Safe Speed Forums

Hi,
I was driving along a road at 40 mph (the limit for that road) in the p1ss wet towards a set of lights, they started to change and I made the decision that I wouldn't make it through before they were red and braked. I then braked a bit harder thinking I wouldn't make it, locked all the wheels and skidded to a stop just over the stop line, my front wheels had gone over the 2nd line of sensors embedded in the road as the light was red.

There is a camera there but I was not able to see it flash as it was in a total blind spot. I'm not sure where I stand here as I had come to a complete stop but the car was completely over the line when the light was red.

I'm now especially worried, as I recently got 4 points on my licence (challenged a ticket in court & lost ) and since I've had my licence for just under 2 years, I face having it revoked if I get a NIP for this.

So my question is, should I be worried about getting the NIP and pray it arrives too late for a prosecution to take place? Or not?

Thanks in advance if anyone can help

Lee

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WARNING! LIFT OFF OVERSTEER CAN CAUSE SERIOUS UNDERPANT MALFUNCTIONS

Welcome along.

I don't think you''ll hear any more of this one from the authorities. You had overshot, but were stopped. Cameras typically do not fire in such conditions.

The thing you should be worried about is that you did not anticipate the lights changing to be against you, along with the poor road conditions, and regulate your speed accordingly. You say the limit was 40, and so you were doing that speed. What if the limit had been 50.. or 60? What if the lights had changed 1/10th of a second later and you'd been 1/10th second later before anchoring up - and your nose across into oncoming cars? What if a pedestrian had spotted the lights changing against the traffic and taken a punt acorss the road in front of you knowing you're going to stop? The (thankfully uneventful) incident is something to learn from. When approaching a potential hazzard, cover the brake, slowing as you approach, so that you are *already* on the brake pedal in case you need to stop. That saves vital slack time moving the right foot up across and down to brake. Only at the time you commit to going across should you move to the loud pedal.

Sorry if the above sounds harsh - it is not meant to be, but meant to open you up to the fact that the camera was the least of your problems in this instance! Stick around, friend - lots of great stuff on this site about safety - and cameras is not exactly flavour of the day.. or month..

Saw the bit "I've had my licence for just under 2 years" - cast you're mind back to the test theory questions about seeing a light on green for some time --now you see the reason ,and add in the bit about braking distances in the wet .
Not meant to be critical - merely helpful .Stick around - there's plenty to learn .

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

Many thanks for the replys gents, very valid points you have made of which I was acutely aware of immediately afterwards. It was a case of me being complacent (easily done at times ) and not driving according to the conditions. I'll understand if you don't believe me but, the camera and a potential 3 points was a secondary afterthought compared to your points and the possible consequences of my driving at the time. There was the obligatory punch of the steering wheel and "Lee you pr*ck, drive properly!" comment to myself.

I'm not perfect but have learned a lot of lessons the hard way when it comes to this driving malarkey, mostly through being young and stupid and I was rightly punished.I'm 25 now and passed my test 1st time @ 17. I had a period of 2 years without a licence (6 month ban for 12 points and 18 months for medical reasons) and since getting it back I have invested a lot of time, money and effort into getting a car that is a lot of fun to drive, quite enthusiastically (within reason) as much as possible.

I suppose the point I'm trying to make, without coming across as cocky or arrogant, is that I am a good driver, I know what I'm doing when it comes to driving (in my opinion anyway, feel free to disagree, I wont be offended ) and I'm continually trying to improve. It is a continual learnig process afterall.
The lesson I feel that I have learned from this experience is that, having lost everything I worked har for and hold dear (in a petrolhead sense) through stupidity, it can also be lost through being complacent when driving as well. Hence this thread, I hope that sort of explains my worries of a prosecution in the OP a bit clearer.

I have been on here quite a while, mostly reading before signing up and a lot more reading after, and have learned quite a lot already. You do a good job here and have made recommendations to friends and colleagues.

Many thanks once again

Lee

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WARNING! LIFT OFF OVERSTEER CAN CAUSE SERIOUS UNDERPANT MALFUNCTIONS