your mind at ease.

[NMNeil]

Semmelweiss said:

It's an absolute offence to proceed through a red traffic light. No excuses, unless advised to proceed by a Police Officer.

Do you not have exigent circumstances?

[SS2.]

No red light camera = you'll hear nothing.

[Semmelweiss]

NMNeil said:

Do you not have exigent circumstances?

I've no "exigent circumstances", at all.

[Boosted LS1]

Is there a GP here? We need a diagnosis.

[jeremyh1]

I think you wil find very few lights have cameras only those where the junction has had fatalities

Why wait until people die to put safety measures in place but that is another thread !

[roadsmash]

Martin350 said:

Hmm, that's a good point.

I guess it's a gamble either way..?

I know you’ve already phoned Kent police but all you needed to do was report it to 111 but don’t mention the possible running a red light issue.

You don’t know whether you’ve triggered a camera or not at this point, so no need to mention it to them.

Just tell them that you want to report an incident that happened to you at junction X and you want it on record. Tell them you needed to take avoiding action of a pedestrian in the road who was trying to get in your car and you felt the need to flee.

Then if a NIP comes through you can fall back on that incident you reported.