AndrewW

I was sitting at a notorious set of traffic lights in Edinburgh last night.

I was in the left lane to go straight ahead, when ****-boy pulls up next to me on the right. The right lane is marked for right turns only, but from the body language of his car (you know what I mean) I can tell that he is going to go straight ahead.

Now I see the same thing happening every day, and I should have just let him go, but it really pisses me off when (just about) everyone else lines up and waits like normal socially adapted humans.

Anyway, as the lights went from orange to green I floored it to make sure that I stayed ahead of him.

I needn't of bothered, he didn't put up much of a fight, but as soon as I moved off there was a double flash from behind.

Now it was quite bright and I know that there was a red light camera on the intersection.

I thought that the cameras only triggered on the change from green to red, and to be honest I don't believe that I jumped the lights.

Is it possible that I have been done ?

Do I have any chance of contesting this if I have ?

Thanks,

Andrew.

Edited 'cause I can't speel.

[Edited by AndrewW - 12/18/2001 10:48:35 AM]

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

Some of those cameras also act as speed cameras so you probably copped a fixed notice

Tony

911Boy

Where about in Edinburgh?

AndrewW

911Boy,

Gorgie road east bound. The intersection just before the rail overpass. The right turn lane goes into McDonalds.

Tony,

I certainly hope not. We're not talking dumped clutch and smoking tyres here. I would have been lucky to be doing 5 mph when the lights flashed.

I am hanging on to the very slim hope that the flash was the guy behind me flashing his headlights at numpty boy who was now driving up the wrong side of the road trying to force his way over [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

Does anyone know if they have the same 14 day limit for serving a NIP for red light offences ?

Andrew.

father_jack

I've set off one of those by pulling away sharpish and pre-empting the green light by a nanosecond. I was surprised it went off. Nothing happened though.

thecirsch

Andrew,
As above. It happened to me once. Never heard anymore about it. As for the NIP, I think they have to be served within the 14 day period although a protectic summons could be taken out (normally if the NIP has been sent back as not being served) which last for 6 months, although Scottish law could be different.

Hope this helps,

Ed

Son of Sam

I've set one off before. soemthimes I think they are there just to give you a fright, as nothing happened to me.

Jolly Green Monster 2

I believe although I could be wrong that firstly the red light cameras only flash once....

and they cannot double as speed cameras as there has to be markings on the road and two photos to confirm your speed.

The red light cameras some of them monitor your approach speed to decide whether you are likely to stop or not and I think it is recorded in the picture corner.... so you cannot stand up in court and say one thing and the speed reads 60 in a 30 etc... although again you couldn't get done for the 60 in a 30 just that it would confirm you had no intention of stopping etc..

The other thing is with Speed cameras if there is more than one car in the picture it is void... so this maybe the case also with the red light cameras as who set it off? so the other car would presumably be in the picture too.. I also believe they stay active from red until amber rather than on the change from amber to red or from red to amber as some muppet might drive straight through it on red.... etc..

This is from what I have read and observed.

I would expect you to not hear anything about it... sounds more like the guy behind flashing... or hitting a bumper / turning left perhaps....

ho ho JGM

fast bloke

you are probably OK - The cameras are usually triggered by an induction loop in the road. If you cross the line while the light is red or amber it takes your pic. It takes a second pic half a second later to see if you merely rolled over the line or went through the light at speed. Chances are the second pic will show a green light.

AndrewW

Hi JGM,

I used to think along the same lines until I read the following on the speeding bible website http://www.speed-trap.co.uk/Accused_...dgets_Home.htm

Known as the RLC (Red Light Camera), this is hooked up to the traffic light sequence and runs off an inductive loop in the road just after the stopline at the lights. When the lights turn red, the loop is powered up, and anything passing over it is photographed. These need only one photo to prosecute, but take two so there is a manual confirmation for the officer examining the film later. Recent changes mean that some of these red light cameras (which are in a smaller box) are having radars fitted so that they become speed cameras when the lights are green or amber, and red-light cameras when the lights go red. In Holland in particular, the inductive loop system has been refined to the point where the radar is not necessary and I know of at least three cameras now which look like red-light cameras but which also take speed-triggered photos when the lights are green.

Hope they don't mind if I nick this photo, but here is what a red light camera infringement notice will have on the photo ...



Will make me look twice the next time I see one of the little buggers at a set of lights .

Andrew.


[Edited by AndrewW - 12/18/2001 7:21:43 PM]

Jolly Green Monster 2

Cheers for that Andrew..

I stand corrected then I guess...

I shall watch it some more now then and hope that the lights I was going through for the last 6months (not since job change) with a camera were not as above...

I don't jump red lights but do occassionally find that the amber is needed when you are just too near the line to stop in time, not even speeding though.

Also find on the bike that the lights change to green and you pull away so much quicker that someone jumping on red (only just red) can knock you off so with any luck they actually discourage this.

I thought they were not allow to use speed cameras with out signs?

I hope these are getting the new yellow paint scheme.

ho ho JGM