Red light "jumping"

[canis]

I can't believe what I just saw.

Waiting at a crossroads not even half an hour ago, intending a straight-on, at a red light behind two other cars. I noticed a girl to my right waiting to cross the road.

She can't because there's traffic from my left, performing right turn manuevers, but I can hear the crossing beeps. Wait a minute, I can see the green man! This junction has all pedestrians cross at once. And I can see at least three green man signals visually, but the cars kept on coming.

She's trying to step out, but still the cars come. By the time she actually got a foot off the kerb, they green man had changed to red. Fortunately there was enough time for her to cross before the next procession of cars began, but that's not the point.

The time for a pelican crossing is 20 seconds, plus 20 seconds to finish crossing. This wasn't a pelican crossing, so didn't have a flashing phase, but still - 20 seconds is a fairly long time. Count it in your head right now. There is also a delay between the lanes showing red and the green man appearing.

What this means is; For more than 20 seconds cars were brazenly proceeding through red signals. This wasn't trying to sneak through on an amber, this has to have been people approaching the red light, seeing it at red, and not caring but deciding to drive through it anyway. And in this case, literally putting somebody's physical person in jeapody.

What kind'o ting dat?

[The Thong]

Originally Posted by canis

I can't believe what I just saw.

Waiting at a crossroads not even half an hour ago, intending a straight-on, at a red light behind two other cars. I noticed a girl to my right waiting to cross the road.

She can't because there's traffic from my left, performing right turn manuevers, but I can hear the crossing beeps. Wait a minute, I can see the green man! This junction has all pedestrians cross at once. And I can see at least three green man signals visually, but the cars kept on coming.

She's trying to step out, but still the cars come. By the time she actually got a foot off the kerb, they green man had changed to red. Fortunately there was enough time for her to cross before the next procession of cars began, but that's not the point.

The time for a pelican crossing is 20 seconds, plus 20 seconds to finish crossing. This wasn't a pelican crossing, so didn't have a flashing phase, but still - 20 seconds is a fairly long time. Count it in your head right now. There is also a delay between the lanes showing red and the green man appearing.

What this means is; For more than 20 seconds cars were brazenly proceeding through red signals. This wasn't trying to sneak through on an amber, this has to have been people approaching the red light, seeing it at red, and not caring but deciding to drive through it anyway. And in this case, literally putting somebody's physical person in jeapody.

What kind'o ting dat?

I see it a lot now mate, there’s no Plod on the roads to catch em at it. Last week I was on the road at 4am, I was on the M6 J2 roundabout and most of the lights were on red and a bloke jumped em all. Nobody is bothered anymore, lane disipline, positioning at road juctions etc have gone out the window. I don’t blame the Rozzers but we need a visible police presence on the roads again.

[john.wigley]

You are right, 'canis'. Where people used to 'amber gamble', they now brazenly go through - as you say - on red. I feel that this is an increasing trend, and yet another manifestation of the aggressive 'me first' attitude that is all too prevalent in society today.

Regards, John.

[blueblock]

All the time here in Sheffield. It's about 50% people jumping red lights in cars (especially taxis) and 50% people walking blindly out into moving traffic off pavements. This week has been particularly scary.

[eternal optimist]

Originally Posted by canis

I can't believe what I just saw.

Waiting at a crossroads not even half an hour ago, intending a straight-on, at a red light behind two other cars. I noticed a girl to my right waiting to cross the road.

She can't because there's traffic from my left, performing right turn manuevers, but I can hear the crossing beeps. Wait a minute, I can see the green man! This junction has all pedestrians cross at once. And I can see at least three green man signals visually, but the cars kept on coming.

She's trying to step out, but still the cars come. By the time she actually got a foot off the kerb, they green man had changed to red. Fortunately there was enough time for her to cross before the next procession of cars began, but that's not the point.

The time for a pelican crossing is 20 seconds, plus 20 seconds to finish crossing. This wasn't a pelican crossing, so didn't have a flashing phase, but still - 20 seconds is a fairly long time. Count it in your head right now. There is also a delay between the lanes showing red and the green man appearing.

What this means is; For more than 20 seconds cars were brazenly proceeding through red signals. This wasn't trying to sneak through on an amber, this has to have been people approaching the red light, seeing it at red, and not caring but deciding to drive through it anyway. And in this case, literally putting somebody's physical person in jeapody.

What kind'o ting dat?

Could you actually see the red light the cars were breaking? No possibility that there was a fault on the control system? Can't say I agree with the others who see this as a common thing, it doesn't fit with what I experience, and I'm doing about 2,500 miles a month. Generally, I find most people are reasonably courteous and reasonably capable at not crashing into me or running me over.

[luggsey]

Just last week I was overtaken as I slowed to a red light, BMW driver swerved into turn right lane to overtake my van going blindly through a red!

Since I started driving in the 80's I see more and more red light jumping.

It's getting silly as already said nobody is catching them, red light cameras on every junction I say!

[sv70]

i'm afraid blatantly going through red lights is pretty common,because they know they would only be caught if the police saw them do it,at best it's annoying,at worst it kills innocent people,it is a pet hate of mine.I would welcome all traffic lights to have inbuilt cameras that nab the nutters,a hefty fine and points to boot,they have the technology why don't they use it,it would be a good deterrent,and make people think was it worth a fine and points just to get somewhere 1 minute quicker.

[canis]

Originally Posted by eternal optimist

Could you actually see the red light the cars were breaking? No possibility that there was a fault on the control system? Can't say I agree with the others who see this as a common thing, it doesn't fit with what I experience, and I'm doing about 2,500 miles a month. Generally, I find most people are reasonably courteous and reasonably capable at not crashing into me or running me over.

You're right that most people are reasonabl. Like yourself, I prefer not to presume every driver is an idiot. But I am witnessing a lot more red light jumpers, every single day, although I will admit today's occurrance was something I'd not seen before.

No, I couldn't actually see the red light they were defying. But the lights were working perfectly well in all other respects. I suppose it's not impossible there was a fault, but it seems unlikely given the behaviour of the lights before and after the event was entirely normal, and the behaviour of the later drivers who took the corner much faster and closer together than the earlier ones.

[ThomasG]

This reminds me a "lecture" I had from fellow BMW (yes!) driver.
Long story short:

Green- stage 1- go
Amber- stage 2- go
Red - stage 3- go
Flashing blue -stage 4- something's wrong, slow down and see is it about you

[Dippydog]

I can't say as I've personally seen any instances of this round here,but it wouldn't bother me[as in I wouldn't be up in arms about civil liberties/human rights type stuff] if they put cameras at the lights to catch any offenders they are after all putting me in danger as much as anyone else.I'm far from Mr perfect driver but it seems to me that driving standards as a whole are declining and would positively welcome a greater police presence on the roads.Cameras are all very well but they can't[as yet]catch drink/drug/dangerous drivers.