Is stopping at red lights now optional?

Norman_Castle

I've been driving a bit more over the last few weeks and on a few occasions had following motorist bib me or gesticulate because I stopped for red lights. I stopped relatively quickly but not an emergency stop. On one occasion an open bag of recycling remained stationary, didn't tip over, no bottles fell out. Another stop was equally unhurried and at about 20mph where the lane turns to the right. At another set of lights a following car changed lane to overtake me to drive through the red lights. I don't always stop when I could, looking up at the lights seeing them turn red as I pass knowing I could have stopped but didn't but then notice cars following me who obviously had more time to stop have followed me through a light which would clearly have been red. It appears amber now means accelerate and red now means go if the light has only just changed.   

Its a concern that at some point one of these impatient, foolish drivers will go into the back of me.

It also seems that you now don't have to wait at a zebra crossing if the crossing pedestrian is no longer directly ahead of you.

 

SiliconChip

It's been getting worse for quite a few years but I feel there was a significant deterioration when traffic returned to the roads after the first Covid lockdown, and it's never got any better. As well as the issues noted I'm for ever seeing people doing a U turn at traffic lights where they are clearly prohibited, and lately there has been a spate of people entering a turn from one side of a dual carriageway to the other when that turn is one way only in the opposite direction.  I'm starting to think that the poster who recently suggested that driving tests should be retaken every 10 years is on to something.

One thing that is annoying is that a lot of these illegal actions could easily be followed up through traffic cameras, but even though the UK is one of the most surveilled countries in the world I rather doubt that this happens.

Grey_Critic

I agree - I wonder if all the calls for us oldies to be banned from the road or retake our driving tests are more to do with us actually obeying the rules - Stop at crossings and traffic lights. Stick to the speed limits and all the other things we were actually taught when learning and had to demonstrate when we took our tests.

Driving down the M6 yesterday the signs said 50 and I was in everybodies way.

Wonder how all these people will go on with self-drivimg cars. Will some back street garage be installing rogue chips so they can weave their way through the traffic.

What I would like is for traffic enforcement to be privatised and I could be allowed to hand out tickets to these idiots that create mayhem. I would have thought is would be very cost effective to have a dedicated Traffic police Force.

Bonniepurple

We’ve had 2 cars written off in quick succession, and, when I was talking to to valuation engineer, he said that standards had dropped since covid.  I think it’s a combination of some people feeling that they are above whichever laws they dislike and people not being used to driving in traffic.

I was driving in one of Wales’ new 20mph limits earlier and got overtaken by 2 cars easily doing 40 plus.

Today’s purchase was a replacement car, tomorrow are dash cam!

diystarter7

Hi

The simple answer is no!!

The thread title is misleading and could confuse the already less skilled/confused that may read these threads and think its now optional when clearly it is not!  



Thanks

Car_54

Norman_Castle said:

It also seems that you now don't have to wait at a zebra crossing if the crossing pedestrian is no longer directly ahead of you.

 

You don’t (and never have). The law says the pedestrian has precedence. That doesn’t mean you have to wait until he has crossed completely.

Grey_Critic

***What's this thread got to do with money-saving?***

Well if we stricly applied that criteria I think the post count would be much reduced.

It could of course be argued (and no doubt will be ) if we could get everybody to drive in a sensible manner then accident rates and therefore insurance costs could be considerably reduced (Note I said could not would the insurance companies would simply inctrease rates to make up for lost income) The cost to the NHS (another organisation that needs to save money) would also benefit. The downside of course is the repair side of the motor trade would suffer a downturn I suppose.

Well you did ask.

diystarter7

Grey_Critic said:

***What's this thread got to do with money-saving?***

Indeed!!

[Deleted User]

Another possibility is that the junction is complex and someone is looking at the wrong light, thinking they can go.

Zinger549

diystarter7 said:

Hi

The simple answer is no!!

The thread title is misleading and could confuse the already less skilled/confused that may read these threads and think its now optional when clearly it is not!  



Thanks

I really don't think someone is going to start driving through red lights because of the title of this thread.

Grey_Critic

If you read my comments.

1 - If we were to be pedantic then no but that criteria applies to many of the topics/posts.

2 - I suggested a way in which application of the rules (Law) that if spplied could possibly save money for such as the NHS etc by reduction of accidents and so save insurance companies money.