Is breaking a red light illegal

Carb

As mentioned on a number of threads here, the practice of breaking red lights is becoming more and more popular. Its use to be that you'd see a car speeding up when the light was amber and then go through the light as it was turning red, but lately, I've seen a lot more drivers, including lorries continue straight the red light, even though they could be 20 metres away from the lights when they turn red.

There have been couple of cases locally where the judge threw out the case (not sure why), but in one case the judge said that the traffic lights were only there for guidance. This could be just a rumour, but between this, and the complete lack of enforcement/cameras at junctions, I'm beginning to wonder if it is illegal.

roger 2006 yeah

hmmmm, good question. i always taught it was illegal. i know a guy who got a fine for breaking a red light a few months ago.

Henry Ford III

Of course it's illegal.

Do you know what an orange light means?

roger 2006 yeah

orange means stop if it's safe to do so.

Noelie

This is also starting to annoy me. I drive a bike and as you can guess i can take off pretty quick once the lights change. On a few occasions I have looked at the light turn green for me to go and about 5-10 seconds later a car will fly through lights in the opposite direction.

Also there is a set of traffic light at the bottom of my estate. It's Kingston in Ballinteer, the road leads onto and off of the M50, nearly everytime i'm using the peadestrian crossing a car will break the lights.

It seems to me that the worse traffic gets in and around Dublin the more people are willing to break lights just to get home a few minutes quicker. since most of the time they break lights only to rush up to another set of red lights

It seems people need to be punished badly to set an example, there should be high quality cameras set up at a few sets of lights around Dublin, anyone found to be breaking light should either get points(4+ in my opion) or have their licence taken off them and make them reapply for a driving test. It's no good giving a €40 fine we need punishment that will deter people.

Breaking lights can be more dangerous than speeding and IMO it is.

MrPudding

Noelie wrote:

T
Breaking lights can be more dangerous than speeding and IMO it is.

Agreed, I am very surprised that no motorcyclist have been creamed on the N11. I have seen a few near misses. Christ, I have seen red light jumpers weaving through the traffic that has gone on green.

Please do not tell me that the legal position of traffic lights is that they are a guide?

MrP

Turner

roger 2006 yeah wrote:

orange means stop if it's safe to do so.

so it is an offence to drive through an orange light if it was safe to stop.

Seth Brundle

Carb wrote:

There have been couple of cases locally where the judge threw out the case (not sure why), but in one case the judge said that the traffic lights were only there for guidance. This could be just a rumour, but between this, and the complete lack of enforcement/cameras at junctions, I'm beginning to wonder if it is illegal.

This may have been at roadworks or at temporary lights rather than permanent lights (not that there would be a differnece IMO, but legally I believe there is)!

MrPudding

Chief--- wrote:

so it is an offence to drive through an orange light if it was safe to stop.

That is the case in the UK for sure. Of course the whole "safe to do so" is very subjective and I would imagine would be hard to enforce.

I find it strange when I go up home and see most drivers stopping on amber. There is very little amber gambling and even less red light running.

MrP

Shred

What the original poster says is true:

Red = prepare to stop
Green = proceed with caution
Orange = stop if it's safe to do so

Some drivers really do exract the urine though:rolleyes:

el tel

Am I missing something or is the term 'orange light' an inside joke here?

Carb

Henry Ford III wrote:

Of course it's illegal.

Do you know what an orange light means?

I would have alway taken an orange light as prepare to stop and red is to stop. But just because I think that, doesn't make it illegal although I suppose it could make it dangerous driving.

I only asked because for some reason, it appears the judges couldn't proceed.

Sangre

Breaking a red light is so, so illegal. It will get you done for reckless or dangerous driving. There is not a chance a judge said they were for guidance only.

Interceptor

I broke a green light once. I hit it with a jack handle.

'cptr

RuggieBear

Shred wrote:

Red = prepare to stop
Green = proceed with caution
Orange = stop if it's safe to do so

think most irish drivers follow the old joke:

Green = grand
Orange = put the foot down
Red = three more cars

**Timbuk2**

There are these lights near me (anyone that lives in dundalk will know them, the "carolls factory lights") for a crossroad and if you get them when they are red it is a 2m 30s wait until they turn green again.

