Re: Red Light Offence Appeal

On 12 Jul 2006 08:52:32 -0700,
sunstarwu@xxxxxxxxx <sunstarwu@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi,

I was caught back in February going through a red light. The night was
very rainy and cold. If I had stopped my car in time I would have
easily lost control of my car, I know its limits. This is exactly why I
didnt attempt to do harsh braking. The report says the light was red
for 1.2 seconds.

Do you think I will stand any chance in Court? I have a hearing next
month!

Thanks for any help!

I think the amber light is supposed to be on for 3 seconds before the
red. You can go and time this - you can also ask if the timings have
been changed since you went through the light.

The conditions (very wet) will also mean your stopping distance will
double.

ISTM that attempting to stop in less than the highway code stopping
distance is not "safe" even if it is possible.

I'm assuming that you crossed the line 1.2 seconds after the lights went
red (so 4.2 seconds after amber was first shown)

What this boils down to is that:

speed limit Your distance from The H.C. Stopping
the lights when they distance in the
first went amber wet.

30 184 ft 120 ft
40 243 ft 200 ft
50 306 ft 300 ft
60 370 ft 420 ft
70 428 ft 560 ft

So if the speed limit was less than 50mph I don't think you have a hope
in hell.

OTOH, if the speed limit is 50mph or more than I think you've got a
chance.

However, then the question is going to be asked: "Why didn't you slow
down approaching an obvious hazard?". If there was no traffic waiting at
the other legs of the junction, no pedestrians etc then driving at the
speedlimit in rainy cold conditions may be fine. I have no idea if the
photos that are taken will be able to show this one way or the other.

(I think you're probably guilty - I've never yet seen a red light camera
go off for a motorist who wasn't chancing it and I see far more who
blatently drive through red lights and don't get caught - but that
doesn't mean that there isn't the occasionaly "mistake" where the
cameras catch someone who was driving both safely and legally)

Tim.


--
God said, "div D = rho, div B = 0, curl E = - @B/@t, curl H = J + @D/@t,"
and there was light.

http://tjw.hn.org/ http://www.locofungus.btinternet.co.uk/
.

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