[Closed] I got flashed!

Your're nicked, mate

Can't hack the time, don't do the crime.

You know you're meant to stop when it goes amber, right? 😉

Edit: Bloody cyclists! 😀

Edit again: REminds me of when my boss went on a speed awareness course. While there another 'participant' was complaining about being caught for only going 2mph over the limit. The people running the course were adamant that she wouldn't be there for that, she was adamant that she was.

They asked her how fast she was going. "38mph in a 30 zone. But you get 10% plus a few more, so I was only 2mph over the 36mph limit" 😆

Firstly, I give this thread 15 mins.

Secondly, sorry to sound patronising but the only light that means go is green. I think you need to accept the fine and move on

I thought amber meant accelerate?

Next time gun it on amber and you should be OK.

Three_Fish

I thought amber meant accelerate?

He obviously didn't accelerate hard enough though if it had been on red for a full second! Sucks to be you, a real mans car wouldn't have been caught...

Secondly, sorry to sound patronising but the only light that means go is green. I think you need to accept the fine and move on

My driving instructor said to me "If a light is green expect it to go red" so most of the time I slow down a few mph coming towards a green light and only speed up once I know it's not possible for me to go through it on red. I say most of the time because occasionally I have run a red after [s]coming up to lights too fast[/s] driving like a knob.

does anyone know the threshold of what is deemed acceptable

There is an acceptable threshold of a few seconds usually. It's well known and publicised. In fact, they often show an indicator light for the duration of the grace period. I think it's a sort of amber colour.

"He obviously didn't accelerate hard enough" yeah a clear example.of where a fast car would be way safer.

6 month limitation of proceedings you've been served your notice of intended prosecution........so my advice is take your points and fine and be a lot more cautious and don't try and beat the Amber in future at least if you had stopped you would have a case to try and argue ie slippery road surface etc.

I'm with northernmatt. Entirely.

Though when I get my new Golf R estate.....

6 month limit to get in touch with you, i waited 4 months before my speeding came through! In terms of the offence I'm pretty sure that if both axles are over the stop line before it turns red you're ok, anything after you're not.

molgrips - Member
a clear example.of where a fast car would be way safer.

😆

If you go through close enough to the bumper of the car in front, you can't see the lights, so they don't apply to you. Fact.

Threshold of what's deemed acceptable? 0 seconds. The amber light did give you advance warning.

In terms of the offence I'm pretty sure that if both axles are over the stop line before it turns red you're ok

? also a fair amount of time has passed since the incident, do they not have to act within a certain time frame?

Yeah, but don't tell Rolf Harris, he'd be furious.

zilog6128 - Member
In terms of the offence I'm pretty sure that if both axles are over the stop line before it turns red you're ok
I'm 100% sure you just made that up!

You sure? I Heard it off a mate who heard it off his wife's brothers ex girlfriend who previously went out with someone whose dad used to go to the gym with a traffic cop, so it's a pretty credible and verifiable source. 😉

Seems about right though.

Suck it up.
I got flashed going through a red light about 5 years ago - I was also about a second late but seeing as it was 9:00pm and I was rushing my daughter to hospital with a head injury I thought I'd get through in time.
Even though I had proof that my daughter was admitted 5 mins after the incident I didn't bother contesting it.

if a light is green expect it to go red

So are all the amber bulbs gone? 😉

If you went through a red 1.1 seconds after it had come on you need to rethink your driving style. I'm glad I hadn't just pulled away from my green light...

I tend to expect light-jumpers these days, especially after a large lorry came through a red the other month! Doesn't excuse them, before you say 'Well you'll be ok then'!.

So are all the amber bulbs gone?

<pedant mode>

Technically the bulbs are all white and the lenses are different colours, so yes all the amber bulbs have gone because they don't exist.

</pedant mode>

in plymouth all the traffic light cameras have been converted to gatso's as well, so I beat the red, but I got done for speeding instead...live and learn.

It is a brave thing to admit on here that you are a less than perfect driver - it is like popping up on Mumsnet and admitting to being Jimmy Savile.

Zero tolerance on red. Amber allows you to react and stop.

How hard can it be to install timer on traffic light even the Cambodian can do it ...

[img] [/img]

🙄

In terms of the offence I'm pretty sure that if both axles are over the stop line before it turns red you're ok

I'm 100% sure you just made that up!