Therefore you have alot of people that don't want to wait, and the speed of some people flying through the red lights (I even saw a bus do it :eek:)

It is very dangerous as there is a lot of cars on it (it is where the dundalk, belfast, dublin and drogheda roads meet at one crossroad)

johnnyrotten

Shred wrote:

What the original poster says is true:

Red = prepare to stop
Green = proceed with caution
Orange = stop if it's safe to do so

Some drivers really do exract the urine though:rolleyes:

Its amazing how many drivers go through green lights without looking. The blinkers go on ...do they ever consider the ar$ehole breaking the RED light

observer

you are only allowed to pass through a set of lights if it is safe regardless of colour! breaking a red light is defo illegal. i was nearly hit by a car the other day when he broke the red light

johnnyrotten

observer wrote:

you are only allowed to pass through a set of lights if it is safe regardless of colour!

WTF!
You are not allowed to pass through a Red.
You are olny allowed to pass through an Amber if it unsafe to stop

Turner

This thread could go on a while.

Pataman

I was hit at the luas in sandyford by a car breaking the amber light, I was stopped at the next light which was red!

Alun

Carb wrote:

There have been couple of cases locally where the judge threw out the case (not sure why), but in one case the judge said that the traffic lights were only there for guidance. This could be just a rumour, but between this, and the complete lack of enforcement/cameras at junctions, I'm beginning to wonder if it is illegal.

I do seem to recall something to do with a green light not meaning you can drive through regardless without paying attention to traffic crossing your path, i.e. it doesn't confer any right of way to you. So although it is illegal to break a red light, if someone doing this hits you while you're going through green, you're partly to blame, or something like that. I'm pretty sure that's the legal situation in the UK, not sure about here.

I got side wiped once, many moons ago, when going through a set of lights on green which according to the locals who gathered after the accident often displayed green in both directions. Tried to sue the council for damage to my car (was only insured 3rd party and they went knock for knock) but they weren't interested. Moral of the story? Even if you're going through green, keep your eyes open.

Morrigan

The T-junction at the exit of the industrial estate I work in is very dangerous for pedestrians. Usually 2 or 3 vehicles break the lights and storm across my path, even though the green man has lit up.
Drivers even stop at red lights when they shouldn't - because of the positioning of traffic lights on the main road just past the actual junction, cars making a right turn from the industrial estate onto the main road often seem to get confused and end up stopping in the middle of the junction at these lights, even though they are red for the traffic on the main road to their left.
You know what I mean? Anyway, It's chaos because people aren't obeying the lights.

**Timbuk2**

As said before, green does not mean you are safe to go. If you like it gives you a bit of a guideline when you should go (like a lollipop man )

But breaking a red light is defo illegal. But if you get hit when going to a green light, it is partly your fault; as a driver you must be aware of the dangers of intersections and junctions. You never know when the police might be chasing Binladin down the N11 and decide to go through the lights to save time

HelterSkelter

It's scary that so many people don't know the rules regarding traffic lights. Do they not teach this in driving school anymore???

30. (1) Where traffic sign number RTS 00I, RTS 002, RTS 003 or RTS 004 (referred to in these Regulations as traffic lights) is provided, a person shall not drive a vehicle past the traffic lights, or past traffic sign number RRM 017 [stop line] where such sign is provided in association with the traffic lights when the red lamp of the traffic light is illuminated.

prospect

Only this morning I was behind a Black Opel Corsa with L plates approaching the Lights on the Nangor Road at the Clondalkin Junction.
There was a gap of at least 20m between the Corsa and the car in front of it. The first car passed through the lights as they turned red, and the corsa, which wasn't travelling fast just kept pootling along straight through the junction. The lightas had been red for 3 or four seconds, which is quite a long time in this situation.
Unbelievable...

Snickers Man

Carb wrote:

in one case the judge said that the traffic lights were only there for guidance.

I'm sure that's just a modern myth. There is the story of the Italian politician explaining in terms of the local attitude to traffic lights how the general Italian attitude to law and order varies as one moves from north to south.

"In Milan, they are an instruction.
In Rome, they are a suggestion.
In Naples, they are Christmas decorations."

I hardly think an Irish judge is going all Roman on us.

Savman

Chief--- wrote:

This thread could go on a while.

Well it shouldn't considering it's so, so simple.

RED - STOP
AMBER - STOP
GREEN - PROCEED ONLY IF SAFE

What's so f***** complicated? You may only pass thru an amber light if stopping is unsafe, you must reduce speed approaching a Green light as believe it or not it doesnt stay green forever.

To answer the OP, er, YES it is illegal.:rolleyes:

In reality More alone the lines of

RED - STOP
AMBER - GO QUICKER
GREEN - PROCEED ONLY IF SAFE

prospect

While it is being discussed:

I can safely say, that in 11 years of driving, I have NEVER seen anyone come to a complete stop on an amber light.

zuutroy

Here's a good one (answer direct from a Garda so donr blame me if you later unearth it as untrue)......What is the only circumstance in which a red light can be broken legally by anyone in this country?