Traffic light camera

[tug 0]

There's a two lane, one way road just along from my flat that has 4 sets of traffic lights dotted along it where other roads cross over. One set of traffic lights has a camera set up next to it.

 

I approached these lights this morning in the right hand lane, they were at red and there was a guy stopped at the line in the left hand lane. I slowed down to a crawl and as I got near the line, the lights changed to amber. I went through and probably crossed the line as they changed from amber to green, but the camera flashed twice at me!

 

Is it pretty much guaranteed that I'll receive a fine and points? I always thought the cameras only flashed if you went through on red.

 

Fingers crossed! :)

[dazzyvr6 0]

i think its just a fine and no points?dont quote me on that though

[tug 0]

I had a little look on the internet and apparently its a £60 fine and 3 points!

[ZippyVR6 0]

Amber is "proceed with caution" so if the pic comes back and shows anything but red you are in the clear.

[tug 0]

Well there is absolutely no way I went through on red, I'll just have to wait & see what happens.

 

Thanks for that Zippy, good to know!

[DaveVR6 0]

Ive been done like this, and it is 3points and a £60 fine (in sheff anyway), but its def worth appealing when the first letter comes through..

 

 

b*stards

[dinkus 10]

Yeah, if they send you a fine/points then protest it - it doesn't sound like you were doing anything wrong.

[bix 0]

Yeah I agree, you can go on an orange light if its changed from red, but if it amber changing from green, and you go thru it, the camera measures your speed to see if you could have stopped in time!

[Walesy 0]

I've been flashed countless time by these bugas and never had a letter.

[StuartFZR400 0]

Im a tad worried that if the camera has taken a pic of you without the lights in the shot - is this possible?

 

Otherwise the above peeps are correct, and those points should make no difference to your insurance.

 

However as soon as you dispute this, you get asked to produce all your documents, so make sure they're all in order. Asking for the photo can be tricky cant it?

 

.

I've been flashed countless time by these bugas and never had a letter.

Thats cos your pastie is covering up your plate :lol:

 

.

the camera measures your speed to see if you could have stopped in time!

- How true is that? As when you make that split second decision, you may apply the old accelerator and speed up as the camera flashes. twoddle

[ZippyVR6 0]

No it is the evidence, you have a right to see it. otherwise it is your word against theirs.

[Musicman 0]

Yeah I agree, you can go on an orange light if its changed from red, but if it amber changing from green, and you go thru it, the camera measures your speed to see if you could have stopped in time!

 

How on earth can they work that out?

 

Do they have stopping distance tables for every make/model of car/whether ABS was an option or not, together with an instant weigh-bridge under the road surface to check how much load you were carrying at the time and real-time recording of the weather?

 

Stopping from 30 mph in a Jaguar Mk 2 with four passengers on a cold,wet day is rather different than doing the same in a lightly loaded Smart Car in the dry. Not to mention that Stone Mastic Ashphalt used by many road authorities to reduce tyre noise may actually increase stopping distances by up to 30% for the first 12 months after it's been laid... :?

[Musicman 0]

No it is the evidence, you have a right to see it. otherwise it is your word against theirs.

 

And I believe you have additional rights to see it under Data Protection Act.

[tug 0]

Yeah I agree, you can go on an orange light if its changed from red...

 

That's what I thought, I didn't think you had to wait until the lights were actually green before you go!

 

I've been flashed countless time by these bugas and never had a letter.

 

I'm hoping this is the case here. One of my mates was flashed by 2 speed cameras on the way up from Newcastle one day and he didn't receive any letters.

 

Thanks guys, you've made me feel better about it all! :)

[Walesy 0]

I love all these urban myths about loop holes here and loop holes there...I'm sure people must argue their cases in court with defence's like " But my mate Bob down the pub said..."

 

I'm still in testing mode for my new theory for prevention of parking tickets. I've been removing my wipers every time I park ilegaly... :?