Actually I am pretty sure he must be right. To define the offence in law there must surely be a point where you are "safe" (in a prosecution sense) and that is logically the stop line.

Otherwise you could cross at low speed on green in traffic be stopped within a few feet of the line but without a line of sight to the traffic lights. Move off as the road clears and get prosecuted.

If you look at where the pressure pads in the road are, they are on both sides of the stop line everywhere I have ever seen them, which suggests the same conclusion.

I love a good troll. I bet the OP is nursing a semi right now...

The amount of cars that clog up our crossroads then actually continue through a red light while its beeping for people to cross staggers me.
Put a pcso there and arrest all of them. ****ers.
Also the law for car drivers seems to be red plus one more car before they stop.

That's 'World Leading Beacon of Road Safety and Infrastructure Cambodia'?

OP Don't read the bloke released from a whole life term for kiddy fiddling after 2 years thread cos, apparently, you've just admitted to being a nonce.

I'd take the points and avoid parks/swimming pools for a bit if I were you

does anyone know the threshold of what is deemed acceptable?

How do you mean by 'acceptable'? To the law or morally? I'd hazard that your answer is "none at all"; as the professional hand-wringers of STW have pointed out, that's what the amber light is for. Amber means stop, red means stop and you can be prosecuted if you don't.

also a fair amount of time has passed since the incident, do they not have to act within a certain time frame?

They have six months to serve the NIP (not that this is unrelated to how long it takes for you to get it). Beyond that, congratulations, you got away with it, don't do it again. Next time it could be a RLJing cyclist's face, etc.

Traffic light controlled roundabouts. You're in traffic and pass the stop line for the traffic light - on green. Traffic stops. Lights go red. You're on a roundabout, traffic gives way to the right entering a roundabout. Cars joining the roundabout from your left pile on because they have s green light and take offence when you want to continue on your way....

I think they have 14 days to get an NIP out to the registered keeper. The RK names the driver who in turn gets there own paperwork.

Is it a company/Lease car. That will explain the delay in getting the NIP to you. If its not and its yours, have you just bought it? the DVLA can take a while to update records so it may have gone to previous keeper.

if its yours and has been for a while they might be out of time to serve the NIP.

You will probably be offered an awareness course which keeps the points of the license.
Pepipoo is a fairly decent resource for this sort of stuff

now for the preachy bit..
the Amber phase of a light is 3 seconds, you then passed red 1.1 seconds after it turned
that's 4.4 seconds in which to stop. that's plenty.

Edit
Couger, I think its 6 months to set court dates.

I think they have 14 days to get an NIP out to the registered keeper.

Apologies, you're right and I'm wrong, I had a brainfart when typing that.

Can't imagine the timer would work out well tbh. Imagine the Golf R estate driver trying to make progress when he sees 5 seconds remaining with 100m to go....

Same thing happened to me a couple of years ago,as I had a clean licence I was given (and took) the option of being 're educated' and getting no points on my licence.On the day of the course there were a lot of people there and it was surprising how many had been 'flashed' at the same set of lights

Since we're being pedantic I'd just like to point out Bucko is wrong green means go [b]if it is safe to do so [/b] pedant mode disengaged 😈

^ Really. Round here it seems to mean side step the clutch without looking (but only if you have not already got 100 yards down the road on the red + amber).

Can't imagine the timer would work out well tbh. Imagine the Golf R estate driver trying to make progress when he sees 5 seconds remaining with 100m to go....

Cheeky glance at the speedo - if >45mph then carry on as before 😉

Since we're being pedantic I'd just like to point out Bucko is wrong green means go if it is safe to do so pedant mode disengaged

And red means stop if it is safe to do so, as does amber.

Cheeky glance at the speedo

Noo... that's way too dangerous remember?

So,

Is it 6 months or 14 days?

Every time I think I may have done something naughty, or if I've done a load of driving in a short period, I've always in the past breathed a sigh of relief when no letters arrived after 14 days.

Have I been deluding myself? Could a stack of fines arrive in tomorrows post from months ago?!

https://www.gov.uk/speeding-penalties

By law, the vehicle’s registered keeper must be sent a notice of intended prosecution within 14 days of the alleged speeding offence.

scotroutes - Member

Yes!

