Legal advice re red light camera
 

I drive an hgv for a living and was in gateshead on friday on the a184 park road, was turning left into an indusrtrial estate, there was a red light camera beside me, the lights were red when i stopped, but as i was at the lights( both set of lights were right beside me making it too hard to see them due to the hight of the cab) there was no light in front of me only beside me.

I could not see them (sat for a good few minutes)so decided to go as reversing would have been dangerious and the road ahead was clear so i just had to go.
Now im worried that the camera would have picked me up if they were on red, my insurance has already went through the roof due to being caught on the phone last year.

where would i stand on this?

Cheers
Jay

Did you keep your speed down? Go through at less than 5 mph and red light cameras do not fire.
Astraboy.

Yeh mate was sitting at the lights for ages and could not see if at green or not, so craweld through as was at 44 ton so was only rolling its all i could do as if i reversed to see the light there may have been someone behind me and would have been worse if i went over the top of some poor sod waiting behind me.

sometimes as a hgv driver there are situations when cars stop/stall in front of you leaving you stranded halfway across the junction and in a dangerous position, forcing you to unfortunately clear the junction. maybe this may have been the case for you if you were caught and leaving you in a position to contest the offence. hope this helps

Hope so, i try and keep a clean licence(not easy these days) but they lights were terrible i stopped on red but there were no other lights across the junction and the lights that were there were beside my door so had no choice but to go when clear.

Got a nice few weeks to worrie now as dont think i want my scoob insurance any higher as its due for renewal next month.

Caught on the phone in an HGV ?? and you reckon its not easy to keep a clean licence these days?


:lol1:

If its not safe for you to clear the junction then stop even if the light is on green,does not mean you have to pull forward when the light goes to green,if you don't think you can clear the junction in time.On the other hand mate i don't mean to sound harsh but you should of stopped well before the junction so you could see the lights,unless i'm reading this wrong.

I was not through the juncton the light was at red when i got there i stopped on the line but when i looked ahead for the light, there was none there, only the 2 beside me, the traffic lights are way to far forward for an artic there was no way of seeing them as they were directly beside me, they should be further forward, or another set of light acrss the junction, i drive all over the uk and these must be the worst set of light i have come across.

i pride myself in my clean licence so would never jump a red light, its just nt worth it, just not happy at not bein able to see the lights that are set at car hight level,

i sat there for ages, the only thing i could have done was reverse a bit but cant see if a car is close behind so rather take the chance at a clear junction rather than reverse over the top of someone.

So putting the brake on, jumping out and looking behind phsically was not an option?

Also if something had been behind they probably would have pipped you on the horn.

14 days you will know.

And if there horn was not working and 44ton went over the top of them, yeh great, i can live with a fine and points but not killing someone, it was a main carrage way so there was no way i was jumping out to walk over the road to check the light.

was doing the right thing as sat untill no vehicles were in site before moving thro the lights, only an idiot would revers a 45foot trailer not knowing if a car was sitting at the back of it.

The noise of the truck and lenth of it means i would probably not hear a tiny car horn or felt even hitting it.

Its a stupid set of light, a normal junction has lights at the far end, but not that junction.
i dont want to try and get out of a fine but would be pissed off getting points for something i could not help, the point for being on my phone last year were my fault, for being stupid picking it up, just seems like a money making junction as there bound to know its hard to see the lights hence the camera and no lights through the junction.

i agree with phsically getting out as its risk assesment dont think anyone would pip though lol insurance payout ps ive been driving 44 ton hgv s for thirty years i know the 184 aswell to the op which ind est

Paul you may have some merit in what you say,but people don't always think clear in those type of situations..Although you could go along the lines that he is from what he says an experienced hgv driver..Mate if it ever happens next time if unsure don't pull off you may look a bit of a plonker,if the other traffic had stopped and your way was clear,then just maybe your lights were green,i'm sure if they wasn't like paul said traffic from behind would be beating on the horns.usually there is a traffic light opposite from the main lights incase you run past them though..

there a guy i used to work with about 4 years ago, there used to be a tight junction at the quarry entrance, most cars see the truck coming out but one driver come thro the opening and would not budge, so the guy from my work reversed back hitting the woman that was sitting behind nearly killing her, the guy has never sat in a truck again.
It would be mad to just revers back on what should be a more set out junction, there bound to catch many hgv driver on it so why not put a set of light through the junction....................coz they wont make any money if they did!!

Not sure the name of the ind est but its the turning for green lane. will be stopping well before the lights next time lol

yeh green lane stupid filter lane thers two down that hill i normaly take the second

ill be using the a19 next time i think and come in from the other side lol no camera.

which company did you go to lol not waverleys

Important word at the end there, usually, translates as not always. As with most things on our roads, this is yet another great inconsitency.
Everybody makes mistakes, its just not everyone that gets caught making them.

It was the bardon concrete plant.

Thats what i thought when i stopped as looked through the junction, been driving for 18 years and 10 hgv, im a good driver but not perfect nobody is, we all make mistakes but all junction should have lights on the other side. there was not a car in sight the full lenth of road and i was in no hurry as was early for a change lol would just be pissed off to pick up point on someting i could not have helped.

If i had jumped the light and ment it i would not have posted on here as would deserve the points and fine.

the way the layout off the road is plain stupid sometimes ive gotta think at that junction

Yeh its not the best of roads lol im stopping way back next time and waiting on it going to green next time lol o well 2 weeks to wait, more money to help get the country out of dept, least im helping lol .

So where were you actually turning?

There's only 2 red light camera's on the by-pass. If you were turning left onto Green Lane, then the camera would have been facing you, therefore nowt to worry about.

However, if you'd been turning left on to Neilson Road, by Gateshead International Stadium, then you may have an issue.

Bardon Concrete is opposite Tank Cleaning Services, round the corner from International Paints.

Can you tell I'm local. :lol1:

You obviously have never drove a HGV!!!

OP

Don't worry the camera wouldn't of picked up the plates unless you "Jumped" the lights!!

Or been stuck behind a HGV driver when they got out to "Have a look" :thumb:

I was told that they have sensors buried in the road and if you pass them with the lights at red it will take a picture. The speed is of no consequence.

There was an incident on here once when a bloke moved a couple of feet to let an ambulance got by and he was snapped. They would not let him off even when the ambulance people supported him!

Les :(

:Suspiciou well that's not true .. they are sensors on the road .. not motion ..

If you went slow enough the camera will have a couple of photos of the side of your truck, no plate :thumb: you will have the opportunity to contest the fine anyway.

Yeh fingers crossed lol cheers