[Archived] Red Light Runners

[thenodrog]

Why are there so many people running through traffic lights on red just after they have changed nowadays? It used to be that we stopped as the lights hit red or a split second after but now I see red light jumpers going through later and later. It's bloody madness now and Plod don't seem inclined to bother about it (no doubt until a few fatalities have occurred ) so how long before one half of the traffic lights in Blackburn get equipped with camera's? Problem with that is that camera's only identify registered vehicles.

With red light jumpers, countless drivers using mob phones and seeming hordes parking on invalid spaces standards are falling steeply so does anybody know just what the authorities are doing about it? The first two are not about anti-social behaviour they are dangerous crimes.

[ABBEY]

whiteburk is bloody murder for it ...they change straight from red to green at once its crazy

[Biddy]

Fully agree Theno, one of my all time driving hates. The solid Amber light used to mean, slow down and stop, lights changing to red. Now it seems to mean, "FOR GOD SAKE SPEED UP, YOU MIGHT JUST MAKE IT".

[AlanK]

Try Swindon Theno.

The roundabout capital of the world and no bugger indicates. Its a free for all.

[American]

Before they cracked down a bit, it used to be more dangerous to slow down/stop for a yellow/just red light in Boston. Odds are the guy behind you would try to make it and if you stopped rear-end you.

[Biddy]

Before they cracked down a bit, it used to be more dangerous to slow down/stop for a yellow/just red light in Boston. Odds are the guy behind you would try to make it and if you stopped rear-end you.

Don't know the rules in the States but here that would be ok. That's a big compo claim for all damages plus whiplash / time off work.

OK, I jest, not good but rear ending is always the fault of the prat behind.

[colin]

Why are there so many people running through traffic lights on red just after they have changed nowadays?

They are probably just in a hurry. They were more important than anyone else.

Did you ever cough up for those two speed camera fines you got BTW? Or did you fight them all the way?

[thenodrog]

Odds are the guy behind you would try to make it and if you stopped rear-end you.

Crikey! I'd rather pay a fine!

[thenodrog]

Did you ever cough up for those two speed camera fines you got BTW? Or did you fight them all the way?

Did I hell! I was in the right and they damned well knew it..... thats why they gave up in the end. PC applying bully boy tactics can never hope to beat the Drog Colin!

[philipl]

Saw the title to this thread and immediately assumed it was about some of the younger posters' exploits in Amsterdam.

[roversmum]

Try Swindon Theno.

The roundabout capital of the world and no bugger indicates. Its a free for all.

Funny how things strike you. When we moved to Clayton from Swindon 18 years ago I couldn't believe the number of folks round here who didn't indicate.......... !

[ABBEY]

thats because the brook is full of joy riders mum

[roversmum]

Not really, they have to steal the cars first and they haven't quite worked out how to do that yet!

[ABBEY]

cant believe they cant do that in the brook ,they mastered everything else:P

[roversmum]

Ah, but we've quite an efficient Plod set-up around, they don't get away with as much these days!

[ABBEY]

wow...18/03/08 9.26am ABBEY IS SPEECHLESS

[b12_simon]

Funny how things strike you. When we moved to Clayton from Swindon 18 years ago I couldn't believe the number of folks round here who didn't indicate.......... !

I'd agree with you there, mum. I'm from Blackburn but learned to drive in Birmingham.

Round my way it's maximum aggression, everyone 10mph above the speed limit but most folks do indicate. Blackburn drivers are very laid back by comparison but there are tons of them who can't be arsed indicating.

[1864roverite]

The problem with red light runners or ambler gamblers is that they dont really give a rats arse for themselves or another car user or the pedestrian. In fact they just dont give a toss.

Now to answer a few of TND's observations.

Some lights are going to have cameras fitted and these will identify the car, the reg and the driver as well as the passenger. This is where the problem lies however as it is going to cost a significant amount of money to process the film and paperwork when a vehicle passes through the camera/lights and commits an offence. I think the usual £60 fine and 3 point scenario is still in place and I think the fine is going tup to £80 in the near future. if you are to process the film and paperwork, it works out at aout £300 per shot. Then that has to be added to court paperwork and CPS costs which if I recall starts with a basic first appearance fee of £175 and you can see the cost of actually taking a motorist to court is nearing the £500 mark.

