Why are so many breaking red lights?

dodzy

Valetta wrote: »

Are you breaking a green for pedestrians?

A lot of junctions like the one you've described will have a pedestrian island in the middle, and a green man to allow them cross half-way.

There is always a reason for a red light.

Of course not.

Chemical Byrne

It basically stems from selfishness and arrogance. It's an extremely dangerous practice and i too notice that it's rampant in cork city in the mornings, especially there at Albert Quay lights.

You're guaranteed to get an accident it's when you get a similarly impatient and arrogant ****er waiting at the red who can't wait to go and, noticing the crossing road has gone red, drives off a second or two before he gets the green while the other guy is jumping across breaking his red at the same time. The crash is the meeting of two well matched idiots. They deserve each other.

kippy

dodzy wrote: »

How about you're stopped at a T junction. You have 2 options once lights are in your favour - Left or right turn.

No filter light(s) available from your side of the T junction. Just a green for both left and right.

Now let us say that the traffic from your left is green for straight along with a right arrow green filter. You have no filter to turn left ( which you should ), just a red light.

In this situation, I go through the red, every time.

Indeed. Pedestrians don't matter, either straight in front of you or to your left if there are islands involved.

kippy

dodzy wrote: »

You're probably the one that sits at a red light for 3+ mins, then doesn't move off at green until about 10secs into the 30sec cycle.

A bit harsh, no?

dodzy

kippy wrote: »

Indeed. Pedestrians don't matter, either straight in front of you or to your left if there are islands involved.

No island to the left. No pedestrians crossing on either side (obviously) if there is a GO light in 2 directions.

Caliden

There is a junction on my way home, Fortfield Road and Tenerure Road W.

Cars coming from Fortfield road and going straight through the junction routinely break the red light by 3-4 seconds.

The light is red long enough that the green light for those going East/west is green for a minimum of 2 seconds.

I've only been going through this junction over a month and I have seen AT LEAST 4 very very close calls that would be a bad crash site if it ever happened.


Here is the junction: https://goo.gl/maps/dIwWP

corktina

it's a matter of degree. Not much point arguing as there'll only be more of a Holy War

Chemical Byrne

Sometimes I see guys breaking lights crossing my path just as I set off from the green at a normal pace. Usually during busy periods. Does my head in.

I know it's bad but sometimes I find myself half thinking that maybe I should set out a little faster from my green and judge it so that I can get the fella breaking the light hit or graze my car. Engineering a minor accident essentially. He'd be 100% in the wrong in the eyes of the law and I'd be walking away with a nice little sum and get a new car out of it too. Bad form, totally, but I can't help thinking it from time to time when I see someone not giving way when they should. That'd learn 'em fast enough.

Off topic but a similar beckoning scam was common a few years back where someone "A" would be indicating to turn right into somewhere across the road. B then stops and flashes A to take the turn and cross in front of him. Just as A crosses the road , B moves off and intentionally hits into the side of A.
To anyone arriving on the scene afterwards it simply looks like B cut across A causing the crash. The prevalence of dash cams dampened down this carry on.

CramCycle

Would I be correct in saying that there is a large dead time in Irish light sequences is to accomodate this type of driving?

Why are there these large dead gaps, 2 light sequences on the way home have about 2 second delay after the red comes. Surely this should be scrapped so as to discourage the red light jumpers or is it now such an accepted part of city driving that it would be viewed as too dangerous to remove it?

Cleveland Hot Pocket

LMAO at cyclist criticizing motorist for breaking red lights

AmyPL

SpaceTime wrote: »

One other one that really annoys me in Cork (does this happen in Dublin too?)

A % of drivers think it's completely fine to just turn left (or sometimes right) on a junction where you've a green straight ahead arrow and a full red light displaying, or sometimes even on the newer ones with a red fly light!

Instead of waiting for the fly light, they will just turn and often go straight across green pedestrian crossings. I've nearly been run over by this kind of thing a few times in the city centre as a pedestrian (especially at that junction at the Bus Station at Brian Boru Bridge).

Happens regularly in Dublin, and drives me nuts as both a pedestrian and a motorist.

When I'm the pedestrian crossing I get to worry about being run over.

When I'm behind the wheel and I stop at the red light (with a green filter arrow for straight ahead) I will occasionally get beeped at and bullied by the driver behind me who can't seem to figure out why I'm not turning.

It's actually scary when you think about how this reflects their lack of awareness- if they can't spot the pedestrians crossing where they want to make their turn, what else are they unaware of?

ba_barabus

corktina wrote: »

Not much point arguing as there'll only be more of a Holy War

#JeSuisCorktina
I'll lift my head and say I agree. I've done it. Some light sequences are very short. The one entering Rathmines from Kenilworth Rd. springs to mind. Most people just drive through the Topaz garage to get around them.

