Running orange/yellow traffic lights.

[MITCHAY]

The whole problem with yellow lights is it is somewhat open to discretion and unless you have an accident or a patrol car is near you won't have a problem in most cases.

I stop if I can, but my car can pull up very quick so that line can blur somewhat depending on where the person is behind me.

[Dezza]

My EA got rear ended when I stopped at an amber light that I probably should have gone through. Luckily damage was minor (to the EA, The Hilux that hit me looked pretty sad). Sometimes they can be hard to judge. There are some I've stopped at that I shouldn't have, other times I nearly catch the red.

[aussiblue]

http://www.slp.wa.gov.au/legislation..._homepage.html

and you should know everything in the code including Regulation 41.

41. Stopping for circular yellow signal or yellow arrow
(1) If a traffic control signal facing a driver displays a steady circular yellow signal or a yellow arrow, the driver shall not proceed beyond the stop line associated with the signal or the stop line of the lane associated with the signal or in the absence of a stop line, at a point adjacent to the nearest appropriate traffic control signal, unless the driver is so close to the stop line, or traffic control signal, when the circular yellow signal or yellow arrow first appears, that the driver cannot safely stop the vehicle before passing over the stop line.
Points: 2 Modified penalty: 2 PU
(2) If a traffic control signal facing a driver displays a steady circular yellow signal or a yellow arrow and the driver cannot safely stop the vehicle in accordance with subregulation (1), but can stop safely before entering the intersection, the driver shall stop before entering the intersection.
Points: 2 Modified penalty: 2 PU
(3) If a traffic control signal facing a driver displays a steady circular yellow signal or a yellow arrow and the driver is not able to stop safely under subregulation (1) or (2), and enters the intersection, the driver shall leave the intersection as soon as the driver can do so safely.
Modified penalty: 2 PU
(4) If there is a bicycle storage area before a traffic control signal referred to in subregulation (1), a reference to the stop line —
(a) in the case of a driver of a motor vehicle, is a reference to the first stop line that the driver comes to, or came to, in approaching the signal;
(b) in the case of a rider of a bicycle, is a reference to the stop line that is nearest to the intersection.
[Regulation 41 amended in Gazette 22 Dec 2006 p. 5819; 13 Nov 2009 p. 4573 4.]

[aussiblue]

Get in the habit of stopping otherwise it can be fatal if someone on the cross street rushes the green or the oncoming traffic turns into your staff reasonably expecting you to stop. You are also meant to slow before even the green light so it should always be safe to stop.

[aussiblue]

somewhat open to discretion

No; the only discretion is with how many other offences the officer may decide to ticket you for.

[data_mine]

in the ACT running a yellow is the same offence as running a red. sadly I know.

[Silver Ghia]

Interesting that 40 years ago when I got my licence, the rules, driving instructors and licence testers were very specific that the light colour was 'AMBER', not 'yellow' or 'orange'. If you mentioned yellow or orange, you were incorrect. I suppose its the multi-cultural society these days that has changed the colour to 'yellow' in the rules.

But back to the topic, here in Victoria it is very unwise to brake heavily when the lights change to amber. Otherwise you are very likely to wear another vehicle in your rear. Quite often I see the vehicle behind following me through the intersection after the lights have changed. I always keep an eye on the rear vision mirror when approaching lights that may change soon.

And when turning right and the lights change, always make sure all oncoming cars are stopping, before continuing the turn. Never assume.

[Silver Ghia]

Originally Posted by aussiblue

Get in the habit of stopping otherwise it can be fatal if someone on the cross street rushes the green or the oncoming traffic turns into your staff reasonably expecting you to stop. You are also meant to slow before even the green light so it should always be safe to stop.

and

Originally Posted by data_mine

in the ACT running a yellow is the same offence as running a red. sadly I know.

So what happens when your car crosses the line just before the intersection, just as the lights change to yellow?

[data_mine]

That was my argument with teh copper. the light went to yellow as I was about 10 metres back from the line, doing 60, no way to stop in time. copper wouldn't hear it.

[Silver Ghia]

Originally Posted by data_mine

That was my argument with teh copper. the light went to yellow as I was about 10 metres back from the line, doing 60, no way to stop in time. copper wouldn't hear it.

That's probably where a dash cam will come in handy, and take it to court.

[data_mine]

I'd lose more money taking one or more days off work. that's why they get away with so much rubbish laws and stupid enforcement.

[GTMOND]

I tried to stop in a b/double at an orange but I knew after I had slowed to about 40 I wasn't going to stop in time so tried to power out of it only to be flashed by the red light camera. The thing is I knew it was a red light camera intersection so my natural instinct was to stop.
I went to the police station straight away at 1am in the to explain my situation only to talk to one of the police over an intercom as they wouldn't open up. All he said was every one else can pull so you should be able to regardless of 62 ton weight.

[Silver Ghia]

Originally Posted by data_mine

I'd lose more money taking one or more days off work. that's why they get away with so much rubbish laws and stupid enforcement.

Or maybe tell the copper you are taking it to court, after showing him the camera .

[GTMOND]

Well the funny thing was I never received a fine or anything. I was told by someone that it may have been out of film or whatever it is in there, but it certainly went off being 1am she lit up pretty well. Or maybe they saw my situation but either way ended well.

