Are you a red light runner?

[snwtoy]

When I sat my license (many years ago) traffic signals meant the following:

Green - Go if it is safe to do so
Amber - STOP if you can do so safely
Red - STOP.

Now I'm sure these haven't changed, and no, it is NOT ok to run the amber if you think you can get through before it goes red!!!

I've been crashed into by a red light runner before, and so nearly hit as a pedestrian many times by red light runners. I hate you all wtih a vengance, and won't heistate to kick your car if it comes near me after running a red.

Obviously this is a rather pointless poll on a car enthusiast's website because we all uphold the road law to the nth degree. Right?

[Zak]

I don't run them, but there aren't any were I live. When I'm in Auckland I'm pretty carefull though, seen many an accident from running them.

[xsspeed]

I will only go through an orange if its either dangerous for me to stop, or if the lights have been short phasing and there is no traffic/pedestrians to endanger.

I never run reds, but used to run the occasional late orange, until I got a $150 ticket, this was at 3am on my way to work at the time.

I decided after that happenned that rushing to earn money wasnt worth having to donate that money to the government. So now i am very cautious, especially after some of the crashes I have seen and near misses I've had caused by red light runners.

Once I took off from a green, saw a car coming form my right, and had to gun it to get out of the way otherwise he would've hit my door and I wouldnt be here right now. This was in the ee80 so it would'vebeen destroyed. The dude ended up just missing clipping my rear end as he sped through.

[Boosted_162]

Ill admit very occasionally i have run orange lights, either when i think someones gunna hit me from behind or i know i can get through before its red. But i will never ever run a red light.

[Emperor]

I only go through if like above, someone is too close to my rear if I stop they wont stop in time either.

[touge rolla]

I have been hit from behind stopping for an orange light. We stopped they tried to gun it, realised we weren't and couldn't stop in time. Morons.
But yeah I'm sick of the lights turning green and having to wait while 3 or 4 cars who seem to think red lights don't apply whilst turning right go through before I can go. (Colombo and Burlington St cnr being one of the worst intersections for this behaviour in CHCH)

[Alex B]

Obviously this is a rather pointless poll on a car enthusiast's website because we all uphold the road law to the nth degree. Right?

Its more pointless because i cant see anyone coming in here and going "Thats right, its me who runs the red lights, whilst im at it, I rape and pillage your town folk. Basicly I am the anticrist."

[snwtoy]

Obviously this is a rather pointless poll on a car enthusiast's website because we all uphold the road law to the nth degree. Right?

Its more pointless because i cant see anyone coming in here and going "Thats right, its me who runs the red lights, whilst im at it, I rape and pillage your town folk. Basicly I am the anticrist."

I have read here before people proclaiming their justfication for running red lights - something along the lines of 'it gets more traffic through therefore increases flow and does everyone a favour' type thing. I'm sure they'll pop up soon.

I don't know what it's like in Dunners, but here in auckland, pretty much every single major intersection, every single phase, there are cars running amber and red lights who could easily have stopped. It's an epidemic and soooo many people do it there must be some on here.

[Zak]

something along the lines of 'it gets more traffic through therefore increases flow and does everyone a favour' type thing. I'm sure they'll pop up soon.

I think it makes the problem worse, they are timed they way they are for a reason, it just over loads the next set of lights. I guess people will only thing of them selfs though, the whole I get through faster so it must be better.

[pc]

Depends on your definition of 'running a red'
I can think of a few intersections where if turning right, you have to go through on the green and sit in the middle of the intersection until there is a break in the oncoming traffic... it's possible to still be sitting there once all has gone red. This is technically not allowed but on some intersections at some times of the day is the only way to get through.
As for going through an intersection at the posted speed limit when the light is red... no I don't.

[Bling]

I go through orange lights all the time. When i'm coming up to an intersection i'll put a mark on the road before the lights and if they are still green when I cross that I will continue through if they change to orange after that. The line is in a genuine place where I think my whole van would reshuffle everything on board if I had to stop after passing it Its different in the Levin tho, can stop much later if theres no one behind.

I've been heading along a 60km/h road, which after the lights turns into open road motorway onramp..... light goes orange so I start to brake.....check my rear vision mirror and see a truck approaching behind me VERY rapidly.... so i'm sorry but there was no way I was going to continue stopping so foot off brake and floored it through a very late orange soon to be red light just to save my ass!! (for chch folk think Brougham st to Curlets road lights)

I probably go through a late orange every 3-4 months due to being distracted for some reason. Never a red light tho

[method]

Traffic signals are over rated. If the intersection is clear just go.

[Bling]

Depends on your definition of 'running a red'
I can think of a few intersections where if turning right, you have to go through on the green and sit in the middle of the intersection until there is a break in the oncoming traffic... it's possible to still be sitting there once all has gone red. This is technically not allowed but on some intersections at some times of the day is the only way to get through.

I don't think you would ever get pulled up for going through a red in this situation though, as like you say, if you don't commit to the middle, turning traffic would never get through. its when you have 4 people out in the middle that cops should be handing out fines like lollies!

[touge rolla]

Depends on your definition of 'running a red'
I can think of a few intersections where if turning right, you have to go through on the green and sit in the middle of the intersection until there is a break in the oncoming traffic... it's possible to still be sitting there once all has gone red. This is technically not allowed but on some intersections at some times of the day is the only way to get through.

I don't think you would ever get pulled up for going through a red in this situation though, as like you say, if you don't commit to the middle, turning traffic would never get through. its when you have 4 people out in the middle that cops should be handing out fines like lollies!

And when the 4 people in the middle, AND the 4 people behind them go through.

[molex]

I was told long ago that when approaching a light you define the point of no return and once past, continue on. Generally if to stop for the orange I need to brake hard enough to cause things to move around in the interior I'll keep going. Exceptions to that rule are some ridiculous lights around Auckland, for example turning left onto Fanshawe street out of Market place, if you aren't aggressive on the light often only a single car gets through before it phases to orange. Zero pedestrian danger and a long lead time before any oncoming cars get close mind you.

[snwtoy]

Generally if to stop for the orange I need to brake hard enough to cause things to move around in the interior I'll keep going.

See, I knew it wouldn't be long.

Sorry officer, my loaf of bread would have fallen off the seat. There was no way I could have stopped, it just wouldn't have been safe.

[Bling]

loaf of bread.... come on.

how about a length of stainless steel pipe?

The rule is there so that in the UNSAFE situation when stopping isn't possible, you can continue. A loaf of bread will not be one of them and you know it. Chill pill time

[snwtoy]

loaf of bread.... come on.

how about a length of stainless steel pipe?

The rule is there so that in the UNSAFE situation when stopping isn't possible, you can continue. A loaf of bread will not be one of them and you know it. Chill pill time

Are you telling me that it's more likely joe public will be carrying a length of pipe (let's not even go there with the stupidity of carrying that unsecured) rather than a loaf of bread?

[Bling]

I could explain, but seeing as you can't comprehend my above post, whats the point. I'm off to get a loaf of bread and run some red lights now. Budget bread ftw btw, doesn't hit the screen as hard.

[Dell'Orto]

I do, and laugh defiantly. Ha HA!


No but seriously, I have run a red light before...intersection of Ruahine and Tremaine ave, turning right on to Ruahine. Was about half past 10 at night, and I was sitting on a red arrow for 2 minutes (I actually timed it!). I think there must have been an issue with the phasing, as its never happened there before.