Does anyone still stop for red lights?

[Foss62]

Has anyone else noticed that the number of red light runners has increased enormously of late? I seem to see examples of this on every journey now and they are not all high speed chancers either, some just seem to amble through as if they might as well follow everyone who went before.
When I started driving (1970’s) this was one of the few absolute taboos, when things like drink-driving were largely condoned. I wonder why such a dangerous practice seems to be becoming the norm?

[Gary C]

Yep, its rife

[dvenman]

I see it a lot at the busier junctions. I have a good look round when my light starts turning away from red, so if someone's chancing it they're not going to hit me, no matter how much in the right I may be.

[LeoSayer]

Not a recent phenomenon in my experience.

I've been overtaken after stopping for a right light and have been hooted for stopping at a red light but the most common things is being followed by more than one car after I've gone through an amber just as it changes to red.

[Black_S3]

In my view it’s a result of piss poor road planning on behalf of the councils and people on regular journeys knowing if they hit one red light they’ll get hit at all the lights through town or round the roundabout that would work better without traffic lights.

[ashleyman]

Nope.

I see it all the time on every journey. Everything from cheap cars to expensive cars to trucks to in service buses. I've even see Police cars + vans going though on amber/red when not on a run.

There's a junction near me that's so bad I collated footage from my dash cam to send to my local Police Roadwatch (where they stand checking speed) and told them that red light jumping was a bigger issue and they said it wasn't and they wouldn't do anything as it was harder to prosecute.

I’m not sure if they go through on amber or red but this is the video I started to put together. The final version was posted to the Police as they don’t accept YouTube links! https://youtu.be/Fuqxm5COOYQ

However, I also think that road planners deliberately try to make things worse. So many roads + junctions around me have been changed recently and it's easy to get caught hitting every red light or for traffic to be worse because of lights + changes that people don't care. I'm not usually in favour of cameras but I reckon they could make a mint if they targeting some bad junctions for camera enforcement.

[Peter911]

ashleyman said:

Nope.

I see it all the time on every journey. Everything from cheap cars to expensive cars to trucks to in service buses. I've even see Police cars + vans going though on amber/red when not on a run.

There's a junction near me that's so bad I collated footage from my dash cam to send to my local Police Roadwatch (where they stand checking speed) and told them that red light jumping was a bigger issue and they said it wasn't and they wouldn't do anything as it was harder to prosecute.

I’m not sure if they go through on amber or red but this is the video I started to put together. The final version was posted to the Police as they don’t accept YouTube links! https://youtu.be/Fuqxm5COOYQ

I bet you are a wow to live with. That's hardly the kind of red light behaviour that you need to worry about.

[WonkeyDonkey]

I've never understood why they dont have more cameras on traffic lights.

Surely going through a red is more dangerous than doing 65mph in a 60mph zone

[Pica-Pica]

I think the video is a bit presumptuous that people are going through on reds.
Not an issue around where I live. I always check the road is clear as I move off, though. In town, for pedestrians and cyclists - you have time in the red and amber phase. On motorway roundabout intersections, I always check right as I move away if I am first at the lights.

[ashleyman]

Pica-Pica said:

I think the video is a bit presumptuous that people are going through on reds.

The video was just to show people gambling. I use the junction nearly every day from both directions and can say that they are all going through on at least very late amber, if not red. The 2 bits of road will never show amber at the same time. I've looked many times and when the straight part is red the curved part is only just going amber.

Personally I always check that it's clear to go before moving off like it sounds you do.

[Pica-Pica]

ashleyman said:

The video was just to show people gambling. I use the junction nearly every day from both directions and can say that they are all going through on at least very late amber, if not red. The 2 bits of road will never show amber at the same time. I've looked many times and when the straight part is red the curved part is only just going amber.

Personally I always check that it's clear to go before moving off like it sounds you do.

I think if you want to take issue with anyone, it is the council/highways on the phasing (with better evidence than the videos posted) and whether traffic light cameras are needed. As you have said, always check, green only means go if it is safe to do so.

[robinh73]

Peter911 said:

ashleyman said:

Nope.

I see it all the time on every journey. Everything from cheap cars to expensive cars to trucks to in service buses. I've even see Police cars + vans going though on amber/red when not on a run.

There's a junction near me that's so bad I collated footage from my dash cam to send to my local Police Roadwatch (where they stand checking speed) and told them that red light jumping was a bigger issue and they said it wasn't and they wouldn't do anything as it was harder to prosecute.

