twostrike:
(the letter from the police says “time into red 0.01 seconds” whatever that means).
Just re-read the OP now I am home - Is that time into red similar to variable speed limits and how long the limit has been showing before you got caught?
I am wondering if you got snapped by a different gantry just as they put an X up. If it was showing for 100th of a second before you got your photo taken then I would deffo get an appeal going on.
njl:
simcor:
Nicked from a poster on pistonheads who says he emailed Highways England. And got the following response.Just to update you all, I have had the following response from Highways England :
Hi Nigel, the red X signal closes a lane from that point until a further sign indicates otherwise.
I don’t know what the signage is to denote lane open again.
Every time I have seen a closed lane it is also reduced speed. I take the national speed limit symbol to mean all is over, back to normal, but sometimes it’s not shown in a full overhead gantry but in one of those single post digital signs next to the left hand lane, so they don’t show the speed for each lane but one symbol.
As gidders mentioned the M42, if I cast my mind back a couple of years when I used it every night, I’m sure they would often have a few gantries after a speed limit unlit then a few miles further on a national speed limit sign showing. I think I’m right in saying strictly the speed limit is in force until you pass a sign giving a new limit, does that hold true for red x’s
A national speed limit sign and no further red X denotes the lane is now open again. That is pretty self explanatory. Or a gantry with no further red X’s above the lane. Or an end sign saying the restriction ends.
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ezydriver:
What about people pulling out of the services into the closed lane?Call me a cynic, but I do wonder about the infastructure that actually caught you crossing that lane. There was a bus lane camera in Northampton that was specifically placed to catch people momentarily cutting into the 24hr bus lane to get around stopped traffic turning right into a pertrol station. The council made millions from it. One motorist took it to court, and won. The camera got taken down.
That is an excellent point about pulling out of the services
Try asking for a course
shullbit:
ezydriver:
What about people pulling out of the services into the closed lane?Call me a cynic, but I do wonder about the infastructure that actually caught you crossing that lane. There was a bus lane camera in Northampton that was specifically placed to catch people momentarily cutting into the 24hr bus lane to get around stopped traffic turning right into a pertrol station. The council made millions from it. One motorist took it to court, and won. The camera got taken down.
That is an excellent point about pulling out of the services
Of course the exit of the services would be closed if there’s no legal way to join the motorway, to stop anybody contributing to the Xmas ■■■■ up 
What a joke this country has become.
It’s all b-s isn’t it. Last night on m6 for 5 miles was a closed ns lane + 40mph limit due to ‘‘stranded vehicle’’. Eventually I saw the ‘‘stranded vehicle’’ safely parked away in the emergency layby. Now granted maybe he was stranded initially and managed to limp there but maybe he just used the orange phone in the layby the operator panicked/misunderstood and decided to close the lane + lower the speed just to be on the safe side, what with all the law suits lately blaming smart motorway design rather than lack of drivers common sense
so im just wondering what would happen if you went into a red X closed lane to get to the Hard shoulder in an emergency ie mechanical failure or medical emergency etc etc … yes officer i went into a closed lane to get to the services as i was suffering a sudden onset of diarrhea and vomiting after eating a suspect Ginsters seafood pasty at my last stop
twostrike:
I was driving Westbound on the M4 in lane 1 and been planning on using the approaching Reading services to take a tacho break and use the toilets, I had been working at this point for around 5 to 5 and half hours. The road was very sparse of other vehicles.Up ahead I could see a red x on the gantry above lane 1 (this gantry is located 400 yards from the services). upon seeing the red x I moved to lane 2 in good time and went under the gantry. looking even further ahead I could see there was no hazard as far as the eye could see (around a quarter of a mile at this point) so decided to use the services after all, so with around 200 yards to go I drove straight across lane 1 and into the separate slip road for Reading services (after making sure it was safe of course), I was in lane 1 for a matter of seconds before entering said slip road (the letter from the police says “time into red 0.01 seconds” whatever that means).
I have been issued with £100 fine and 3 points. It would seem that I can only appeal if I say I want to take the matter to court.
So should I ■■■■ it up buttercup or take it to court? I look forward to hearing your opinions on the matter. Thanks in advance.
I got caught out on the M6 Spaghetti junction Jct 6 when a vehicle broke down in the middle lane. Red X was lit but car drivers being what they are with HGV`s would not let me in. I went to Court explained the situation the situation and the Clerk of the Court,who must have knowledge of what its like, had a natter with the Judge and I was let off.
