Has anybody ever been caught by traffic signal cameras?
I think I may have been caught out by one the other day on the East Lancs
It was a 50mph zone, I slowed down to about 35mph (driving a road barrel) when I noticed they had been on green for a while, and as in my training, I slowed down, waited until I was at the point of âno returnâ and put my foot down, and then they changed, it would have been more dangerous to slam on than it would run the light. I noticed there was a camera, but I didnât see it flash.
Just to add, Iâve never had any points on my licence, Iâm a responsible driver, but, we all make mistakes, even though I feel I was in the right running the red light as opposed to slamming on.
Anyway, I was wondering, do you get offered those speed awareness courses for running red lights, or are they strictly reserved for speeding offences only? With making a career out of driving, avoiding 3 points would be beneficial.
I had a TS endorsement about 4 years ago. I was doing way below the speed limit as you were, but was deemed to have âjumped the lightsâ. I wasnât offered any kind of awareness course or anything, a straight 3 points and ÂŁ60 fine or take it to court. I accepted the fine although there was no way I could stop safely at the lights. So, to answer your question, as far as I am aware, unless you jumped the lights at an excessive speed, you wont get that offer, but I can only speak in my own experience.
4 years ago you say? Hmmm, maybe they didnât have the speed awareness courses available then?
The camera thing should have some leniency when it comes to HGVâs. Iâve never once run a red light in my car, and I always stick to speed limits, when in a truck, itâs a different ball game. Hopefully a actual human will review the situation, and see that I was infact slowed down, and that braking harshly would have been more dangerous than running through the red light.
I know there is courses available for speeding and getting caught using mobile phones, I just hope there is one available for traffic signal cameras, not that I should have to do one, it wasnât like I was racing toward a green light with the intention to run a red light!
Not sure if its the actual way they work but Iâm guessing that some sort of laser turns on when the lights are on red. Break the laser beam and youâll get a flash. Iâm hoping that this laser beam doesnât turn on straight away as soon as the lights go red.
The courses were certainly being used back then, but youâre right that things change so much in this game that they may be used for TS infringements now and werenât back then. I just donât know if thatâs the case now or not Iâm afraid.
I wouldnât be too worried myself as the cameras usually double flash and are very bright and easily seen even in the day.
There is usually a few seconds elapse before the camera would go live.
The only true way to find out if you got done is to play the waiting game. If there was no flash then itâs quite possible you will be okay.
I donât suppose anybody knows the drill regarding these awareness courses when it comes to traffic light violations? Like with speeding and mobiles, youâre often offered the chance to do an awareness course. Does such thing exist for running red lights? I canât seem to find any info about them online!