I’m not sure if they go through on amber or red but this is the video I started to put together. The final version was posted to the Police as they don’t accept YouTube links! https://youtu.be/Fuqxm5COOYQ

I bet you are a wow to live with. That's hardly the kind of red light behaviour that you need to worry about.

Yep, I will second what Peter has said, there isn't exactly a major issue here and really not worth wasting police time with and don't get me started with dash cams and people self policing!

[ashleyman]

robinh73 said:

Peter911 said:

ashleyman said:

Nope.

I see it all the time on every journey. Everything from cheap cars to expensive cars to trucks to in service buses. I've even see Police cars + vans going though on amber/red when not on a run.

There's a junction near me that's so bad I collated footage from my dash cam to send to my local Police Roadwatch (where they stand checking speed) and told them that red light jumping was a bigger issue and they said it wasn't and they wouldn't do anything as it was harder to prosecute.

I’m not sure if they go through on amber or red but this is the video I started to put together. The final version was posted to the Police as they don’t accept YouTube links! https://youtu.be/Fuqxm5COOYQ

I bet you are a wow to live with. That's hardly the kind of red light behaviour that you need to worry about.

Yep, I will second what Peter has said, there isn't exactly a major issue here and really not worth wasting police time with and don't get me started with dash cams and people self policing!

It's ok if you don't agree, you're allowed to have your opinion. But lets get back on topic shall we. The thread is about red lights, not my video.

[robinh73]

ashleyman said:

robinh73 said:

Peter911 said:

ashleyman said:

Nope.

I see it all the time on every journey. Everything from cheap cars to expensive cars to trucks to in service buses. I've even see Police cars + vans going though on amber/red when not on a run.

There's a junction near me that's so bad I collated footage from my dash cam to send to my local Police Roadwatch (where they stand checking speed) and told them that red light jumping was a bigger issue and they said it wasn't and they wouldn't do anything as it was harder to prosecute.

I’m not sure if they go through on amber or red but this is the video I started to put together. The final version was posted to the Police as they don’t accept YouTube links! https://youtu.be/Fuqxm5COOYQ

I bet you are a wow to live with. That's hardly the kind of red light behaviour that you need to worry about.

Yep, I will second what Peter has said, there isn't exactly a major issue here and really not worth wasting police time with and don't get me started with dash cams and people self policing!

It's ok if you don't agree, you're allowed to have your opinion. But lets get back on topic shall we. The thread is about red lights, not my video.

Ok, fair enough, but with the red light issue in your video (which is what the thread is about) I don't really see that there is a major issue. Sure, the traffic approaching from the left has probably gambled on amber, but I wouldn't say that they are jumping a red light.

[LeoSayer]

WonkeyDonkey said:

Surely going through a red is more dangerous than doing 65mph in a 60mph zone

Both can be dangerous or not depending on the circumstances.

[IJWS15]

ashleyman said:

Nope.


I’m not sure if they go through on amber or red but this is the video I started to put together. The final version was posted to the Police as they don’t accept YouTube links! https://youtu.be/Fuqxm5COOYQ

I see far worse than than every day.

The worst is the M42 northbound off slip at the Belfry, a policeman with a notebook stood there for four evening rush hours would see most of Sutton Coldfield with bans.

[Gary C]

LeoSayer said:

Not a recent phenomenon in my experience.

I've been overtaken after stopping for a right light and have been hooted for stopping at a red light but the most common things is being followed by more than one car after I've gone through an amber just as it changes to red.

In Manchester city center, in a taxi waiting in multi lane traffic for a queue at the lights, someone from about 5 cars back, over took everyone drove through the red light on the wrong side of the road into on coming traffic and turned left.

No-one beeped a horn or otherwise reacted. Must be normal

and I bet you can guess the colour and model of car.

[Dombo63]

Gary C said:

In Manchester city center, in a taxi waiting in multi lane traffic for a queue at the lights, someone from about 5 cars back, over took everyone drove through the red light on the wrong side of the road into on coming traffic and turned left.

No-one beeped a horn or otherwise reacted. Must be normal

and I bet you can guess the colour and model of car.

White Prius Uber?

[Gary C]

Dombo63 said:

Gary C said:

In Manchester city center, in a taxi waiting in multi lane traffic for a queue at the lights, someone from about 5 cars back, over took everyone drove through the red light on the wrong side of the road into on coming traffic and turned left.

No-one beeped a horn or otherwise reacted. Must be normal

and I bet you can guess the colour and model of car.

White Prius Uber?

it was white, but had 4 rings on the boot

[therag3]

I would guess it's worse now because traffic is worse. I understand the urge to try to squeeze through as the lights are changing when you've been stuck in a queue for 10 minutes!