I don't do it like a total spaz though. If there is traffic moving I stop or if it has changed before I reach it I obviously don't proceed.

kippy

CramCycle wrote: »

Would I be correct in saying that there is a large dead time in Irish light sequences is to accomodate this type of driving?

Why are there these large dead gaps, 2 light sequences on the way home have about 2 second delay after the red comes. Surely this should be scrapped so as to discourage the red light jumpers or is it now such an accepted part of city driving that it would be viewed as too dangerous to remove it?

I suspect it depends on the lights.There's probably a 3 - 4 second "dead" area when both sets of lights are red.

flintash

havent driven in other places, but cork is horrible in my opinion. i blame people atitude and lack of enforcement.

Qualitymark

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

Simply there is no Gardai at junctions enforcing any of the rules.
I remember from about 2000 to 2007…

There was a Garda traffic check outside my house almost every afternoon until last year; haven't seen it now for a few months. In fact, I haven't seen any Garda traffic check, apart from a single garda in hi-viz yesterday at Dame Street/College Green; I think I broke the poor man's heart when I cycled up to the traffic island, but then dismounted rather than cycling onto it and being pounced on.

H3llR4iser

It has to be said that, according to this thread, people are streaming through red lights as if they weren't there. In reality, I very rarely see this - the "red light breaking" mostly happens withing the first 2-3 seconds of it. It doesn't make it less acceptable, but it's a far cry from "people just streaming through".

In Cork traffic lights are simply idiotic, there is no other description. Most of them shouldn't even be there; The ones in the middle of roundabouts take the cake; Roundabouts were invented to streamline traffic through junctions - cars stop before entering, enter when clear and vacate the roundabout without ever stopping again.

Most roundabouts in Cork have a light entering them, then one or more stopping flow before each access road, which seem to never be timed correctly: each time you go through a green light, you can bet anything you want that the next one will be red. Going through some roundabouts, like the one in Sarsfield road, means stopping at least twice; Why in heavens did they bother with building the thing is a mystery.

Another thing that is often overlooked: pedestrian lights are duly ignored all the time, and often in a way that is beyond infuriating. Take the quays in Cork; More often than not, you are stopped at the red light. Traffic in the junction going, pedestrians crossing. Pedestrian light goes red. Yours goes green and, just as you are about to take off, one idiot with a backpack and enormous Beats headphones jumps on the road without even looking; all the others on the footpath go "monkey see monkey do" and the traffic sits there; Until it goes red again. This happens particularly at the Millennium bridge junction.

RandomAccess

Some people haven't got a clue.

You get people using T junctions and Crossroads who are turning right, and they will stop inside the junction when they reach the red light intended for the traffic going across the junction which does not apply to them at all..

Then you have people (in Phibsboro mostly) who will turn left when they have a red light + green arrow for straight ahead.
So they are driving over a pedestrian crossing which has a green light, often with pedestrians actually crossing.

Then there are a special breed, same junction as before.
Red light + Green arrow for straight ahead comes on.
Guy in left lane doesn't move. (you would think he is turning left and waiting for light)
Full green light comes on.
Guy moves off straight-ahead.
He thinks the two lights side by side, are lane specific or what?

I think when you are in the NCT centre waiting during test, they should do a refresher course on road theory and put that on it!

Boskowski

corktina wrote: »

it's a matter of degree. Not much point arguing as there'll only be more of a Holy War

I'll agree that there may be holy war but really how could there be? It's indefensible. And anyone who says otherwise should be road banned just for making that statement.

Aircraft Freak

I tell you what, there are issues with traffic cameras in Ireland, none of them are manned or record, they are just for observation, I found out all this during the course of the investigation of my T-bone accident.

What písses me off, is that some posters here have admitted to braking lights at T-junctions!?!

Well let me tell you what can happen when you T-bone someone, I was hit drivers side. ~60kph.

8 broken ribs, smashed pelvis, 2 punctured lungs, ruptured femer(left leg) smashed skull, internal bleeding from lungs, stomach and kidneys. I went yellow because my kidneys stopped working from lacerations caused by bone tissue. At one point they thought I was finished.

I have two children, and the prïck that hit me didn't care. Some people really don't give a flying fiddlers.

If any of you come to a T- junction, tomorrow, remember this, it not a pretty sight.

Qualitymark

Aircraft Freak wrote: »

Well let me tell you what can happen when you T-bone someone, I was hit drivers side. ~60kph.

8 broken ribs, smashed pelvis, 2 punctured lungs, ruptured femur (left leg) smashed skull, internal bleeding from lungs, stomach and kidneys. I went yellow because my kidneys stopped working from lacerations caused by bone tissue. At one point they thought I was finished.

I have two children, and the prïck that hit me didn't care. Some people really don't give a flying fiddlers.

If any of you come to a T- junction, tomorrow, remember this, it not a pretty sight.

About fecking time that someone said this. Thank you.

