Traffic lights and the attitude of the Police

[Patrick]

And we'd have a lot less if they were expected to think for themselves.

They tried that... years ago... then they found that didn't work because people would not think for themselves. Someone invented give way and stop signs... and they don't always work either, so lets put in traffic lights... do these work?????

Hmmmm........ NOPE... (going from all the crashes we get to go to at traffic light controlled intersections...)

[jafar]

if the light turns red after you have crossed the white line you're legal.

This statement is 100% correct, If the cop thinks they had their front wheels over the white line BEFORE the light turned red there isn't a problem as far as running the red is concerned.
If however they then stop in the intersection that is a seperate issue & they can be ticketed for that.
To add some common sense to this , it is a foolish rider / driver who proceeds into an intersection without looking to make sure the way is clear, a green light is an indication only & should never be taken as correct without using your eyes first.

[Max Preload]

To add some common sense to this , it is a foolish rider / driver who proceeds into an intersection without looking to make sure the way is clear, a green light is an indication only & should never be taken as correct without using your eyes first.

The intersection blocking rule, a little known one, covers this. But when was the last time anyone was ticketed for it?

[Max Preload]

Oops! Got the gist of that all wrong - I thought you were talking about these asswipes who go into an intersection where traffic is already stopped just so they don't miss the light change, and then force opposing traffic to miss their opportunity by blocking the road.

[jafar]

The intersection blocking rule, a little known one, covers this. But when was the last time anyone was ticketed for it?

That I don't know, mabey one of our pet cops can give you this information

[Grahameeboy]

So when did 'Amber' stop meaning 'Stop unless to do so will cause and accident etc'

This is what the NZ Road Code says:

A yellow signal means stop, unless you are so close to the intersection that you can't stop safely.
A yellow signal indicates that the lights will soon turn red.

UK Road Code

AMBER means 'Stop' at the stopline. You may go on only if the AMBER appears after you have crossed the stop line or are so close to it that to pull up might cause an accident

Why do some folk think that being over the line after the lights change to red is okay when the lights take say 2/3 seconds to change from Amber to Red when a vehicle travelling at 50kph should stop in 25metres or 6/7 (or 3/4 Holdens) car lengths............I suspect that 90% of drivers could stop if they cared, but sadly they do not yet this is probably worse than exceeding the speed limit.

Today I saw a car pull up to lights as they changed to Red. Some idiot behind accelerated from behind the stopped vehicle and ran the lights.

The reason they do this is because there is a long delay between lights changing. I often see a wait time of 5-8 seconds.Drivers know this so what do they do?

Reduce the sequence time a bit. Advertise this and see what a difference it makes..........

[Pumba]

And yet having discretion to ignore the turning arrow is legal in several countries eg USA.

This is NOT the US and we should give up on this idea that we need to compare ourselves to larger countries, with heap more resources, and a completly different way of life, in my opinion this also includes Aussie.

Isn't that just the equivalent of our free left turns though? (which are slowly but surely disappearing).

This has more to do with land avaliablility than anything else.

Not really, just common sense. I won't go through in any direction if the main light (straight through) is red but a red arrow when the main light is green and there's nothing anywhere in sight on the other side of the road is just the government trying to flex it's muscles and telling me that they think I'm not capable of judging the traffic. Why then am I allowed to turn right on a quite road at all without lights? Traffic lights are about courtesy (letting each line of traffic have their turn where no other law is suitable). Red arrows have nothing to do with courtesy, the give way to straight-through law is more than adequate.

This has nothing to do with government social engineering or them wishing to take the thought process away form the everyday kiwi (please note I am not saying that they are not trying to this in other areas of our lives).

Traffic light system have greatly improved over the years and are continually upgrade has technology improves, as you my or may not have noticed the right turn arrow has changed from lag (after the straight through traffic) to lead (before the straight through traffic) and this has dramatically reduced right turn accidents, but it is still a compromise. To have a system that does what you want when you want it we should just be reverting back 50 years, ripping out the traffic signals and putting our friendly police force back on point duty, stretching an already stretched resource further.

Traffic signals are a compromise, and weather you think you are in the right or acting safely, or any other way you go about justifying it if you turn or travel straight through on a Red light you are breaking the law. A law that when you sat your driving test and received your license you signed a document saying you would obey, simple as that.

[Pumba]

Compensating for stupidity is a downward spiral. The more you compensate, the more stupidity you generate. Far better to accept a certain amount of carnage as a natural part of operating a motor vehicle and force people to think for themselves. It is not possible to compensate for all human failings. If you did manage to do it I for one would rather die than live in such a society.

To error is human. It is this reason and this reason only why no matter how hard the powers at be try there will still be accidents.

However if the powers that be ignore the situation they are accused of sweeping issues under the carpet.

Dammed if you do dammed if you don't.

[davereid]

Someone invented give way and stop signs... and they don't always work either, so lets put in traffic lights... do these work?????Hmmmm........ NOPE... (going from all the crashes we get to go to at traffic light controlled intersections...)

Traffic lights are just an accident waiting to happen.

If they change every minute, you get 1440 chances a day for someone to run the red, misjudge the stopping distance, rear end the biker in front etc etc.

And it all happens at the posted speed limit.

Roundabouts are much kinder, they slow you down, they don't give you a red unexpectedly, they dont conk out and leave you stopped cos they cant see your aluminium motorcycle, and if you have your wits about you, even the most determined idiot trying to run you down can be avoided.

If the G'mint want something to ban, they should get rid of traffic lights, and leave my after market exhaust alone !

[swbarnett]

I trust NOBODY on the road,

When you're travelling down a straight road at 100km/h and a vehicle wants to do a right turn from a side road across your path do you stop and let them out? If you don't you're trusting them to stay put while you pass. Unless you pass them at a much reduced speed there's little chance of avoiding them if they suddenly decide to come out at you.

[swbarnett]

They tried that...

The problem is that they think about one aspect of life in isolation. If they applied the principle of making people think to all aspects of life the stupidity rate would drop; both on and off the road.

[swbarnett]

it is a foolish rider / driver who proceeds into an intersection without looking to make sure the way is clear,

I wholehartedly agree. This does not, however, negate the arrogance of those that cross your path when it's your turn. What they don't realise is that, by delaying the progression of other traffic, they in turn will be delayed later in the day. The practice is self-defeating.

[swbarnett]

Sweet so i can moan to you about my meager pay, underfunded work conditions and being overworked.

Well, yes. Along with all the other tax payers of this country I am responsible for what the politicians do on my behalf. If we collectively felt strongly enough about it then something would be done.

It is said that a country gets the government it deserves.

[swbarnett]

Dammed if you do dammed if you don't.

I think you've put the problem in a nutshell. It is one more of public education about human nature than anything else. To aim for a zero road toll is utterly ludicrous.

[swbarnett]

I wish to clarify.

It seems that some of you got the impression that I roll through every red arrow I meet without a second thought. Not true. I will go through a red arrow only when it is blatantly obvious to even the most dim witted imbecile that I'm being held up for no good reason. If the only traffic anywhere in sight is travelling in the same direction as me I will sometimes get fed up with being treated like a two year old. If I come up to a red arrow I will, in preference, go straight ahead through the green and take an alternative route.

I also understand that If were to get into any trouble as a result of proceeding through a red arrow I would be the one at fault, irrespective of any give way laws that might otherwise apply.