3 pts 1st time out

Nail_Lad

I thought all new drivers were exempt from the rules of the road for the first 48 hours if they have a different car from the one they learnt in to help them get used to a different car.

I'm sorry for the sarcasm. This really does sound like a big case of bad luck. Wrong place, wrong time etc etc.

If it's any consolation, years ago I moved to London from the North and my driving style changed dramatically (i.e. if you think you went through a red light, check your mirror as there would usually be 5 people following you through as well!). My first assignment with my new job took me back up North literally yards from where I used to live. Whereupon I (still in London driving mode) went through a red light with what I thought was plenty of room. There wasn't, the local bib witnessed it and I was pulled with 3 points and a £60 fine. Annoyed. Yes I was. This was my old home turf, how could this happen, I worked in London, I was a hero locally wasn't I, in London there would have been 5 drivers coming with me? I was young, foolish and enraged which wasn't justified.

I took it on the chin though. Made me a better driver. I also moved out of London to suburbia. I also passed my advanced driving test first time last year.

Let it be a lesson learnt. Who knows, this little incident may have helped prevent another more tragic incident in the future (think Back to the Future and Marty's wrist damaging car crash that meant he couldn't play the guitar but when he got his time back again he didn't race away from the lights a second time and his future was open) .

thescouselander

colin13 wrote: »

amber means stop,,so he went through a light tht meant stop ,,if we all did this the road,would b chaos(or even more chaos) take it on the chin

No, the road traffic regulations are quite explicit on this. They state that an amber light takes on the meaning of the previously lit light. Of course your should try to stop on Amber as it is warning you that the red light is about to show but if you cross the line when the amber light is on (because you cannot stop) the law says Amber is equivelent to a green light.

Obvously if the light is red and you cross the line you're stuffed.

dacouch

Providing the entire vehicle passed the line before it changed to red...

Inactive

" Junctions controlled by traffic lights
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]

thescouselander

From the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002

"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, it shall convey the same indication as the green signal or green arrow signal which was shown immediately before it"

Nail_Lad

thescouselander wrote: »

From the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002

"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, it shall convey the same indication as the green signal or green arrow signal which was shown immediately before it"

So basically it's open to interpretation of the observation of the circumstances. In this instance you have the newly qualified drivers interpretation of the event and then you have the police's interpretation. Without additional evidence to the contrary, we all know which interpretation would stand up in court.

Safe driving people.