is it ok to jump a red when there are no cars or traffic around

londonTiger

We'v e all been there. You're stuck at a junction early in the mornng say 3am. You c an see all the other junctions and can see that there are no cars or pedestrians around.

You want to jump the lights and move forward slowly and carefully. But you're worred that CCTV might catch you so you don't.

I just faced a similar situation on Christmas day when I was going to budgens to pick up several tubs of ben & jerrys on offer for £2.50 each. These guys are awesome - they never close. haha.

Anyway, whats the law on this can you drive through a red if there's no traffic about? I remeber reading on another forum how you can drive through red if its safe to do so. There was a truck driver with dashcam footage of a car in front that drove through a red light. He sent the footage to the police and the police rejected it and said that there's nothing they can do.

Any ideas?

Sgt_Pepper_2

If you hold a full licence then you will no full well you can't.

Owain_Moneysaver

londonTiger wrote: »

There was a truck driver with dashcam footage of a car in front that drove through a red light. He sent the footage to the police and the police rejected it and said that there's nothing they can do.

Because they can't issue a fixed penalty after the event, and the costs of going to court make prosecution not in the public interest.

Or because the dashcam wasn't acceptable as evidence.

pd52

someone told me that with temp traffic lights (like road works) you can go thru on red if there is nothing on the other side??!?(never have done tho) theres a set by us which have been there for ages, instead of them turning to green at night with no traffic around as you approach they go to red! so you sit there for a few mins whilst the other side is on green with no cars.

pd52

even duplicated you cant

HappyMJ

londonTiger wrote: »

We'v e all been there. You're stuck at a junction early in the mornng say 3am. You c an see all the other junctions and can see that there are no cars or pedestrians around.

You want to jump the lights and move forward slowly and carefully. But you're worred that CCTV might catch you so you don't.

I just faced a similar situation on Christmas day when I was going to budgens to pick up several tubs of ben & jerrys on offer for £2.50 each. These guys are awesome - they never close. haha.

Anyway, whats the law on this can you drive through a red if there's no traffic about? I remeber reading on another forum how you can drive through red if its safe to do so. There was a truck driver with dashcam footage of a car in front that drove through a red light. He sent the footage to the police and the police rejected it and said that there's nothing they can do.

Any ideas?

If there is no one about...including police officers then no one will see you going through the red light so...go for it....don't blame me if the camera gets you though. You'll find that one hard to defend. Surely waiting..oh...20 seconds for the light to change isn't going to delay you too much.

chris-j

No you should not do it, but can understand what you are saying. If for example lights were obviously stuck (happens quite often) then cautiously progressing makes sense as traffic queues up behind since purpose of lights is to help control traffic flow.
There are good arguments for some junctions to have temporary lights and revert to normal junction at quiet times + have a turn left on red policy if safe (as happens in USA, but right) but unfortunately politicians think drivers too thick to change behaviour.

Sgt_Pepper_2

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

Because they can't issue a fixed penalty after the event, and the costs of going to court make prosecution not in the public interest.

Or because the dashcam wasn't acceptable as evidence.

Rubbish, they do it when you go through a speed camera.

Tilt

Only on a cycle can you get away with it apparently.

Tilt

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

Because they can't issue a fixed penalty after the event, and the costs of going to court make prosecution not in the public interest.

Or because the dashcam wasn't acceptable as evidence.

Err, what about traffic light cameras? Don't they issue FPN's from those anymore?

TrickyWicky

pd52 wrote: »

someone told me that with temp traffic lights (like road works) you can go thru on red if there is nothing on the other side??!?

Sometimes roadworks traffic lights lock up and simply don't change. I got stuck at one once for over ten minutes before I gave up and was about to go. At that point a workman showed up who when yelled at, hit the reset button. When I pointed out that the radar thing on top was pointing into someones garden he didn't seem the slightest bit bothered :mad:

I don't think these temporary lights are enforceable though as I think they'd need to be covered under the TRO for the road but I may be wrong.