http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: "It was amber when I went through it" en Fri, 22 May 2026 02:17:43 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9647#post-103555 Sun, 10 Mar 2013 13:13:20 +0000 Kim 103555@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Red light jumping is riff, you have only to watch a signalised junction for a few phases of the lights to see people driving through a red light. Sadly many driver fail to understand <a href="https://www.gov.uk/using-the-road-159-to-203/road-junctions-170-to-183">Highway Code Rules 175, 176 &amp; 178</a> or that an "<a href="http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/documents/digitalasset/dg_070561.pdf">AMBER means ‘Stop’</a> at the stop line. You may go on only if the AMBER appears after you have crossed the stop line or are so close to it that to pull up might cause an accident". </p> <p>As a cyclists I find it particularly annoying when I have stopped at the Amber light to be overtaken by drivers who then go through the red. On two occasions in the last few months I have had this happen where the drivers have narrowly avoided hitting pedestrians who were crossing as the green man was showing.</p> <p>A major problem is the lack on enforcement which has lead to the wide spread culture of the <a href="http://www.kimharding.net/blog/?p=1666">sacred driving licence</a>, it is OK to kill people so long as to are in the driving seat. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9647#post-103538 Sun, 10 Mar 2013 11:13:38 +0000 bdellar 103538@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>When they closed off the left turn from Pilrig Street into Leith Walk a while back for road works, about one car in three still took the turn, and just drove across the pedestrian green man. So yeah, people feel OK about ignoring temporary restrictions, I'd say. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9647#post-103528 Sun, 10 Mar 2013 09:32:24 +0000 custard 103528@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>what you really need is someone at the car lights,to signal when they go red(and amber for time check)<br /> then someone at the ped/bike crossing to note the time to change to green for peds/bikes </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9647#post-103490 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 17:00:42 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 103490@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Pretty sure they ARE in sync. My query was more that the lights are 20 yards apart, it's clear they're red on THIS side when the cars go through THIS side, but were they already red when they wet through the set facing them? The video doesn't show the lights actually changing to red so it's not clear.</p> <p>Edit: have watched again full screen and you can see when the lights go amber. The first car, I'm pretty sure, hasn't jumped on the other side. The second car? It's tight, maybe, maybe not. I'd say definitely nowhere near clear enough for any action though. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9647#post-103476 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 12:26:41 +0000 chdot 103476@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Cyclops - yes that makes sense. </p> <p>"However if the contractor has not got the necessary traffic order from the council"</p> <p>I suspect that is inevitable for 'emergency lights'</p> <p>But you'd hope they'd get one for pre-planned locations. </p> <p>Wonder where that puts the Melville Drive lights... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9647#post-103475 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 12:21:38 +0000 Dave 103475@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>This is a good point and one I didn't consider (since it's just a pedestrian crossing, and not a junction where the lights are set far apart).</p> <p>Mission for today: find out if the lights are in sync... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9647#post-103474 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 12:21:01 +0000 Cyclops 103474@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"But is it an urban myth?"</p> <p>Failing to adhere to temporary traffic lights is an offence. However if the contractor has not got the necessary traffic order from the council you may be able to argue your way out of it in court. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9647#post-103472 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 12:14:52 +0000 Kenny 103472@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>That's a fair point, Cyclops - I have noticed an incredibly larger number of red light jumping cars on temporary lights than in comparison to "real" ones. I always put it down to the fact that temporary lights are rarely in sync, and indeed give "too much" time for people to get to the other side, so jumping the red doesn't supposedly slow cars going the other direction.</p> <p>One other thing is that the guy seemed totally calm and rational - I didn't think he was smug in the video. So in this instance, I'm suspecting he might well have been ok and really did go through on amber. As others have said, the red you saw was facing the other direction, and maybe they were not in sync. If they *are* in sync, though, then he's totally in the wrong. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9647#post-103470 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 12:12:37 +0000 chdot 103470@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>But is it an urban myth? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9647#post-103469 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 12:07:33 +0000 Cyclops 103469@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There does seem to be a far greater propensity for drivers to run temporary lights as opposed to permanent ones. Perhaps this is due to the urban myth I've heard quoted more than once that temporary lights are only advisory. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9647#post-103467 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 12:02:36 +0000 cb 103467@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The lights in each direction are definitely in sync? This isn't always the case at some junctions. (I haven't actually watched the vid) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9647#post-103466 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 11:49:51 +0000 Dave 103466@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I sent a PM to our resident CyclePC to ask his thoughts (in a general, non-specific way).</p> <p>I'm pretty sure this is not reportable any other way than a good old-fashioned visit though. Sigh. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9647#post-103463 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 11:30:47 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 103463@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hmmm, I'd say that's not 'entirely' clear cut - the red we can see both cars going through is facing 'this' way. The light they'll have gone through is twenty yards in the other direction. Is it absolutely certain they both went through when that was red? Obviously you were there so better able to say - its not actually as clear from the video (I've tried watching to see when the lights change from green to red but you were paying too much attention to where you were going... ;) )</p> <p>I suspect the police might well say its not clear cut, but I agree, his smugness I think points to him definitely having run the red! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9647#post-103453 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 10:17:01 +0000 Uberuce 103453@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Oooh, I'd say that was a good 660 nanometres. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9647#post-103443 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 08:38:54 +0000 Dave 103443@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>In case you can't watch video wherever you are:</p> <p>First car goes through red, but it's the car *behind that* that we're interested in:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/83938208@N06/8540484925/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8104/8540484925_d08ffe645e.jpg"></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/83938208@N06/8541585652/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8232/8541585652_b0428672ea.jpg"></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/83938208@N06/8541585752/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8107/8541585752_03af535d17.jpg"></a></p> <p>SW54 DLV:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/83938208@N06/8541586074/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8380/8541586074_478ec92437_n.jpg"></a></p> <p>Looking rather pleased with himself:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/83938208@N06/8540485689/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8086/8540485689_20ba1591a0_n.jpg"></a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9647#post-103441 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 08:28:25 +0000 Dave 103441@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Sadly or otherwise, I understand going through on amber as much as the next man (a lesson that was reinforced when I was hit by a taxi from behind when I stopped "before the red had come on").</p> <p>However, does the forum think this is, just maybe, not amber gambling?</p> <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIO-lVPoutM" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIO-lVPoutM</a></p> <p>We are repeatedly told to report these things (or they didn't happen)... I'm trying to decide if I have the strength to go to St Leonard's today or not. On the plus side, I might get a popular blog post out of a failed attempt to get anything done about this most in your face of offences... </p>