Scooter and red lights

**oneofsix** · 9th June 2011, 15:02

Warning; Typical authoritarian bullshit answers from the

and WCC.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post...-light-cameras

I've been caught on the motorbike in similar situation and there is no way I could risk putting it on the stand, walking over to the pedestrian button and back to the bike and be ready and composed to move off. the button was so far from where I had to stop and because there was no traffic the pedestrian crossing would trigger almost immediately and the traffic lights would amber by the time I got back to the bike.

Why can't they be sensible? why can't people in authority take responsibility for the cock ups they create? Put a fucking pressure plate down.

**willytheekid** · 9th June 2011, 15:28

Isn't it legal to run a red light if you come to a full stop check its clear for 100mtrs each way and continue on your merry way? (or something like that)
Hope so lol, cos theres a certain light in ChCh that does NOT detect bikes (and I have a Fat bike lol)
I have always just treated it like a stop sign

.....sorry local police

(love ya work!)...but waiting for a car to trigger the lights can take FOREVER! and no bloody way am i getting off the bike to run across the road to push a button etc (thats bloody stupid...and possibly dangerous!)

**nodrog:Me** · 9th June 2011, 16:02

Originally Posted by Officer Dibble

"He agreed pedestrian crossings should be utilised"

Yes Officer

**Usarka** · 9th June 2011, 16:10

Originally Posted by turdburglar

because the sensors were aimed to recognise vehicles with high magnetic fields there was not much that could be done

Gee we done not done thunk about there dat things other than dem automobiles. Heh heh heh.

**bogan** · 9th June 2011, 16:18

Why don't they just put em on a timer when there is bugger all traffic flow in either direction, if a scooter can run a red safely then surely the detectors won't have any metal on em for a significant time!

**davereid** · 9th June 2011, 16:26

Originally Posted by willytheekid

Isn't it legal to run a red light if you come to a full stop check its clear for 100mtrs each way and continue on your merry way? (or something like that)
Hope so lol, cos theres a certain light in ChCh that does NOT detect bikes (and I have a Fat bike lol)
I have always just treated it like a stop sign

.....sorry local police

(love ya work!)...but waiting for a car to trigger the lights can take FOREVER! and no bloody way am i getting off the bike to run across the road to push a button etc (thats bloody stupid...and possibly dangerous!)

Yes

I was prosecuted by police for ignoring a red light that had not changed for me. Cop said the old stuff about push the button.

I took it to court.

Judge said, sensor is faulty or maladjusted if it does not detect you. Check its safe, and proceed.

**Oblivion** · 9th June 2011, 17:04

I have run a read light, mainly because I was sitting there for 10 minutes

I checked that it was safe both ways, then jumped the red. No-one got hurt, and I saved my sanity.

**The End** · 9th June 2011, 17:29

From the article:

"Wellington road policing head senior sergeant Richard Hocken said scooters caught running red lights were subject to the same fines as other motorists. "

All good, so we'll just sit there waiting...and waiting....and waiting until either a car behind you triggers the lights or you decide to turn around. Oh hang on, if you're on the pressure plate, how is the car behind you going to do anything? This would only mean the traffic behind you would back up (as I have had happen to me) causing unnecessary congestion.

I can understand there are situations where going through the red light would not be justifiable, but come on, if you are one of the only vehicles at the intersection and it is OBVIOUS that the other cars are stopped, then why shouldn't you be able to go through?

Would the cop rather have a small 50cc scooter sitting in the middle of the road creating a hazard to both the rider and people around?

As for getting off your bike/scooter, running over and hitting the pedestrian crossing button, are they implying that triggering the pedestrian light would "reset" the traffic lights and make your light turn green once the pedestrian light has gone out?

One would only hope that the cop who pulls you over would be understanding.

**Gremlin** · 9th June 2011, 17:38

I've had the odd one I know of that doesn't work properly. Happens less on the BMW than the Hornet (the BMW is a bit bigger).

I wait for a minute or two max (120 seconds is actually a fair long time), then I presume the lights are faulty. I apply the give way rules instead.

**Latte** · 9th June 2011, 18:14

Certain parts of the world have made it legalfor motorcycles to run red lights, as long as they have come to a stop, checked the way is clear etc.

The ped crossing button doesnt really work in some situations, turning right at an intersection with a seperate turn arrow, wouldnt get activated by any of the Ped Crossings. Example - turning right from Constellation into Caribean Dr on the Shore.

**scumdog** · 9th June 2011, 18:16

Pah, we don't HAVE traffic lights down here!:

So also don't have this problem!

**rastuscat** · 9th June 2011, 20:04

Originally Posted by davereid

Yes

I was prosecuted by police for ignoring a red light that had not changed for me. Cop said the old stuff about push the button.

I took it to court.

Judge said, sensor is faulty or maladjusted if it does not detect you. Check its safe, and proceed.

Yeah. Trouble is, getting all JPs to agree is challenging.

I run a Popo section that specializes in traffic lights. The problem with common sense is that it'd subjective. You might feel like you've been sitting at a light for decades, then putter through with all care, but if the Popo only sees the putting (not the waiting) you'll be spending time explaining that all to a JP.

Oh so often I've been told by a witness that the lights were red for at least 5 minutes, until I ask them to watch their watch for 5 minutes and tell me if that's how long the phase was. Suddenly the time is more like 30 seconds.

Still, never let the facts get in the way of a great complaint.

**HenryDorsetCase** · 9th June 2011, 20:07

Originally Posted by Oblivion

I have run a read light, mainly because I was sitting there for 10 minutes

I checked that it was safe both ways, then jumped the red. No-one got hurt, and I saved my sanity.

I wont wait more than 1 minute. TV has ruined my attention span....

**cheshirecat** · 9th June 2011, 20:40

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I'm dissallusioned - thought this was your section

Originally Posted by rastuscat

Yeah. Trouble is, getting all JPs to agree is challenging.

I run a Popo section that specializes in traffic lights. The problem with common sense is that it'd subjective. You might feel like you've been sitting at a light for decades, then putter through with all care, but if the Popo only sees the putting (not the waiting) you'll be spending time explaining that all to a JP.

Oh so often I've been told by a witness that the lights were red for at least 5 minutes, until I ask them to watch their watch for 5 minutes and tell me if that's how long the phase was. Suddenly the time is more like 30 seconds.

Still, never let the facts get in the way of a great complaint.