was wondering if anyone would know the laws on red light cameras. I have got a ticket for going through one from a fixed camera, which also doubles up as a speed camersa. I went through it on amber...well it was at the last point i could see which is directly under it.
Requested calbration certificate and copies of the pics. The certificate is in date but my questions ios about the pictures. The picture shows my rear wheels passing the line, i was doing 37mph (figure from ticket)
what are the laws on if you are passed the line when it turns to red? etc? any help would be much appreciated thanks.

 

you can get up to 6 points on them types iirc...

 

I have just been asked to supply the details of the driver of my car for 'failure to comply with a signal' in Sheffield.

Can you send your appeal and /or ask for evidence at the same time as returning the form or do you have to wait till after you have sent it? Its a bit difficult to appeal if you arent sure what the evidence is, if that makes sense. But the letter isnt clear on this and there is only a PO Box to respond to.

 

Why do people jump red lights? If you knew it was on amber you should have stopped. Sorry, but this is one of my pet hates, along with tailgaiters, foglights and people who don't indicate

Was it in a 30, if so looks like you're speeding too. I don't know of any defence from red light cameras, but you could try the usual, calibration cert. etc. Or pop over to Pepipoo.

 

From what I know, the cameras are NOT activated until they turn red, then take a picture of their 'field of vision' is blocked (in simple terms). Yes, it may have been orange when you last looked at it, but it went red at that same point in time and your car was in the field of vision - thus you jumped the light.

While you did go over it on amber, you also went over it at the end of it's amber cycle - which means you, for whatever reason, did not see it far enough in advance, and noticed when it changed to amber from green. In other words, had you go near to the light on green and it went to amber, you know you would have some breathing space. You did it after it had changed from green a few seconds earlier, failed to see this and took a gamble - the wrong one for you as it turns out.

I doubt you have any defence at all, and as others have pointed out, you are rather silly for doing something so dangerous.

Have to say, I did not think speed cameras and red light cameras could ever be integrated - it may show your speed, but it is there to tarp you for the red light. There are no parallel lines in the road to support the speed issue, hence it is more for information. Thus I don;t think they'll do you for speeding - just jumping the red light.

 

AFAIK the camera has a built in delay and actually records the time between the light turning red and the photograph being taken, e.g. +2 seconds. This combined with the recorded speed enables calculation of where you were when the lights changed. The length of time the amber is displayed varies with speed limit, so very little defence I'm afraid.

 

as for assuming the speed if i was speeding i would have stated speeding, its a 40 limit coming of a 70mph daul onto a ring road. I had someone tail gating my so was eyeballing them in my rear view..... not looking in front as much as i should have. They managed to stop also changing lane because if i would have stopped he def wouldn't have. but i didnt..... one of those things, when i looked up the last time was amber but would have had to slam the anchors on and might not have made it anyways. and as for dangerous is was 11.45 at nite as dead apart from the car that was rite up my rear end for over a mile prior, so apart from air or bugs that might happen to fly infront what was i indangering exactly?

 

and the 2 pics, one shows the rear wheels on the line, the 2nd shows me going around the ring road. So it must have changed as i went over the line.

 

I read everything on Pepipoo when I got caught doing 47 in a 40 on through an empty industrial estate on a Sunday morning! (criminal that I am! )
Eventually just faced the music as they are constantly closing down loopholes and I couldn't get anywhere. Don't waste your time, learn and move on!

 

Have to agree with the above.

Either do as Dan says, or run the risk of extra pointrs, extra fine and costs against you

Alcazar

 

If the powers that be could read this they'd probably do you for undue care and attention as well !
If you were approaching traffic lights you should of been aware that they could be about to change and allowed time to slow down, simple !
Sounds to me like someone who was racing and got caught Ha Ha!

 

Bit harsh if you ask me.

So you've never gone through an amber light then - okay you may not have got caught but i bet you've done it.

The guy came on here to ask a question,if he's genuine in what he's saying he's been very unlucky - blatently going through a red light is one thing,getting caught going through an amber is another.