[dinkus 10]

I'm still in testing mode for my new theory for prevention of parking tickets. I've been removing my wipers every time I park ilegaly... :?

 

Traffic wardens round here have been using those sticky things for years mate... ;) :lol:

[tug 0]

I'm still in testing mode for my new theory for prevention of parking tickets. I've been removing my wipers every time I park ilegaly... :?

 

Traffic wardens round here have been using those sticky things for years mate... ;) :lol:

 

I got a parking ticket in Glasgow last year that I didn't know anything about until I received a warning letter for non-payment. Somebody obviously thought it would be funny to remove the sticky thing from my windscreen... :?

[DragonVr6 0]

A flashing amber after a red is proceed with caution but you only get this at pelican crossings.

A solid amber after red is prepare to go!

So if you have crossed the line while its still amber you will recieved the fine and points.

I've jus had this and tried everything poss to get away with it but nothing worked!

Good luck mate hope you find an argument that wins

[tug 0]

A flashing amber after a red is proceed with caution but you only get this at pelican crossings.

A solid amber after red is prepare to go!

So if you have crossed the line while its still amber you will recieved the fine and points.

I've jus had this and tried everything poss to get away with it but nothing worked!

Good luck mate hope you find an argument that wins

 

Bugger...

 

I guess I'll find out what's happening in a couple of weeks! I'm not too worried about the points, its more the possible insurance hike that bothers me.

[bix 0]

Yeah I agree, you can go on an orange light if its changed from red, but if it amber changing from green, and you go thru it, the camera measures your speed to see if you could have stopped in time!

 

How on earth can they work that out?

 

Do they have stopping distance tables for every make/model of car/whether ABS was an option or not, together with an instant weigh-bridge under the road surface to check how much load you were carrying at the time and real-time recording of the weather?

 

Stopping from 30 mph in a Jaguar Mk 2 with four passengers on a cold,wet day is rather different than doing the same in a lightly loaded Smart Car in the dry. Not to mention that Stone Mastic Ashphalt used by many road authorities to reduce tyre noise may actually increase stopping distances by up to 30% for the first 12 months after it's been laid... :?

 

Im pretty sure thats right, but like I mean, if you drive thru a light thats only just gone orange at 30mph(in a 30 limit) its not illegal, and you dont get flashed(I know), where as if you crawl past it, you blatently could have stopped and get flashed.

 

Seems obvious to me they'd have to impose this sort of system, obviously we're not talking ridiculous accuracy like you are suggesting, because obviously that would be impossible, but there must be some sort of margin, and you know a red light camera is a little more sophisticated, than orange light, car over line, flash, of course it is!

[ZippyVR6 0]

Hmm, Standing corrected looks like if there was any film in it you are bang out of luck chap. :(

[Walesy 0]

I'm still in testing mode for my new theory for prevention of parking tickets. I've been removing my wipers every time I park ilegaly... :?

 

Traffic wardens round here have been using those sticky things for years mate... ;) :lol:

 

 

Not in the village they dont.... :wink:

[Musicman 0]

I suspect there's a little confusion going on.

 

http://www.speedcamerasuk.com/TrafficLight.htm

 

Some red light cameras are additionally equipped with speed measurement equipment, but it's used to see if you were exceeding the speed limit while crossing the junction in addition to running the red light.

 

Strictly speaking, amber is a stop signal, unless it would be unsafe to do so, but AFAIK, the cameras will only activate if you are actually crossing the line on a red light.

[saysomestuff 0]

isn't it wierd how this stuff pops up on the forum, I went through a red today and wasn't sure if it'd got me.

 

That's crazy about the "red and amber also means stop" business, I always thought you could go on amber.

[Musicman 0]

I approached these lights this morning in the right hand lane

 

I went through and probably crossed the line as they changed from amber to green, but the camera flashed twice at me!

 

Is there a right turn filter? I'm wondering if that was still on red, which might explain it.