[zilo]

In my defensive driving course they taught us that a good driver always slows down before an intersection, even if it's showing green ahead.

Do that and you can usually stop safely....and allow for idiots who don't stop.

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by zilo

In my defensive driving course they taught us that a good driver always slows down before an intersection, even if it's showing green ahead.

Do that and you can usually stop safely....and allow for idiots who don't stop.

Its called driving like you're riding a bike

[GazzF6]

Not sure if this fact... But I was told that once your moving through the unbroken lines approaching the traffic lights, you can continue to travel through the intersection on a yellow if safe to do so, something to do with safe braking/speed/distance? so if you haven't hit the unbroken lines and you do choose to proceed through on the yellow you can be given a ticket...

Also remember when stopped at a red light which then changes to Green, always check that nothing is coming towards you from both sides, perhaps through a red light....

[dirtyclevo]

i do it all the time. what is even funnier is. i sneak through just before it turns red. and then a few more go through it after me.

and i thought i was bad. the cheeky bastards

[castellan]

Italy is the place to drive, no ? they have a system that makes you stop because you know she is going to start coming directly the other way regardless you know.
Something to do with Ben Hur and a chariot i do believe.

But hear we have a lot of dopey drongos at the wheel every where, they don't have that problem on the road in Italy, they have the spikes in the wheels for people like that you know.

[ljf12]

Unless the rules have changed , in WA if you enter the intersection under amber, changes to red while you are in the intersection, you can still be done by a red light camera . Was told it depends on how long it takes you to clear the intersection after the light turns red.

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

in NSW running the amber is the same fine and points as running the red. It's not that hard, the amber is there to give the intersection time to clear before the light goes red and the other goes green. So if you are approaching the intersection and the light goes amber and you are almost there you keep travelling at your constant speed and go through no problems. if you have to floor it or accelerate to 'make it' you should have probably stopped, and are probably breaking the law/road rules. It's pretty easy to judge if you apply common sense, which should really be called 'rare sense' as it is anything but common these days.

Every time I approach a set of lights I will take note how long it has been green to give me some idea if it will change, I will also be watching traffic behind me, to make sure I do not have a B double or older style 4x4 with bad stopping power hanging off my back bumper, as this will affect how hard I can stop without causing a collision, even though the collision would NOT be my fault, but this still does not make the damage to my vehicle or my injuries and less, so I am proactive in that regard.

In short if stopping on amber requires harsh braking or would likely cause a collision then travel on through, if you need to floor it to try and 'make the amber' then do not complain of you get a ticket.

I remember years ago getting stopped by an unmarked Police car, after running through the amber, I checked the rear view mirror and there was a car sitting right on my back bumper as the lights turned amber, I could have probably stopped but felt it unsafe due to the car behind me being so close. as we went through the car sitting on my back bumper activated the hidden lights and pulled me over asking me why I had not stopped. I simply replied that 'someone' was sitting right up my ****, and I deemed it unsafe.

He went away checked my license and wished me a good day before driving off into the distance

This explains it:
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/n...08104/s57.html

Originally Posted by Ben73

Recently seen a dashcam video of a truck stopping at a amber light only to have someone run into the back of him.
Cops apparently said it was the trucks fault for stopping. Even though he had plenty of time to stop. It was just the vehicle behind him not paying proper attention.
So it depends on the cop. There is no consistency with a rule like this.

Unlikely, any vehicle that hits a vehicle from behind is deemed at fault, even any vehicle hitting any stationary vehicle is also deemed at fault no matter where the stationary vehicle may be.

Originally Posted by GazzF6

Also remember when stopped at a red light which then changes to Green, always check that nothing is coming towards you from both sides, perhaps through a red light....

^^^ this is probably the most important thing to do, just because you have a green light it's not a good idea to just blindly drive through the intersection, as the guy going the other way might just be ignoring the red light, and just because you are in the right does not make you any less dead.

[Charliewool]

Anyone remember these?... Last one I remember was on Nepean Highway Carrum?
At least you knew when they were going to change

[Silver Ghia]

Originally Posted by Charliewool

Anyone remember these?... Last one I remember was on Nepean Highway Carrum?
At least you knew when they were going to change

image

I remember those when I was a kid. I also seem to remember everyone speeding up to beat the arrow reaching the amber .

Ah the good old days.

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

Originally Posted by Charliewool

Anyone remember these?... Last one I remember was on Nepean Highway Carrum?
At least you knew when they were going to change

image

Never seen one, seems like a good idea, but may cause other issues I guess with people racing to beat the timer.

[xisled]

In Victoria I have been fined for this.

The offence was the same as running a red light. In Vic you get fined for disobeying traffic signals.

At the time, I said to the officer that I thought it was not safe to stop, he said you could have stopped and as we were traveling up a hill.

[Silver Ghia]

Originally Posted by xisled

In Victoria I have been fined for this.

The offence was the same as running a red light. In Vic you get fined for disobeying traffic signals.

At the time, I said to the officer that I thought it was not safe to stop, he said you could have stopped and as we were traveling up a hill.

He was probably trying to get his quota up. Wouldn't be surprised if he was tail gating you to get you to go through.