Speed cameras, how?

[Andy Boz]

I inadvertantly came through a set of lights tonight, and they changed to red as I crossed the line. When do they trigger, what's the fine, and would I get away witha grovelling letter? Before anybody gives me the " you should have stopped " line, I was being towed a the time, having had the head gasket go west. If my mate had stopped, I would have smacked him, so it was a split second decision by him to keep going.

I didn't see a flash, but given my luck for the day I will expect a letter though the post.

Thanks in advance for the CONSTRUCTIVE replies

[NORMANTHEDOG]

you might be lucky,the film might have run out.

[Buenchico]

If you didn't see a double flash in your mirror then probably neither you, nor your friend, have got anything to worry about.

My understanding of the law is that, when one vehicle is being towed by another, the two vehicles effectively become one. (i.e. the situation with your friend towing your car is just the same as if he was towing a caravan). So, as long as his vehicle crossed the line before the signal turned red, there shouldn't be a problem. (Before someone else posts to point it out, I'll recognise the fact that it's actually an offence - except on the grounds of safety - to cross the line when the lights show amber. Cameras, however, are only set to detect vehicles crossing the line when the signals are red).

If your vehicle was picked up by a camera then simply pointing out that you were being towed by another vehicle (which crossed the line before the signal went red) should put you both in the clear as far as 'jumping a red' is concerned. The only problem might be if you were not displaying the registration number of your friend's car at the rear of yours. The camera would pick this up and identify this as an offence by your friend, not by you. (In just the same way that someone towing a caravan has to ensure that the car's registration number is on the back of the caravan, your friend was obliged to ensure that his number was visible at the back of your car).

Chris

PS: As requested, I won't give you the 'You should have stopped line'. Perhaps, however, you might like to to remind your friend that 'amber means stop' and that responsible drivers should always slow when approaching a green light, in anticipation of it going amber.

[Toureman]

Even if the camera did flash and it did have film in you should not have anything to worry about!

When a vehicle is towing another vehicle they are classed as one (long) vehicle, as long as the front of the towing vehicle had passed the white line on the road before the lights changed to red then you will not get a ticket.

[Toureman]

Good answer Buenchico, you just beat me to it!

[gammaray]

They don't have film in these days. It's all digital. However the good news is that only one in seven camers in a given area are actually operational at any one time. Unfortunately some cameras are monitored by the local authority 24/7 those at tricky junctions and those checking bus lanes to name but a few. They don't take still images but record a moving image at the scene and images of offenders are lifted from the moving image and appear on the NIP. You'll know in a day or so if you've been unlucky.

[bellasasha]

the cameras on traffic lights dont flash, and not every set of traffic lights have cameras on them. you will be fine!!

[Grunty]

There is a simpler answer. You do not have to stop if you have already crossed the line, or are so close to it that to pull up might cause an accident.

[funkymoped]

I think the law used to state you must stop if its safe to do so.. as an example, you could just about stop and not cross the line but the 40 ton lorry behind you would collide with you if you chose to emergency stop.

in that circumstance you were allowed to continue through an amber light, not a red...

have seen photoghraph in national news paper where a guy stopped over the white line and was nicked with the help of our beloved gatso friends... he didnt drive over the junction, he stopped with his front wheels over the line.......