What's the legal standing of this?

T-Maxx

There's a signal controlled pedestrian crossing near my house, put there mainly for school children. During the morning and afternoon peaks there's also a lollipop lady on duty. How it works is that the warden is in charge of pressing the button, once the light goes red for traffic, she will step out onto the road with her STOP/GO sign, let everybody cross safely, and then step back off the road. Often the light will continue to stay red for a good few seconds after this, with the warden and all kids safely off the road.

Question: Assuming the warden has a legal right to do what she does, she is effectively overriding the traffic lights isn't she? If so, would it be OK to move off once she's indicated GO, and in doing so breaking the red light?

mitosis

You must obey the traffic signal just as you would when there's no pedestrian. I know it seems daft.

Indricotherium

T-Maxx wrote: »

Often the light will continue to stay red for a good few seconds after this QUOTE]

Just sit there gunning your engine and working yourself into a rage for the few seconds. :mad::mad::mad:

That'll teach them kids, and their lollypop lady!!!

biko

Only a Garda/Customs/similar can stop traffic wherever they want, regular citizens/lollipop people cannot. That's why she activates the red light before stepping onto road - she's just a normal person.
Once she had cleared the street you still have to wait for light to change away from red before taking off.

djimi

A red light is a red light. The only person who can overrule traffic signals is a Garda (or possibly emergency services personennel).

djimi

biko wrote: »

Only a Garda/Customs/similar can stop traffic wherever they want, regular citizens/lollipop people cannot. That's why she activates the red light before stepping onto road - she's just a normal person.
Once she had cleared the street you still have to wait for light to change away from red before taking off.

I dont think that first part is strictly true, is it? There are plenty of lollipop ladies (and men!) operating outside schools where there are no lights and they have no problem stopping traffic.

ThisRegard

biko wrote: »

Only a Garda/Customs/similar can stop traffic wherever they want, regular citizens/lollipop people cannot. That's why she activates the red light before stepping onto road - she's just a normal person.
Once she had cleared the street you still have to wait for light to change away from red before taking off.

More misinformation passed off as fact in the boards motor forum. It's an offence not to stop for a traffic warden, there's no need for a traffic light to be in existance at all, but they do need to be wearing their uniform.

It's something you should have learned when doing your driving test. I'm pretty sure you also have to stop for someone in charge of animals if they indicate for you to do so.

96.—(1) The council of a county, the corporation of a county or other borough, the council of an urban district or the commissioners of a town may, with the consent of the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána, make arrangements for the patrolling, by persons (in this section referred to as traffic wardens) employed or nominated by them, of places where school-children cross public roads.

(2) A traffic warden may exhibit such sign as may be prescribed requiring traffic to stop and remain stopped so as to enable school-children to cross the road in safety, and traffic shall stop and remain stopped accordingly so long as the sign is exhibited.

(3) A person who fails to stop a vehicle or animal or keep it stopped in accordance with subsection (2) of this section shall be guilty of an offence.

(4) The power conferred on a traffic warden by subsection (2) of this section shall be exercisable only if the warden is wearing such uniform as may be prescribed.

(5) Where a county includes any borough, urban district or

town, the functional area of the council of the county shall, for the purposes of this section, be deemed not to include the borough, urban district or town.

(6) A person acting as a traffic warden shall, in any legal proceedings, be presumed, until the contrary is shown, to have been so acting in accordance with arrangements duly made under this section and with the regulations for the purposes of this section.

(7) In this section—

“traffic” does not include pedestrians;

“uniform” includes any garment, armlet or cap.

Matt Simis

djimi wrote: »

I dont think that first part is strictly true, is it? There are plenty of lollipop ladies (and men!) operating outside schools where there are no lights and they have no problem stopping traffic.

Those would be at pedestrian crossings, which also give pedestrians priority over cars.

biko

Ok, thanks for clearing that up. I found more on www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/roads_and_safety/school_traffic_wardens_in_ireland.html

The School Traffic Warden has the power to exhibit the sign thereby requiring all traffic to stop and remain stopped to enable school children to cross the road in safety. Traffic must remain stopped as long as the Warden exhibits the sign.

School Traffic Wardens can only stop vehicles on a public road if they are wearing the appropriate uniform and exhibiting the appropriate sign.

ThisRegard

Matt Simis wrote: »

Those would be at pedestrian crossings, which also give pedestrians priority over cars.

Again, not strictly true. There's probably very few pedestrian crossings in any of the locations where wardens operate in rural Ireland, and I know of one spot in Dublin practically in the city centre where one operates where there's no pedestrian crossing near for easily about a kilometre.

djimi

Matt Simis wrote: »

Those would be at pedestrian crossings, which also give pedestrians priority over cars.

Not necessarily. I can think of two schools that operate a lollipop lady who do not operate at either pedestrian crossings or lights.

pa990

While the light is red and the lollipop lady is on the footpath, you spend those precious few seconds engaging launch control

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa46eWb-z_Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDCvs9YxXzk

dgt

Matt Simis wrote: »

Those would be at pedestrian crossings, which also give pedestrians priority over cars.

Have seen a lollipop person in Wilkinstown a good few times controling traffic to let children cross to get the bus. Nearest pedestrian crossing or traffic lights to that school would be at least 6 miles away

uck51js9zml2yt

Matt Simis wrote: »

Those would be at pedestrian crossings, which also give pedestrians priority over cars.

except in Slovakia were its a sign for cars to go faster.:-)

navara man

biko wrote: »

Only a Garda/Customs/similar can stop traffic wherever they want,.

and famer with livestock on the road