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Ran a tempoary red traffic light

It's my fault, I 100% ran it and was aware I did it.
Situation was it was about seven in the evening, I come to a set of poorly positioned traffic works (they were positioned so close to a permenant set of traffic lights traffic was backing up through the junction). The lights change from red ot green, but only for a few seconds before going back. There's like 3-4 cars in front of me and they all go sailing through the red. I thought I could see one of the work guys signalling us to come on through the lights, and it looked like they were either being taken down or just being put up, so I followed the fourth car through. We didn't meet any other traffic coming through. I realised I was being an impatient, impulsive idiot as I'd never run an actual traffic light.

Anyway I went home and did some research and found they were actual highway people and not just the local jokers like some cowboy builders who just happen to have a portable s et of traffic lights to carry out work. I drove back to the scene, parking in a nearby road, and more or less apologised to the highway people and said what happened. they said they saw me but weren't going to report or anything and didn't really seem to care as I suspected, just warning me apparently the tempoary lights in central London do have cameras. My dad ran a set of red tempoary lights a month or so back and was worrried they had a camera but I told him they dont have cameras just sensors to detect timings etc. 

What could happen now? I'm worried if someone has a dashcam like me they will send it off to the police. Will it be a TL offence or something like careless/dangerous? I don't deny going through the red, I just assumed the road workers had given a hand signal for the cars to ignore it, given four cars passed through in front, so either they're just as impatient as I am (tbf 7 seconds for like twenty cars to pass is absolutely ridiculous), or they did signal, though I can't see anyhting in my dashcam footage to suggest that. I don't have any points but I'm still within the two year period, and in some ways the courses can be worse than the fines. 

Ultimately I admit responsibility and am trying to modify my behaviour by getting an ADHD diagnosis so I can be medicated to reduce my impulsive "!!!!!! it" behaviour. 

Comments

  • Grumpy_chap
    Grumpy_chap Posts: 18,388 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Civic2056 said:
    It's my fault, I 100% ran it and was aware I did it.
    Situation was it was about seven in the evening, I come to a set of poorly positioned traffic works (they were positioned so close to a permenant set of traffic lights traffic was backing up through the junction). The lights change from red ot green, but only for a few seconds before going back. There's like 3-4 cars in front of me and they all go sailing through the red. I thought I could see one of the work guys signalling us to come on through the lights, and it looked like they were either being taken down or just being put up, so I followed the fourth car through. We didn't meet any other traffic coming through. I realised I was being an impatient, impulsive idiot as I'd never run an actual traffic light.

    Anyway I went home and did some research and found they were actual highway people and not just the local jokers like some cowboy builders who just happen to have a portable s et of traffic lights to carry out work. I drove back to the scene, parking in a nearby road, and more or less apologised to the highway people and said what happened. they said they saw me but weren't going to report or anything and didn't really seem to care as I suspected, just warning me apparently the tempoary lights in central London do have cameras. My dad ran a set of red tempoary lights a month or so back and was worrried they had a camera but I told him they dont have cameras just sensors to detect timings etc. 

    What could happen now? I'm worried if someone has a dashcam like me they will send it off to the police. Will it be a TL offence or something like careless/dangerous? I don't deny going through the red, I just assumed the road workers had given a hand signal for the cars to ignore it, given four cars passed through in front, so either they're just as impatient as I am (tbf 7 seconds for like twenty cars to pass is absolutely ridiculous), or they did signal, though I can't see anyhting in my dashcam footage to suggest that. I don't have any points but I'm still within the two year period, and in some ways the courses can be worse than the fines. 

    Ultimately I admit responsibility and am trying to modify my behaviour by getting an ADHD diagnosis so I can be medicated to reduce my impulsive "!!!!!! it" behaviour. 
    So, the workmen said they won't report you and there are no cameras.

    Seems like you are ok to move along and worry about the next thing along.
  • JGB1955
    JGB1955 Posts: 3,875 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Forget about it.  Temporary traffic lights are a nightmare - when they fail, all lights (even on a 3-way system) turn red... so everyone sits there for a long time before thinking they might venture forward....   A few years ago, in rural Yorkshire on a Sunday morning, we came across this same problem.  I volunteered to walk to the other end of the stoppage, only to realise that it was (in reality) a free for all as they were, also, red.  Made our way forward, cautiously.  All good!
    #2 Saving for Christmas 2024 - £1 a day challenge. £325 of £366
  • user1977
    user1977 Posts: 18,035 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Seventh Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    Unless there's a temporary traffic regulation order in place enforcing the lights (which I wouldn't expect unless a major / longterm piece of work) then they're not enforceable. Though potentially still careless etc driving if you were stopped by the cops at the time (or hit something).
  • Civic2056
    Civic2056 Posts: 75 Forumite
    10 Posts First Anniversary Name Dropper
    user1977 said:
    Unless there's a temporary traffic regulation order in place enforcing the lights (which I wouldn't expect unless a major / longterm piece of work) then they're not enforceable. Though potentially still careless etc driving if you were stopped by the cops at the time (or hit something).
    Interesting. I can't see any thing on the highways website about it but I do remember seeing a sign the other day saying work with the permit number in place. 

    I just hope someone hasn't sent dashcam footage in. 
  • Mr.Generous
    Mr.Generous Posts: 4,003 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    3 months jail time for sure.
    Mr Generous - Landlord for more than 10 years. Generous? - Possibly but sarcastic more likely.
  • facade
    facade Posts: 7,652 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    user1977 said:
    Unless there's a temporary traffic regulation order in place enforcing the lights (which I wouldn't expect unless a major / longterm piece of work) then they're not enforceable. Though potentially still careless etc driving if you were stopped by the cops at the time (or hit something).

    Unless the Law has changed, temporary traffic lights have the same legal status as fixed ones for s. 36 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, Defined by Regulation 10 of the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002 to apply to portable signals meeting the requirements of reg. 35, which covers colour & size.


    Too late to worry about it now, just don't do it again and trust that nothing comes of it.


    I want to go back to The Olden Days, when every single thing that I can think of was better.....

    (except air quality and Medical Science ;))
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