Red light jumper - do I have a case?

scumspeedy

Hi there, firstly apologies if this is the wrong section. Wasn't too sure if this was the correct place to post.

Basically I'm in trouble, the DVLA has told me I went through a red light and I know exactly when and where they mean. But I remember the event exactly and I know the lights were Amber-Red (changing to Green) and not Red.

Let me go back a bit... The junction comprises of 3 lanes, all going straight on. The speed limit is 50. The 2 left lanes were full of traffic (approx 6-7 cars in each) but the far right lane was empty so naturally I pulled into that lane far back about 40 metres.

As I slowed to the line, I was approximately 1.5 metres from the line doing around 5mph when the lights changed from Red to Red-Amber.

Now here is my problem and I'm not sure if I have a case to contend the charges. At this exact moment there is a man waiting to cross the road ahead on my far right approx 10 metres in front on the OTHER side of the junction. So if he stepped out he would be in my lane 10metres ahead. He was not on a crossing, it was a duel carriageway cross-junction with no pavements for pedestrians.

I accelerated at this point, a lapse of judgement as I was rolling but still in 1st gear. (should have used 2nd, much smoother). The man steps out into the road as my car lunges forward and although he could probably have got accross if he continued in time, he stopped and lept very quickly back onto the kerb.

Now to a traffic controller watching this through their cameras, they would have seen me and this man and called it a red light jump because none of the other traffic has moved yet and I would appear to "fly through" the junction. I believe this is why it was flagged as a red light jump.

IMO I've done nothing wrong apart from pulling away too quickly (as a side note, I was in control of the car). It would have been unsafe to stop when the traffic was about to move off from the junction. The man shouldn't have been in the centre of a duel carriageway junction, I'm not going to berate him for it but I shouldn't be in the wrong for causing him to change his crossing tactics.

There was no flash btw which makes me think that it was a manned camera whether on the roadside or in a traffic control room.

I remember this incident so well because of the man stepping out and the car lunging when I didn't expect it to. I felt unsafe so that's why it made such an imprint on my memory.

Question is, do I have a case? Don't be afraid to say I was in the wrong if you really think so. I just need some solid ground.

anewman

The light wasn't green then?!

Also try asking on pepipoo.com I wouldn't say the odds are good though.

Bits from highway code...

151. Junctions controlled by traffic lights
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 an accident.

152. Junctions controlled by traffic lights
You MUST NOT move forward over the white line when the red light is showing. Only go forward when the traffic lights are green if there is room for you to clear the junction safely or you are taking up a position to turn right. If the traffic lights are not working, proceed with caution. Allow cyclists and buses time and space to move off when the green signal shows

Emphasis added.

jimpix12

This is quite a concern, I thought the only way they could enforce this was with those horrid little grey/yellow junction cameras? Or was that what caught you?
You postulate in your post that it was just a regular little CCTV camera... I don't know if that's enforceable but I'm sure someone here will.

scumspeedy

ahh looks like I have no case if they were amber-red. Live and learn I guess. I'll double check and see if it was a flasher or not but I didn't see a flash (I know it would be really bright if it was).

Thanks fellas.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

If they havent got a picture of the lights with you moving across the line what difference does it make?

They can fine you or give you points.

goldspanners

where abouts in the coutry was this?
do you pass the junction often, would you not be able to see if there are any junction cameras on it?

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

Traffic lights do not change to amber-red when changing to red - that only happens when they are changing from red to green. They go green...amber...red. The traffic light cameras are activated by electrical lines under the tarmac that detect a large metal object moving over them. The cameras do not trigger for at least a second or two after the light has changed to red.

I believe the offence is actually crossing the solid white STOP line against the red light. You should ask to see any evidence they have, two pictures are taken. The camera may well have been triggered by another vehicle.

Pssst

I understood that RED to AMBER was STOP and it only meant GO when it was Green..?? i.e no case to answer,offence committed.

Volcano

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers! wrote: »

Traffic lights do not change to amber-red when changing to red - that only happens when they are changing from red to green. They go green...amber...red.

I think he got that bit:

scumspeedy wrote: »

But I remember the event exactly and I know the lights were Amber-Red (changing to Green) and not Red.

This is a good site that shows it in nice graphics: http://www.driving-test-success.com/traffic_lights/traffic_lights.html

Chippy_Minton_2

Pssst wrote: »

I understood that RED to AMBER was STOP and it only meant GO when it was Green..?? i.e no case to answer,offence committed.

Well said.:beer: