Running a red light

[Eddy]

today i accelerated through an orange light which turned red on me. I then had a police officer jump out infront of me in the middle of the road & wave me into a carpark. he said that there was another cop watching the intersection & said i went through a red light. i am positive the light was orange when i crossed the line but admit that i made a bad judgement call & left it a bit late. The cop estimated that i was doing 70ks which is about right, I had my details & a statement taken but was not given a ticket or any paperwork. when he told me i could leave i had 2 ask what i was getting done for & was told either running the red & speeding which is about $300 & some demerits or dangerous driving & loose my lisence for 6months but it was upto his boss & he would have to talk to him later. I was not even told when or how i will find out what i am being charged with. Does anyone have any advise that could be useful because now it is just my word against the cops so it looks like i might be outa luck, i already have 50 demerit points & cant afford to loose mi lisence because i need it to testride bikes at work.

[justsomeguy]

You outta luck budy. Failing to yield for a solid amber light is the same penalty as failing to yield for a solid red anyway.

What???

Isn't it stop if you safely can?? Whereas running a red is the offence??

Oh - how do u define a solid amber?

[Ixion]

Land Transport Regulations (Driver Rule) 2004

(4)While a steady yellow signal in the form of a disc is displayed,—


(a)a driver facing the signal must not enter the controlled area while the signal is displayed unless the driver's vehicle is, when the signal first appears, so close to the controlled area that it cannot safely be stopped before entering the area:


(b)pedestrians facing the signal must not enter the roadway unless a special signal for pedestrians indicates a green walking human figure symbol.

LAND TRANSPORT (OFFENCES AND PENALTIES) REGULATIONS 1999
SCHEDULES
[SCHEDULE 1

3.2(4)(a) Driver enters controlled 1,000 - 150 -
area when yellow signal
displayed

$150 fine. Absurdly, it seems that you do n't get any demerits. But you do for going through a give way sign.

So, no L plate means 25 demerits. Hooting through a red light , that's fine . Wonder which is more dangerous. You might think that the LTSA are a bunch of constipated wankers, busy peddling a political agenda , without any actual concern for road safety. I couldn't possible comment

[madboy]

Hard luck, but as you've already admitted, in hindsight it wasn't a goer. If I was a betting man I'd say you'll get the fines, not the dangerous. You'll either get a ticket in the mail, or nothing at all (bonus )

[Milky]

What???

Isn't it stop if you safely can?? Whereas running a red is the offence??

Oh - how do u define a solid amber?

I got pulled for going thru on an amber, but I wrote in and explained that I was too close to the intersection to stop safely, and that the light hadnt changed to red before I crossed the line on the other side. It also helped my case that the officer said it was an offence to go through on amber, that the lights are phased so you can stop safely, and accused me of speeding to top it off.

Solid amber is the usual case, flashing amber is the special case where you apply give way rules.

[Indoo]

because now it is just my word against the cops so it looks like i might be outa luck, i already have 50 demerit points & cant afford to loose mi lisence because i need it to testride bikes at work.

But according to your word you were doing around 70kmh, accelerated into an intersection and failed to comply with an orange traffic signal. If your buggered even according to your version of events it generally isn't the best idea to contest it.

[Karma]

(4)While a steady yellow signal in the form of a disc is displayed,—


(a)a driver facing the signal must not enter the controlled area while the signal is displayed unless the driver's vehicle is, when the signal first appears, so close to the controlled area that it cannot safely be stopped before entering the area:


(b)pedestrians facing the signal must not enter the roadway unless a special signal for pedestrians indicates a green walking human figure symbol.

One wonders then how this would apply to those right / left turn arrows? They're not the form of a disc so you could run them all you want?

[Da Bird]

One wonders then how this would apply to those right / left turn arrows? They're not the form of a disc so you could run them all you want?

Don't worry, there are other regulations covering arrows.

What made me laugh a bit was that the officer would "have to check with his boss". Maybe he was new, but if not, he needs to start making decisions on his own. Its not rocket science.

In my opinion, you will probably get one for a red light ($150) and possibly accelerating through an intersection ($150). I wasn't there so can't really comment on whether it was dangerous but I've never done anyone for dangerous for going through a red light.

And re demerits - yes, I queried that when they bought out the new demerit offences several months back. Absolutely crazy that red light runners dont get demerits.

BC.

[Ixion]

No, there's another section covers the arrows. OP was straight head I think

3.3.Traffic signals in form of arrow—
...
(2)While a yellow signal in the form of an arrow is displayed,—


(a)a driver facing the signal must not enter the controlled area and must not make the movement indicated by the signal, unless the driver intends to proceed in the direction indicated by the signal and, when the signal first appears, the driver's vehicle is so close to the controlled area that it cannot safely be stopped before entering the area:
...

[What?]

today i accelerated through an orange light which turned red on me. I then had a police officer jump out...

Sorry dude, but no sympathy from me. If you saw the light go red, especially at 70K, you could have easily stopped.

[dangerous]

Sorry dude, but no sympathy from me. If you saw the light go red, especially at 70K, you could have easily stopped.

Same.......... running red lights in Chch HAS become a accepted habbit, and it seems that the coppers arnt doing shit about it.

Traffic keeps flowing through ambers and reds aswell as traffic sitting in the center of the rd waiting to turn right, which means theyare well into a red... its a big fuk up and getting worse.
I do not like riding in town these days its getting bloody mad...... do you lot find the same in other cities?

The cop estimated that i was doing 70ks which is about right,

I hope that you wernt in a 50k zone..... if so then you dumbarse, slow down other wise I'll see ya on the other side

[Sniper]

Sorry mate, like the others I feel no sympathy for ya. The feeling I get is that you sped upto 70Km to get through the light that you would have been well aware was amber.

Hope you learned your lesson.

[jrandom]

yes, Im with Sniper on this one, afraid you just need to suck it up and start being consientus about stopping for the orange light. intersections are where bikers die.

if your in a hurry, make up for lost time by filtering, if you like, but dont run the orange or reds. snot worth it.

[Monsterbishi]

+1 for the above, anyone who acts like you did needs to consider how much danger you create to people coming from the other direction at the lights, all it takes is a car to still be rolling as their light turns green, they move up to speed, and your bike is suddenly wedged in their lap.

[MisterD]

On the other hand, as is regularly pointed out on here bikes stop waay quicker than cages....I always run ambers just in case some cage behind me is going "not see me".

How many times do you do it, think "that was a bit norty" to yourself and see three cars cross after you?