Just got flashed. Question

regulus · 20 Dec 2006 at 21:49

Came up to a traffic light that turned red and I hit the breaks a second too late and skidded about 10inches over the line and the damn camera flashed me. Does that count as jumping a red light?

regulus · 20 Dec 2006 at 21:54

Tupac said:
Gatso type camera?

camera noob here.

It's yellow...if it helps

regulus · 21 Dec 2006 at 10:47

silversurfer said:
Ive braked just in time for the line on a set of cameras and a big cloud of smoke drifted past me as I stopped I realised later the rear brake guide pin had rusted up and it throws everything off I guess

If you crossed the line I'd say they'll do you like the robots they are, any argument or attempt at justice will be taken as insolence

Try and take a positive from it and check your brakes, any reason why you had trouble stopping ?

Nope, I wasn't even doing 30 (40 zone) and it just suddenly changed over when I was quite close. Probably could've made it but don't like rushing at an orange light.

regulus · 21 Dec 2006 at 11:50

Chronos-X said:
Traffic lights dont just 'turn' red

iirc you get 3/4 of a second of red before it will get you. In london everyone drives through the ambers

I live in London and I don't. Eight years of not even a parking offense. I like my insurance nice and low.

regulus · 21 Dec 2006 at 17:16

Tomsk said:
You're supposed to stop your vehicle before the line. This does not mean the front wheels are behind the line, it means the whole vehicle.

Red light cameras take two pictures. One showing the car and traffic lights on red with the car before the line and a second picture a short period later showing the same car across the line and traffic lights still showing red.

The OP's car and registration will be clearly visible if the camera took a picture. If it only took one picture because the OP had stopped (albeit over the line) then it will probably upto a jobsworth to decide whether to prosecute or not.

It definetly only took one pic. They'll probably come after me. Any excuse to get some more money to waste.

regulus · 21 Dec 2006 at 18:19

PMKeates said:
Reference to something someone posted in this thread, the delay between amber and red varies depending on the particular traffic light. Many will hold amber much longer than others.

I can think of a fairly "golden" excuse as well:

You were driving towards the lights. Human/animal runs out in front of you and you swerve to avoid, swerve back in to your lane and then brake sharply for the red light - you finish up slightly over the line. If you hadn't of swerved and had braked straight away you'd have most certainly hit the random organism. Therefore person deciding whether you get off or not has to weigh up "Killing someone + stopping before line" vs. "stopping slightly after line". No matter what the computer says, if you're willing to lie I can't imagine anyone not allowing you exonerating circumstances.

That's actually a good idea. I might look into something along those lines if they're ridiculous enough to come after me when I clearly did NOT skip the light.