The Lemon Fool

Lootman wrote:

pje16 wrote:I am not blindly following anything
you seem intent on defending driving through amber lights
may be your choice but not mine

Again, the topic here is how to avoid accidents. Slamming on your brakes when you are being tailgated increases the risk of an accident, even if it is not one you will be blamed for. It is a worse choice than the technical infraction of entering a junction on amber, which pretty much everyone does anyway.

But you drive how you want, no problem.

Lootman wrote:B's fault, technically. But A could have avoided it by going through the junction as the lights changed instead of stopping. In my view A was being too careful and was not mindful of how many other drivers treat such situations.

stockton wrote:

Lootman wrote:B's fault, technically. But A could have avoided it by going through the junction as the lights changed instead of stopping. In my view A was being too careful and was not mindful of how many other drivers treat such situations.

I usually drive in Spain where running orange lights seems to be pretty risk-free. However I recently tried the same in Turkey, only to be confronted by four lanes of cars rushing to insert themselves between me and my destination.

Do not get into the habit of carelessly running orange lights.

daveh wrote:I've had that exact accident. Lights went yellow, decided not to run the lights, braked and stopped at the stop line as the light went red. Hit from behind by the artic who was going to run the lights behind me. He'd have been going through on red, I ended up smashed into the middle of the junction. Police put the blame entirely on the artic. said he should always be able to stop as I might have had to brake for a pedestrian or other problem Infront of me, and he shouldn't have been so close that he couldn't stop without hitting me.

pje16 wrote:

Lootman wrote:B's fault, technically. But A could have avoided it by going through the junction as the lights changed instead of stopping. In my view A was being too careful and was not mindful of how many other drivers treat such situations.

"A" did the correct thing, an amber light precedes a red one and while it's legal to drive through amber lights but make sure you only do it when necessary
The fact that you have a t*at behind you is immaterial
https://www.bsm.co.uk/traffic-lights

UncleEbenezer wrote:

pje16 wrote:

Lootman wrote:B's fault, technically. But A could have avoided it by going through the junction as the lights changed instead of stopping. In my view A was being too careful and was not mindful of how many other drivers treat such situations.

"A" did the correct thing, an amber light precedes a red one and while it's legal to drive through amber lights but make sure you only do it when necessary
The fact that you have a t*at behind you is immaterial
https://www.bsm.co.uk/traffic-lights

Neither of them should've been in that situation in the first place.

The primary fault lies with B. But A should have responded to having a tailgater. My most usual response would be to slow down gradually (not asking for trouble by applying the brakes) to a speed at which B's lack of distance was not a danger. And (in the extreme case) if that means walking speed, so be it.

Better still, on a bike one can just evade.

UncleEbenezer wrote:

pje16 wrote:

Lootman wrote:B's fault, technically. But A could have avoided it by going through the junction as the lights changed instead of stopping. In my view A was being too careful and was not mindful of how many other drivers treat such situations.

"A" did the correct thing, an amber light precedes a red one and while it's legal to drive through amber lights but make sure you only do it when necessary
The fact that you have a t*at behind you is immaterial
https://www.bsm.co.uk/traffic-lights

Neither of them should've been in that situation in the first place.

THe primary fault lies with B. But A should have responded to having a tailgater. My most usual response would be to slow down gradually (not asking for trouble by applying the brakes) to a speed at which B's lack of distance was not a danger. And (in the extreme case) if that means walking speed, so be it.

Better still, on a bike one can just evade.

Dod101 wrote:

AndyPandy wrote:

MaraMan wrote:
PS - We have had a dashcam for a couple of years, since the time some a**ehole tried to brake test me in the fast lane of a dual carriageway and then run me off the road. I was very shaken up by the incident and realised I had no evidence if he had been successful. I recommend everyone has a dashcam fitted.

Absolutely 100%

I followed a car (at a distance) through a junction when the lights went green late one evening. Car coming from the other direction missed their red lights, went between us and I t-boned the passenger side. Driver claimed I jumped the lights and Front passenger lodged a Personal injury claim. Sent in the dashcam footage and within days they had admitted all liability. Saves so much hassle and joint liabilities etc. I had a witness behind me as well anyway, but the dashcam footage was rock-solid evidence.

I've had another no-fault crash since and one of the first things my insurer asked was to send in footage if I had it.

Are you then prone to accidents as a result of your dashcam or because of it?

Dod

daveh wrote:I've had that exact accident. Lights went yellow, decided not to run the lights, braked and stopped at the stop line as the light went red. Hit from behind by the artic who was going to run the lights behind me.

terminal7 wrote:Many years ago my father was waiting stationary at red light and was rear-ended. Both bumpers severely damaged. Insurance details exchanged.

2 weeks later father's insurance states that other party is claiming my father rolled back into car behind and they have a witness. My father states the obvious - amount of damage could not be caused by his car rolling back and that anyway traffic light is on decline on his side of the road and that he would have had to engage reverse to 'roll back'. Some people will lie about anything.

T7