Flashed by Traffic Light Cam

[R0B75]

Last night whilst driving home after picking some friends up from a wedding do out in the sticks I got flashed by a traffic light camera.

Now I'm willing to accept the blame for anything I've done wrong but this was purely accidental.

I was approaching a large junction/crossroad with crossings and lights at each exit (you know the type) and the lights were already on red. My sat nav showed this had a traffic light camera and so was slowing down to stop.

The problem is that the area (Arnold, Notts) is unfamiliar to me and the rain had made the road very shiny and I could not see the white line to stop on approach.

Because of this I ended up guessing where I should stop and as I was coming to a halt I think the camera flashed twice in quick succession. It was then I realised the white line, which in all fairness was pretty worn, was 10 yards behind me. I had no intention of jumping the lights and stopped until the light was green again.

This was purely accidental and as far as I'm concerned only happened because of the road and weather conditions and that it's a road I've never driven and in a town never driven through before.

My question is this. I have a clean licence and would like to keep it that way, so would there be any way of contesting a fine and the points based on what I've said?? As I said, if I had intended to gamble with the lights and got caught I'd take it on the chin for being an idiot, but I'm not a risk taker and this was genuine and possibly unavoidable mistake.

A few seconds after I was flashed a police car pulled up at the lights behind me, I was expecting to be pulled over but they obviously weren't interested.

 

[R0B75]

Will the pictures show you were moving or stopped?
If stopped, should be fine to contest, otherwise you should have got out and asked for a statement off Mr Officer to say you just overshot the line, not jumped the lights.

Mick

I think I was stopped or stopping, either way my brake lights would have been on.

Why did the sat nav need to tell you about the camera to slow down, not the big red lights? Would you have plowed on through if there wasn't a camera?

Anyway you could try appealing, but i guess it depends on if your position was dangerous or not

The point about the sat nav was just to say I knew there was a camera so I'd hardly plough through lights that were already on red. I was slowing down as I approached the lights, I just couldn't see the line to stop at so pretty much guessed. I was not in danger of hitting anything as I was nowhere near entering the junction.

 

[R0B75]

So what you're saying is you weren't driving with due care and attention or in a manner appropriate to the conditions?

Yeah, I'd contest it with exactly that statement at the magistrates. Let us know how you get on.

Where did I say I was driving without due care and attention?? I was driving in a manner appropriate to the conditions, well under the 40mph speed limit and slowing down for the lights. I just couldn't see the stop line due to the fact its worn and the shine from the street lights on wet road so had to guess.

 

[R0B75]

If you go through a red light, you get a fine. It's pretty much that simple.

Thanks for the reply but you're wrong.

 

[R0B75]

Why are you asking us for help if you already know it all?

I don't know it all and don't pretend to. Just pointing out that you don't get a fine automatically for jumping a red light...

 

[R0B75]

How so? If you know cases which have been contested let us know for the benefit of all. I don't like the strong silent type

Well not all traffic lights have cameras do they? Just pointing out his post was factually incorrect as he likes to do to others regularly.

 

[R0B75]

Thats probably the most ridiculous 'point' anyone has made on here recently. At least I try to have a point before I make it. You could use your ridiculous logic to say that you don't go to prison for armed robbery if you wanted

Its pretty obvious what was meant.

I know what you meant, I was just being facetious.

 

[R0B75]

Which one was it in Arnold? The one near the Vale pub and junction to thackarys lane?

I do remember seeing a pub called the Vale and one called the Ram??

 

[R0B75]

Were you coming into notts from Mansfield way then? The ram is the opposite end of Arnold to the vale. If you need any pics of it shout up, the vale is only about 1km away, I can walk down there (google image might help to pin point where you were).

I was going back towards the M1 to go on to Derby. I don't think I'd be able to pin point the actual set of lights as I seem to remeber there being more than 1, but I'll have a look. It was dark and wet

I guess I play the waiting game now for a letter.

Edit: Looking at it, it might be the ones outside the Vale. But on google maps there is no traffic light camera.