I love you x

[img] [/img]

The RK must receive the NIP within 14 days, [u]and[/u], the police or prosecutors must 'lay the information' within 6 months (which means notify the magistrates/court/clerk in writing what offence the person is to be summonsed with). So both timescales are relevant.

And red means stop if it is safe to do so, as does amber.

There is no provision in the legislation for going through a red light (emergency vehicles excepted), while there is for amber if it isn't safe to stop.

The nip needs to be sent to the registered keeper so that in the normal course of post it will arrive within 14 days . so are you the registered keeper at the registered address and when was it posted ?

Re reading the op says prosecution notice if he means summons then if he has had the nip in the 14 day slot then it is within the 6 months time limit.

Ah yes you're right, it's 2 weeks for the NIP but it then took a further 4 months before I got a court date. Apparently the little slip of paper they give you when you get pulled constitutes as your NIP

"He obviously didn't accelerate hard enough" yeah a clear example.of where a fast car would be way safer.

When I was a youth In a borrowed little turbo jobbie took a right at a four ways junction a bit lively causing the tyres to make an "American tyres" sound as I went around.
As I did I saw the police car that stopped me waiting to cross the lights from my right.

Do you know why I stopped you.
I went around that corner a bit fast.
A bit fast, that squealing noise your tyres made meant that they were crabbing and you could have lost control at any time.
I don't think so.
I know so, why was you going so fast.
Because the lights changed.

You're telling me the reason you were speeding was to go through a red light.
Yes.
(Laugh) well at least your honest, don't let me catch you driving like that again, on your way.

I have never had a bad experience with the police even when I have been arrested as I am of the it's a fair cop rather than it was not me school of thought when I get caught out.

Technically the bulbs are all white and the lenses are different colours, so yes all the amber bulbs have gone because they don't exist.

I was pulled over early one morning and the conversation went something like this:
Officer- do you know why I stopped you?
Me - No, sorry, do I have a brake light out?
Officer - No, think about what you just did.
Me - I honestly have no idea what I have done wrong officer.
Officer - do you have any identification on you?
Me - no sorry, only a debit card, but I only live over there *point to my house 100yds away* I can get some id for you.
Officer - don't worry about it, is this your car? What colour were the traffic lights on as you went through?
Me - Amber well possibly just green and then Amber.
Officer - EXACTLY! you drove through on Amber.
Me *looking completely perplexed* ok, but I honestly thought it was fine to drive through as it was changing to Amber.
Officer - no, you must stop, I will let you off with a warning this time, have a good ride, where you off to?
Me - seriously you can't go through on Amber, Surrey Hills.
Officer - seriously don't push your luck. Enjoy your ride and don't fall off.

Officer- do you know why I stopped you?

The correct answer to this is 'You've caught the bastard who nicked my telly?'

Busted. Suck it up.

What a clown! (OP)

Officer 'do you know why I stopped you'?

'Lets see how fast you can run officer? Chase!

OPs not evil. Idiot motoring journalist did 127 on a single carriageway and was banned. On Pistonheads some argued he might have been right/conditions etc.

You are already breaking the law on amber.. you would have to show a good reason for why you drove through an amber (to get let off).

red light, no such leeway.

got what u deserve.

How are you braking the law on amber?

got what u deserve.

He sure did. I think all crimes should be handled this way. There is simply no stronger deterrent than mild scorn and virtual tutting from middle-aged strangers who may or may not own a bicycle.

You are already breaking the law on amber.. you would have to show a good reason for why you drove through an amber (to get let off).

Try again.

cheez0 - Member

You are already breaking the law on amber.. you would have to show a good reason for why you drove through an amber (to get let off).

red light, no such leeway.

got what u deserve.

I was being driven around Dublin recently by one of my colleagues who was originally from Spain. He did the same thing as the OP and just said "Where I come from a red light means another 3 cars can go through."

Let the hand wringing begin 🙂

Also the law for car drivers seems to be red plus one more car before they stop.

apparently the light had been on red for 1.1 seconds when I passed through it. does anyone know the threshold of what is deemed acceptable?

I'm going to take a wild stab in the dark and say somewhere in the region of 0>1.0 seconds.

OPs not evil. Idiot motoring journalist did 127 on a single carriageway and was banned. On Pistonheads some argued he might have been right/conditions etc.