Have to agree with previous comments though,just move on and learn from it.

 

Afaik you would commit the offence, after the lights have turned to red and your rear wheels are still behind the stop line but you continue to drive forward.

I wouldn't have thought the camera has it wrong but it could be possible if it hasn't been checked/tested recently. I'm sure you are in your rights to clarify this.

Either way get your storey straight. If you was looking in your rear view mirror how can you be certain of your exact position?

 

Traffic light cameras tend to use two induction loops laid in the tarmac and are only active when the lights turn red and the two loops are used for the camera triggers so they know when you jumped the lights and at what speed, they work to the same principal/method as TruVelo speed cameras that use indution loops instead of radar/laser/etc.,

 

Dont mean to put a downer on things but if the guy was sitting up your **** for a mile then why didnt you pull into the slow lane and let him past as last time i checked a dual carriage way had 2 lanes or was the ring road a mile long ? dont applaud that would be cruel

 

it was 11.45 at night....i was in the slow lane there was no one else on the road! he changed lanes just as came to the camera obv encase i did brake as he would have been wearing my car!
Just after some clarification as tried searching through dvla documents but a lot of the stuff contradicts itself in a different paragraph. And as my car was past the line one orange I would not have seen it change to red due to the positon of my car/head being past the lights at this point.
My own fault just spent to long looking at the car in the rear view, lesson learned either way just would prefer to learn it without the points, the fine not to bothered about.
if i was racing i wouldnt have been doing 37mph, so all i can say to you sir is that you are a complete muppet!

 

Yeah as you said mate, taking too much notice in the rear view and not concentrating on view ahead. Weve all done it at some point in our time as drivers. Learn from it and move on as previously said.
These things happen....

 

Sorry but got little/ no sympathy, the guy says he was on a dual carriageway, with someone sitting on his ****, he didn't even need to brake heavy, just ease off and the other bloke could of used the OTHER lane and passed him SIMPLE!
Sounds to me like he didn't want the other bloke to pass him, saw the lights changing and a chance to get away and GOT CAUGHT!
And to make it worse comes on here blabbing to see if anyone can help him get off!
Pay the fine, take the points and get on with life! AND LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES

 

having picked up the pieces when a taxi driver went through as he stated "an orange light" at 01:30 am yet he T boned a car being driven by a 22yo female who`s car was packed up ready to go to start a new life at university till he snapped her neck killing her instantly. i feel you should take it on the chin, count yourself lucky you didnt have or cause an accident,learn from it and move on.

 

who are you people so argumentative...... i was not speeding, not racing he was up my **** for over 2 miles with the other lane clear to overtake, being a daul carriage way and all which leads on a slip road with 3 lanes to a ring road/ roundabout the light was on amber and at 11.45pm there was no one else on the rather large 3 lane round about which you can see clearly 200-300 metres of around either way.
Was only seeking clarification about the law on if the whole of your car had to be over the line at the point of turning red as I could not find any clear explination in any dvla literature. Which I have had any thanks for clearning that up to the useful people.
As for the rest of you, i dont care if your mates brothers g/f's lesbian gimps, mums, uncles, sister got hit by someone going through a red light. or if you think 37mph in 4th gear is racing, or sitting in the slow lane of a a daul that goes into 3 lanes with no one else on it constitues holding someone up. You just prove that you are an argumentative muppet

 

Should have driving an Astra mate.........That way you couldn't have been going fast enough to trip the camera..But seriously take it like a man, pay your dues!! I'll bet over the years you have done the same maneuver a thousand time and never been had.
Dave

 

Not read any of the other replies, but FYI most ATS Gatsos trigger at 1 second after red.

However the newer Speed / ATS cameras will do you for the speed regardless of the colour of the lights.

 

wasnt the speed i was done for, 40 limit and i was doing 37mph. was the red light.
Yer i know, they want 30 notes to take the points of as well.... robbin b$stards. Yer money and licence is being sent of on monday when the wages come in.