Red light running

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Ok so winter is arriving and it seems that every road is being dug up in my area so out come the temporary traffic lights. So who here notices the amount of drivers that blatantly go through red just because they are temporary?

Yesterday I was amazed to see about 7 cars all stream through the red, yet you just do not see this happening on the normal traffic lights. Is this because they know the lane is normally single with temp lights in force and know the danger of hitting the green light traffic is minimised as they cannot get through anyway?

I must admit I have done it once and really don't know why. :confused:

So who here does this often and why?
 
I have on occasion. When I've been sat at a temporary red light in absolutely the middle of nowhere late at night, when the road works are so small you can clearly see there isn't another car for miles. But I don't make a habit of it.
 
It's because temporary traffic lights are poorly optimised. The same with level crossings but less people play chicken with trains for some reason. :confused:
 
Conscript said:
I have on occasion. When I've been sat at a temporary red light in absolutely the middle of nowhere late at night, when the road works are so small you can clearly see there isn't another car for miles. But I don't make a habit of it.
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This.

Long straight country roads with short distance temporary lights and I'll just go straight through if it's all clear.
 
Round my way they do it through normal lights on a big T Junction and then block up the road so nobody can get through. Sadly no yellow box. That's what annoys me the most. They can see the traffic is backed up but they still go through and block the traffic trying to turn right. Grrr
 
A few weeks ago there were some temp traffic lights set up on a road in Crawley - it was a 2 way switch but they were permanently red on both sides and there was no-one doing anything at the road works. I was only visiting on one day at the weekend but it caused chaos apparently...

Anyway, on that occasion I went through a red light.... after waiting about 6 minutes
 
Aren't you allowed to go through a red light at temp lights if you can see all ways are clear after a certain time?
 
I go one better and go through reds on fixed traffic lights.

Usually because they troll me and change at a point where I wouldn't be able to stop in time.
 
Do it all the time. I also go through red lights when turning left, why that isn't legal I don't know, it is in the USA (technically turning right).

Someone told me you should flash them as they have sensors, don't know if that's an urban myth though.
 
I was once told that temporary lights are for guidance only and not enforceable. ie you can't be prosecuted for running a red light (although possibly still careless driving if it was dangerous). Only permanent traffic lights are enforceable and these will all have a solid white line around the edge as shown in pic below. Temp traffic lights do not have this white line.
So as long as you can see your exit is clear it's possibly ok to 'jump' them.

incandescent-traffic-lights.jpg
 
gillywibble said:
Do it all the time. I also go through red lights when turning left, why that isn't legal I don't know, it is in the USA (technically turning right).

Someone told me you should flash them as they have sensors, don't know if that's an urban myth though.
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Temporary ones do, regular lights use induction strips in the road.
 
Have done it a few times. Usually when the filter time is unfair - e.g. you're in a queue of 30 cars, have been waiting for a few cycles of the lights, but the other direction has no queue and people able to drive up and go straight through. In that instance I don't mind going through a red behind my queue.

The other is when you've been sitting at temporary lights for 5 minutes without a car in sight.
 
Giggz said:
Aren't you allowed to go through a red light at temp lights if you can see all ways are clear after a certain time?
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That used to be the case, but the law was changed in the 70's. The temporary lights are now treated the same as fixed ones, under law.

Section : 36
Sub-Section : 1
Act : Road Traffic Act 1988
Subject : Failing To Comply With The Indication Given By A Traffic Sign


Where a traffic sign of the prescribed size, colour and type or another authorised by the secretary of state has been lawfully placed on or near a road, a person driving who fails to comply with the indication given by the sign is guilty of an offence.

Signs that apply to this act:
Stop Sign
Give Way Sign
Red lights at a level crossing
Keep left
Keep right
Red traffic light signals
Double white lines
No U turn
No entry
One Way
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Statutory Instrument 1994 No. 1519
The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1994

Portable light signals
32. Portable light signals—

(a) shall be of the size, colour and type shown in diagram 3000.1; and

(b) shall be illuminated in the sequence prescribed by regulation 30(4).

Significance of light signals

33.—(1) The significance of the light signals prescribed in paragraphs (2) and (3) of regulation 30 and in regulation 32 shall be as follows

(a) except as provided in sub-paragraphs (b), (f) and (g) the red signal shall convey the prohibition that vehicular traffic other than tramcars shall not proceed beyond the stop line;
Click to expand...
 
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EVH said:
That used to be the case, but the law was changed in the 70's. The temporary lights are now treated the same as fixed ones, under law.
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That's handy to know, because I was under the impression that they were still ok to jump..oops! :)
 
Funniest thing I've seen at temporary traffic lights was in Anglesey where the distance between both sets of lights was about 150m with only a single file between them. A guy on the other side must have cut through on red but got less than half way before our side changed to green. Que everyone from our side setting off towards this guy who had cut the red light leaving him nowhere to go. In the end he had to reverse all the way back to where he had just come from.looking.mightily embarrassed.
 
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