Experienced ex-race car driver, straight road, quiet time of night, fast car capable of speeds like that easily etc etc etc. All totally irrelevant to anyone but an blinkered idiot. He was doing 127 in a 60. Anyone else would get a ban and if their livelihood depended on driving a car, loose their job as well.

Euro - Member
got what u deserve.

He sure did. I think all crimes should be handled this way. There is simply no stronger deterrent than mild scorn and virtual tutting from middle-aged strangers who may or may not own a bicycle.

😀

johnj2000 - Member
I was pulled over early one morning and the conversation went something like this:
Officer- do you know why I stopped you?
Me - No, sorry, do I have a brake light out?
Officer - No, think about what you just did.
Me - I honestly have no idea what I have done wrong officer.
Officer - do you have any identification on you?
Me - no sorry, only a debit card, but I only live over there *point to my house 100yds away* I can get some id for you.
Officer - don't worry about it, is this your car? What colour were the traffic lights on as you went through?
Me - Amber well possibly just green and then Amber.
Officer - EXACTLY! you drove through on Amber.
Me *looking completely perplexed* ok, but I honestly thought it was fine to drive through as it was changing to Amber.
Officer - no, you must stop, I will let you off with a warning this time, have a good ride, where you off to?
Me - seriously you can't go through on Amber, Surrey Hills.
Officer - seriously don't push your luck. Enjoy your ride and don't fall off.

did you switch from your vehicle to your bike mid conversation? no wonder he was pissed

How are you braking the law on amber?

Because the law says that [b]amber means stop[/b] (unless you are so close that you can't do that safely). The OP was went through 1.1 seconds after it turned red, so he had plenty of time to stop and is bang to rights.

[i]" the red signal shall convey the prohibition that vehicular traffic shall not proceed beyond the stop line...
...the amber signal shall, when shown alone, convey the same prohibition as the red signal, except that, as respects any vehicle which is so close to the stop line that it cannot safely be stopped without proceeding beyond the stop line"[/i] -- [url= http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/3113/regulation/36/made ]TSRGD 36[/url]

Interesting, and thanks for saving me a job, Graham 😉 Though I suspect the CPS would never take on a case involving going through amber except in very exceptional circumstances, as it's too hard to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the vehicle could be safely stopped.

Probably depends on how long the amber phase is on the lights, but yeah I think the cameras only flash people on red for that exact reason. Actual fleshy traffic police may be less tolerant.

Though I suspect the CPS would never take on a case involving going through amber except in very exceptional circumstances, as it's too hard to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the vehicle could be safely stopped.

I suspect the defence "I wuz driving too fast to stop" ain't gong to cut it, then... 😛

AHEM

175
You MUST stop behind the white ‘Stop’ line across your side of the road unless the light is green. If the amber light appears you may go on only if you have already crossed the stop line or are so close to it that to stop might cause a collision.
Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10 & 36

Yep Woppit, that's the Highway Code's re-wording of TSRGD 36 that I just posted.

Have a drive around W'ton the lights and signs are purely advisory

[quote=GrahamS ]Actual fleshy traffic police may be less tolerant.

In terms of stopping you to have a word, yes, as demonstrated by the post above. In terms of prosecuting you, I doubt it very much. Far too easy to show reasonable doubt.

Amazing/worrying that people don't know this really.

Add another entry to the "List of reasons why regular re-tests would be a good idea"

Far too easy to show reasonable doubt.

If they witnessed it then they could testify to dispute that reasonable doubt: e.g. [i]"The defendant was 500 metres away when the light went Amber. He made no attempt to brake and actually accelerated towards it."[/i]

But you're right I'd doubt many traffic cops would consider it a serious enough offence to warrant anything more than a telling off.

"hard to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the vehicle could be safely stopped."

the threshold would be balance of probability for a traffic ticket, wouldn't it?

Nope, it's not civil law - still the same standard of proof required as any other criminal law.

Was it anything like this?

In terms of prosecuting you, I doubt it very much. Far too easy to show reasonable doubt.

?

Are you saying that the traffic police are unlikely to prosecute someone who jumps a red light in front of them, or are we talking about ambers here?

ambers

though depending on circumstances you might just get a chat for red - fairly sure my mum did at least once