On Friday , travelling from a Barnes to Wimbledon on the South Circular , ( near to Marc Bolans demise ) there were some unattended temporary roadworks .
For those travelling from Putney , the lights were working normally , for those of us going from. Barnes, it was on a permanent Red .so there was a long hiatus of no one moving in either direction
A few went through , when the oncoming traffic stopped , then yu got the sticklers for the red light . I eventually went around 3 cars and drove through , they then followed .amd then loads more , so many the the lights changed when the other side had the green lights .
I hope the company involved got fined
I called the police , eventually he said he’d get it checked out , but traffic both ways was horrendous
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Couple of places locally where narrow bridges are alternate one way working with traffic lights.
One is a permanent set up on a bridge over the Grand Union Canal with restricted sightlines. It defaults to red both ways. Works fine so long as folks do what the French 'avancez jusque aux feux' signs stipulate and creep right up to the stop line. At leat twice I've had to get out and invite somebody to actually creep right to line.
Other is temporary where a narrow bridge over West Coast rail line is further constrained by road crumbling at margins. Lights fail at their default of red both ways. You just have to creep/peep and hope anybody coming other way is doing same.
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Life is different in rural backwaters. I think Lud would have something to say about "vertigo" if the lights seem not to be working - proceed with caution. Oddly in the next town the traffic lights on a busy junction fail occasionally, FB is then flooded with dim-witted moaning. Take care and continue..
Circumstances are enshrined in the Highway Code (Rule 176)
176
You MUST NOT move forward over the white line when the red light is showing. Only go forward when the traffic lights are green if there is room for you to clear the junction safely or you are taking up a position to turn right. If the traffic lights are not working, treat the situation as you would an unmarked junction and proceed with great care.
Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10 & 36
I'm sure there is associated case-law but I can't be a***d to look it up
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My understanding is that traffic lights have no legal standing unless they are specified in a Traffic Order which, among other things, lays out the details of their type and location of the white line etc.
I believe short term temporary lights are not covered by an Order and so have no legal standing and you are not committing an offence going through on red. If you caused an accident they would find some other law / regulation to get you though.
Last edited by: Dulwich Estate II on Thu 20 Feb 20 at 14:25
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>> My understanding is that traffic lights have no legal standing unless they are specified in
>> a Traffic Order which, among other things, lays out the details of their type and
>> location of the white line etc.
That was my understanding too. The temporary set on a crumbling bridge I mentioned earlier fail with monotonous regularity.
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The 1994 regulations (and after) gave full force of law to "Portable Traffic Lights".
Their use does not require a Traffic Order, but (with a waiver in case of emergency use) it does require prior written approval from the Traffic Authority.
Units must be of a (loosely defined) authorised type/design, but there is no legal requirement for such things as a white line.
In most cases then such units are nowadays likely to be validly placed, and legally enforceable.
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I must admit to on occasions unplugging my dashcam on approach to temporary lights.
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Do you see much value to a dashcam? I had one but long since consigned it to a drawer.
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I got one after a low speed head on on a single track road about three years ago. I stopped in time as a car came towards me off a blind bend going a little to quickly. He couldn't stop but managed to steer his way mostly out of trouble glancing off my bumper and heading into a ditch. My damage was sorted with a bit of bending and a few bolts (It was an old banger, but he ended up with three and a half grands worth of knackered front end.
Fair enough the guy put his hands up to it even when he informed his insurers and I did not bother with a claim, but had he done what at least 50% of people would have and disputed fault it would have gone knock for knock and my no claims would have taken a hit. After that I thought a dashcam would be useful if similar happened again. It could also hang me of course, but if I was at fault in an accident I would put my hands up and take the hit. Conscience wouldn't allow me to lie about the blame.
Interestingly enough, just after I got it I witnessed a damage only accident where a car emerged into the side of a passing vehicle. I could not offer the footage as evidence because a few moments before I realised I had come out without something I needed and let go a string of highly industrialised language. Lesson learned, sound recording now off. It would be rather embarrassing should a case ever end up in legal proceedings and the entire court hearing one booming out ", Cor look at the tits on that!"
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> the entire court hearing one booming out ", Cor look at the tits on that!"
Laughed out loud.
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What would you do ?? - Bromptonaut
