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| mfro:
Isn't that US red light thing (at least partly) caused by your (at least to most of us Europeans) strange positioning of traffic lights in general? In Europe (and most other regions I've seen), traffic lights are positioned *in front* of the crossroads while yours are located *behind*. If we pass the red light (or even - at least in Germany - the yellow in its last phase), we are screwed. No discussion whatsoever. |
| tom66:
As far as I am concerned running a red light in the UK is essentially unforgivable; you did the crime now you do the time. The amber light is lit for about 3 seconds, and red light cameras don't arm until 1 full second after the red is lit, so you have 4 seconds to stop. If the road is a 30 mph road, there should be no problem with being able to stop within 4 seconds and in any case you should always be prepared to make a decision at lights: stop or go. (Faster roads have longer yellow times.) Being rear ended isn't pleasant, but it is a lot better than T-bone crash which is the likely result of running a red light. |
| coppice:
--- Quote from: tom66 on March 10, 2020, 02:27:27 pm ---As far as I am concerned running a red light in the UK is essentially unforgivable; --- End quote --- That depends. There are plenty of places in the UK now where there are so many lights, so close together, that you do through junctions not sure whether you were observing the correct lights. They used to shield lights well, so it was hard to observe a light from the wrong lane. Now they rarely bother with that. You just drive towards a bunch of lights you have so sort out in the fly. Try driving through Leeds and ask yourself if you truly followed all the lights correctly. They are just installing a bunch of new ones to up the confusion. |
| Bud:
Traffic lights positioned behind the intersection are easier to see. We do not have to twist our heads trying to look at them. The stop line is clearly marked on pavement and there are additional signs on the curb next to the stop line saying "on red light stop here" which help when the road is covered with snow and the stop line is poorly visible. |
| tom66:
--- Quote from: coppice on March 10, 2020, 02:33:28 pm --- --- Quote from: tom66 on March 10, 2020, 02:27:27 pm ---As far as I am concerned running a red light in the UK is essentially unforgivable; --- End quote --- That depends. There are plenty of places in the UK now where there are so many lights, so close together, that you do through junctions not sure whether you were observing the correct lights. They used to shield lights well, so it was hard to observe a light from the wrong lane. Now they rarely bother with that. You just drive towards a bunch of lights you have so sort out in the fly. Try driving through Leeds and ask yourself if you truly followed all the lights correctly. They are just installing a bunch of new ones to up the confusion. --- End quote --- Well, I live in Leeds so I know of a few of the junctions you speak of. I'd actually agree with you here, there's no easy way to solve this problem. I have passed a red light by a car's length before being unsure of whether it was referring to one junction or another before realising my mistake. But red light cameras are rarely positioned in these locations, they tend to be at locations where people are "amber gamblers" and pass junctions at ridiculous speed to avoid waiting 30 seconds. I should note, I have one speeding ticket, so I'm no fan of the bastards, but I hate red light runners more. |
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