Voodoomelon

Aircraft Freak wrote: »

I tell you what, there are issues with traffic cameras in Ireland, none of them are manned or record, they are just for observation, I found out all this during the course of the investigation of my T-bone accident.

What písses me off, is that some posters here have admitted to braking lights at T-junctions!?!

Well let me tell you what can happen when you T-bone someone, I was hit drivers side. ~60kph.

8 broken ribs, smashed pelvis, 2 punctured lungs, ruptured femer(left leg) smashed skull, internal bleeding from lungs, stomach and kidneys. I went yellow because my kidneys stopped working from lacerations caused by bone tissue. At one point they thought I was finished.

I have two children, and the prïck that hit me didn't care. Some people really don't give a flying fiddlers.

If any of you come to a T- junction, tomorrow, remember this, it not a pretty sight.

This is why i've slowed down a lot. I don't bother myself getting into a rage stuck behind a crawler, risking unnecessary overtakes, breaking lights etc etc. I don't mind an occassional blast on a nice open stretch, but 99% of my driving is quite reserved, too much too loose at this point.

I've cracked a rib before, can only imagine the agony you were in, hope you can get about ok now.

Arbiter of Good Taste

ardmacha wrote: »

Not only that, but 10 secs after a red is one thing, 40 secs after another.

10 seconds is actually quite a long time in the circumstances:eek::eek::eek:

Aircraft Freak

Voodoomelon wrote: »

This is why i've slowed down a lot. I don't bother myself getting into a rage stuck behind a crawler, risking unnecessary overtakes, breaking lights etc etc. I don't mind an occassional blast on a nice open stretch, but 99% of my driving is quite reserved, too much too loose at this point.

I've cracked a rib before, can only imagine the agony you were in, hope you can get about ok now.

Never broke a rib before until that day, anyone who has broken ribs knows what it feels like, pure agony.

Boskowski

Arbiter of Good Taste wrote: »

10 seconds is actually quite a long time in the circumstances:eek::eek::eek:

You probably have a better chance of surviving 40 seconds after than 10. 10!!! :eek:

Qualitymark

I suspect that a lot of this red-lights-crashing is down to stress; people can't bear to wait even a second, they're so strung up. But crashing the lights and being a shouty impatient driver isn't a good way to de-stress.

rocky

Seems in Ireland there's a lot of time where all lights are red, 3+ seconds in some cases. People know this and consider this time as wasted anyway, why not use it?

From youtube clips of Russian accidents, light sequence goes green -> flashing amber -> red, red at the same time as green for other directions, so try jumping red lights there. You have to brake and prepare to stop on flashing amber if you value your life.

CramCycle

My point was we seem to have this dead space to facilitate the safety of law breakers. I would rather see a system with no more than a millisecond delay.

JuliusCaesar

I had to google "T bone" - a side-on collision.

Yes, I think the delay when all lights are red means that more people take a chance. And yes, for some reason many drivers don't seem to realise that the filter light doesn't go green because a pedestrian crossing is showing the green man - and blithely drive through the pedestrians.

The traffic light sequence need to be adjusted in many places, so that there is no delay.

Putting a countdown on pedestrian crossings in city centre Dublin has reduced jay walking, because people can see that the light will change soon. Maybe the same on traffic lights?

Personally, I'd love to see everyone having experience of cycling before learning to drive (bar physical disability, of course) - it just might help drivers understand how vulnerable the human body is.

TwoShedsJackson

If they put a red light camera in at the T Junction of Dame St and South Great George's St, pointing towards Christchurch they'd make a fortune. 2-3 cars through after almost every red that I see there, plus buses etc.

That or people might stop doing it if they think they'll get hit in the pocket rather than maybe just hit a pedestrian.

michael.dublin

Aircraft Freak wrote: »

I tell you what, there are issues with traffic cameras in Ireland, none of them are manned or record, they are just for observation, I found out all this during the course of the investigation of my T-bone accident.

What písses me off, is that some posters here have admitted to braking lights at T-junctions!?!

Well let me tell you what can happen when you T-bone someone, I was hit drivers side. ~60kph.

8 broken ribs, smashed pelvis, 2 punctured lungs, ruptured femer(left leg) smashed skull, internal bleeding from lungs, stomach and kidneys. I went yellow because my kidneys stopped working from lacerations caused by bone tissue. At one point they thought I was finished.

I have two children, and the prïck that hit me didn't care. Some people really don't give a flying fiddlers.

If any of you come to a T- junction, tomorrow, remember this, it not a pretty sight.

This is what i am talking, this is what can happen IF you break a red light, every single day i talk to people that have been in accident like this, lucky enough not as bad as this one here, but bad anyway, it is not just the person you hit, but there are families behind that have to suffer as well.

So next time you break a red light, think about this post, and what can happen. it could be one of your family members that got hurt next time

drive safely out there and have a nice day

michael