Genesis
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 posted on 28/12/05 at 10:53 PM |
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Red Light Camera
As the roads were icy tonight - I approached some traffic lights. They changed I braked but nothing happened... I was in a skid went straight through
the lights and got flashed. Now I know I wasn't the only one to do this... temperature was -2...
Do I have a defence as my intention was to stop but no amount of braking would have stopped me going over the pad...
Not a grumble - I know I'll have to pay up - but mitigating circumstances maybe?
Going fishin'
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steve_gus
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| posted on 28/12/05 at 10:55 PM |
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worth a try.....
the counter argument might be that you should have driven to the conditions and braked more in advance.....
im on your side, just trying to see the other side ........
atb
steve
http://www.locostbuilder.co.uk
Just knock off the 's'!
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Chippy
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| posted on 28/12/05 at 10:57 PM |
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I'm pretty sure that you have no excuse, hard as that may seem. It will be considered that you were driving without due care, as to the
prevailing conditions. Tuff world ain't it, but as they say, "Shit happens".
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graememk
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| posted on 28/12/05 at 11:04 PM |
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what if the red lights had snow in them and you didnt notice it untill you suddenly noticed the lights on the opposite side of the road were red
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MikeR
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| posted on 29/12/05 at 12:10 AM |
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in the defence, you'd had no problems stopping the rest of the night, just over that bit..........
that doesn't seem like an issue of due car to me!
(but i'm not a judge!)
Try it, the only problem is you'll have to go to a court to try it and risk getting more points / higher fine.
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JoelP
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| posted on 29/12/05 at 12:36 AM |
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or go back and remove the camera tonight 
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stevebubs
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| posted on 29/12/05 at 12:47 AM |
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Was there excess ice in that area (e.g. burst main, car wash etc)? If so, go and take a photo - now...also report it to the police....all will add to
a defence
If not then it is likely to be as per above...
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theconrodkid
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| posted on 29/12/05 at 08:34 AM |
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if the gritters had done their job it wouldnt have happened
who cares who wins
pass the pork pies
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Danozeman
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| posted on 29/12/05 at 08:46 AM |
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Conrod thats true. Theyl say u were driving without undue car and attention. Harsh world. If you have no points id take it. Not worth the agro of
fighting it.
You may even find nothing will come through.
On the other hand depending on what type of camera the icey road will be on the picture.
Dan
Built the purple peril!! Let the modifications begin!!
http://www.eastangliankitcars.co.uk
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ed_crouch
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| posted on 29/12/05 at 01:19 PM |
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you may find that if there are a great deal of snaps from cars at that location that night, then the Centreal Ticket Office may decide not to
prosecute on the grounds that the roads were in a dangerous condition.
I had one ages ago where the lights changed very quickly. I think they were only amber for a seconds or so. I lobbed the anchor out the window, and
stopped with my back axle on the line. The front of the car was in a box junction so I reversed back to clear the box junction (there was nothing
behind me for miles).
FLASH FLASH!!
Never heard anything: it shows that the muppets they employ at the CTO are capable of thinking: they must have looked at the photos and seen the
reverse lights and the speed of -2 mph!
You may never hear anything...
The bugger of it is that (if they do you ) they will send out an NIP (Notice of Intended Prosecution), and in the case of the NIP, they have as long
as thye want to issue it and it will stand unlike the FPN (Fixed Penalty Notice, which is issued for speeding tickets) which is supposed to be posted
within 14 days IIRC.
Bascially if you havent heard anything within 3 weeks, you are probably OK.
If they do you , well its 60 quid and 3 points, but not the end of the world. You just need to NOT take it personally, and then you'd even have
something in common with Alastair "9 points" Darling.
HTH.
ED.
P.S. Dont let the MOGs get you down!
I-iii-iii-iii-ts ME!
Hurrah.
www.wings-and-wheels.net
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theconrodkid
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| posted on 29/12/05 at 02:04 PM |
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if you used the brakes and had an accident,that would have been better?
ask our swedish freinds on here,last thing you want to do is brake on ice
who cares who wins
pass the pork pies
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steve_gus
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| posted on 29/12/05 at 05:05 PM |
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remember, its not always that they dont decide to prosecute - there are still a lot of cameras that dont have an actual cam in them all the time......
also, might have run out of film.
It doesnt cost you anything to have your day in court....... all you risk is the fixed penalty turning into something bigger - but then the mitigation
of ice should prevent that.....
One thing I would take into account if I was a magistrate was the manner of the car when zapped. If it was doing a minimal speed as it slid throu,
then id be leanient. If it was storming thro the junction at 20 mph + than that would have a different interpretation.....
atb
steve
http://www.locostbuilder.co.uk
Just knock off the 's'!
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Genesis
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| posted on 29/12/05 at 05:07 PM |
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Worst thing is you know - as I locked up the brakes the anti-lock kicked I then looked in the rear view and noticed another car looming in so I took
them off. On accelerating the anti-skid kicked in... incedentally there was a few who got flashed as I noticed on my way back so hopefully sense will
prevail. Annoyingly - I'd just removed the snow from my rear lights and license plate!!!
Thing that annoys me - as these lights are local, I know the amber only stays on for a blink, but this blends in to the sodium (amber) street lights
hiding it's identity.
I drive in excess on 50K/year, have done for the last 8 years and I've had a clean license for it's duration... as an advanced driver I
should know better!
IF anything happens I'll take it on the chin and pay the money - but it's situations like this that sticks in my throat a little - a plod
could (but would?) use an amount of discretion.
I wonder what would have happened if I had left the snow which was covering my license plate to remain - chances are I would not have been pulled and
the flash would have been annonymous (missus!! )
S H I T H A P P E N S I N D E E D!!!
Going fishin'
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steve_gus
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| posted on 29/12/05 at 05:23 PM |
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go to court and say all this....... you may well get off.
If all 50 - 100 whatever many - people that got zapped did this, then its clear there was a problem.
EDIT
Why not try this? If you get a NIP, write back to the issuing office. Tell them the situation, and you beleived many people were also caught due to
the weather conditions. Tell them that if it goes to court, you will call the manager of the ticket office as a witness. You will ask them to present
data as the the average amount of nicks per day for that light, and how many they had on that day. If your argument is true, then it will show a big
increase, and you should be found innocent. If they refuse to attend, they would be in contempt, or the case be adjourned or even thrown out.
atb
steve
[Edited on 29/12/05 by steve_gus]
http://www.locostbuilder.co.uk
Just knock off the 's'!
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