I am aware some figures suggest that we would see around 145 motorists a month appearing at court of which on average 18% are found not guilty by way of acquittal or other means, 8% of cases are withdrawn, 55% plead guilty at first appearance and the rest are simply convicted after trial. Can you imagine the outrage as those that plead guilty STILL get credit for the plea and STILL only receive the nominal fine + 15% + £25 court costs which does not recover the initial outlay. Thats the reason why it is not a good idea to proceed with cameras. Add that to the council having to fund the operation of the camera as the police no longer have responsibility for them so there are wages to pay as well, further draining the coffers of the authority.

As well, you can add the PC brigades views that cameras intrude etc and that is another reason why they wont be seen in great numbers because the councils back down without fights to these idiotic people.

Its a sorry state we all live in

[thenodrog]

It's bloody madness now and Plod don't seem inclined to bother about it (no doubt until a few fatalities have occurred )

Some lights are going to have cameras fitted and these will identify the car, the reg and the driver as well as the passenger.

I refer your post to my above prediction 1864.

I must say identifying the passenger too might do a bit more than simply infringe human rights...... if you know what I mean?

[ABBEY]

never mind lights at cameras they need them down at the red lion/maccy d's roundabout....its all marked up shad in the left hand lane and town in the right ...simple easy peasy lemon squeezy ...OH NO ,IM IN THE CORRECT LANE TO TOWN AS IS THE CAR IN FRONT CUE THE CAR TO SWAP INTO SHAD LANE AND THEN GET TO THE ROUNABOUT AND GO TO TOWN MISSING ME BY INCHES ,I PIPPED AND GOT A TWO FINGERED SALUTE BACK FROM THE PASSENGER....RESULT ABBEY LOSES RAG AND CHASES AFTER CAR AND HE LOST ME AT INTACK LIGHTS AS HE WENT THRU ON RED,I LOST IT IF ID OF CAUGHT THE PRICK I WOULD HAVE HAMMERED THE SCROTE

[thenodrog]

I think the fine is going tup to £80 in the near future.

Bloody hell thats steep it's about my usual saturday spending money, almost a single pension, a tv licence, and over 10,000 bdt and pkr's! It'll hit everybody hard.

[Grabbi Graeme]

While on the subject of camera's, how much revenue do the Police get from motorist's being caught on camera, most people know where they are and slow down anyway and if the myth is right not all camera's are working due to operating costs.

I would imagine that the biggest earners would be from the mobile camera's, as they can be anywhere as I found out a few years ago, there is a bright van that turns up on Liversey Branch Rd a couple times a month taking photo's of the traffic although most drivers do warn others by flashing their lights.

[1864roverite]

From 1st December 07 the police do not get ANYTHING from camera operated fines, they did do and paid staff overtime to go on speeding operations and the like, but referring back to my previous post, it got too expensive to bring em to court !

I am not sure as to the figures but on the M6 north of Preston some 3500 speedsters were fined that brought in an extrodinary amount of money, likewise the M6 south of Leyland, the m65 between accy and dingleland not to mention the alleged traffic hotspots of the A6. For anyone interested the exact figures will be published in the media very very soon as a massive audit has been conducted. During this audit a large number of anomolies were found resulting in "offenders" being given their money back and points rescinded.

TND as for the rights of passengers etc, its tos top any suggestion of perverting the course of justice, and when you read the new euro convention you will find reference to cctv coverage, monetary fines and the like. We dont stand a chance, were are a police state.

[thenodrog]

TND as for the rights of passengers etc, its tos top any suggestion of perverting the course of justice, and when you read the new euro convention you will find reference to cctv coverage, monetary fines and the like. We dont stand a chance, were are a police state.

And with our armies fighting on two fronts in eurasia and in eastasia.

[colin]

I am not sure as to the figures but on the M6 north of Preston some 3500 speedsters were fined that brought in an extrodinary amount of money, likewise the M6 south of Leyland, the m65 between accy and dingleland

1864,

Speed/safety cameras are only used on Motorways at roadworks as a device to slow down drivers to protect the workers and as a device to slow down drivers who will be funnelled into two lanes rather than three.

If 3500 drivers on the M6 have been fined then I'm not sure where the money has gone to. Does it matter?

FYI The Highway Authority for the M6 is The Highways Authority. not Lancashire County Council.