Another time I wanted to leave the M5 to join the M6 south and there was an incident on the M5 / M6 jct Police put cones out just before my exit I received a NIP for ignoring the warning cones,I wrote a letter to the Chief Constable explaining the Officer had put cones out before my junction although the incident was after my junction exit i had no choice other than ignore the lane closure. Never heard anymore,so a letter might do some good explaining your circumstances
lolipop:
I got caught out on the M6 Spaghetti junction Jct 6 when a vehicle broke down in the middle lane. Red X was lit but car drivers being what they are with HGV`s would not let me in. I went to Court explained the situation the situation and the Clerk of the Court,who must have knowledge of what its like, had a natter with the Judge and I was let off.
Another time I wanted to leave the M5 to join the M6 south and there was an incident on the M5 / M6 jct Police put cones out just before my exit I received a NIP for ignoring the warning cones,I wrote a letter to the Chief Constable explaining the Officer had put cones out before my junction although the incident was after my junction exit i had no choice other than ignore the lane closure. Never heard anymore,so a letter might do some good explaining your circumstances
Surely that would have meant you crashed through the cones crushing and scattering them ?.Which seems more questionable if it’s a physical barrier.
Either way closure of junctions or services by red X or less so by cones, without advance warning, where it can be provided on gantry information screens, seems like deliberate sharp practice.
simcor:
stu675:
Carryfast:
DAF_Daily:
You entered a lane marked with a red X. Everything else is irrelevant.Guilty as charged
But equally obviously anyone entering the motorway from an entry slip road including from the services would be guilty too ■■
Not if they don’t pass a red X.
If crossing a Red X lane to exit onto a slip road or into services then exiting services into a lane closed by a Red X would also be illegal. No ifs no buts. A Red X means that lane is closed until a sign that indicated otherwise that the temporary closure was now not in force. Whether or not you got prosecuted would depend if there was a camera or you were observed doing so.
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If…a mile before the services there is a red X over lane one.
Our intrepid fictional driver has just finished their 45 hours weekend rest and leaves the services , uses lane one or any other lane except the outside one, he will have committed no offense because he did not pass a red X in his lane.
Notimetoulouse:
so im just wondering what would happen if you went into a red X closed lane to get to the Hard shoulder in an emergency ie mechanical failure or medical emergency etc etc … yes officer i went into a closed lane to get to the services as i was suffering a sudden onset of diarrhea and vomiting after eating a suspect Ginsters seafood pasty at my last stop
That’s the best answer. I doubt a tacho time limit would be justifiable excuse, but difficult to argue against a medical necessity.
twostrike:
Conor:
Gidders:
There was never any reason for the gantries to be lit up in such a fashion.I just assumed someone had switched them on for the evening rush hour then gone home and forgot about them.They put them up to set out the roadworks but then don’t phone up the Highways Agency control to get them lifted once the cones are out. Same when they’re lifting the roadworks.
Worst one was the other night on M1 northbound where they put the red Xs up just before J12 for a lane closure they were putting out at J13. 6 miles of closed lanes for no reason at all.
and because of something like this i will now have to have 3 points on my licence for four years, thus making my car insurance more expensive and making me less desirable to new employers, whilst also making me extra anxious whilst driving as ill always be worried about getting another 3 points and becoming almost unemployable
Take the awareness course, i did
Go and talk to a specialist lawyer, won’t cost you anything, if there is no dash cam footage you have your tacho data.
Tell us the outycome
Macski:
Go and talk to a specialist lawyer, won’t cost you anything, if there is no dash cam footage you have your tacho data.Tell us the outycome
No but if he fights it in court it could possibly cost him more in the long run. That’s the choice you have to make, accept it and move on or fight it and possibly risk more points and or a higher fine.
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Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply with your thoughts on the matter.
As HGV drivers we are trusted to make dozens if not hundreds of decisions a day that could cause an accident/cost people their lives. I took the decision to take a break and use the toilet. I looked ahead, there was no hazard as far as the eye could see, lane 1 had been closed for some 200 yards at this point, I drove in it for a matter of seconds. Nearly 30 of years driving experience, nearly 10 years of which spent as a driving instructor, and over 5 years driving HGV’s all count for nothing unless I risk going to court where I could end up having to pay a £1000 fine and costs if found guilty.
Sadly I don’t have the money to have my side of what happened heard in court so I have decided to take the points and I’m also running out of time to seek professional advice etc due to other things going on in my life atm.
Thanks to all once agin. Keep safe out there.