I was stopping at an intersection at a red arrow to turn right, and just got flashed by the red light camera. It was a green light to go straight, but red for the arrow. I rolled over the first line, but stopped before the last dotted line. I am pretty sure the flash was for me, as there was only one other car on my side of the street and it was going straight through the green light. I am confident the photo would show my brake lights on, and possibly even my indicator light, but I definitely stopped and did not go through against the red light. Do you think I will be able to challenge this one if I get pinged for it? I've only ever had one ticket for speeding in more than ten years of driving, and I don't really know anyone off the top of my head who has been hit with a red light offence before. Looking for informed answers, no trolling/no homo.
TL;DR I stopped at a red light but got flashed by the camera as I rolled over the first line but not over the last line, can I challenge?
There's a definition for the line you have to cross to constitute an offence. If you cross that line you've 'ran a red light.' you don't have to have gone thru the whole intersection.
I would think they take a photo of the whole intersection and then zoom in on the offending vehicle? If someone is motoring through at 100kph+ I don't think the camera would be precise enough to quickly hit just that license plate. They would zoom in post printing?
They take 2 photo's to confirm if you have stopped or gone through. If you stopped then the second photo will show that and you should be fine. That's how I think it works anyway.
I'm having a bit of a read up on the QLD road rules & demerit points - I have a feeling I am going to get stuck with it unfortunately. Will still give it a crack, but will see what happens I guess. Will just keep an eye on the mail - how long does it usually take to arrive?
not stopping at the line is a different offense - i remember when red light cameras came out they specifically said they need 2 photos of you.. one before the red and one as you pass through the intersection - if you activate the camera but dont cross the intersection they dont send you anything
they even said.. that even though they caught you committing an offense (stopping over the line) they would not book you for it
I would think they take a photo of the whole intersection and then zoom in on the offending vehicle? If someone is motoring through at 100kph+ I don't think the camera would be precise enough to quickly hit just that license plate. They would zoom in post printing?
They take 2 photo's to confirm if you have stopped or gone through. If you stopped then the second photo will show that and you should be fine. That's how I think it works anyway.
I think this is true. You can get done for not stopping before the white line (where you shoulda stopped) but they shouldnt bust you for going through the intersection with a red arrow cause you didnt go through it.
IMO its better you stopped late than never and i hope the law would see it like that too. Fuckloads of people go past the white line all the time @ the red light camera just south of chermside shopping centre and i dont recall them getting a picture taken.
Time a friend got done the letter included photos showing the red light, her approaching the intersection AND her in the middle of it. All clearly showing the red light.
I wonder if because there is no photo of you in the middle of the intersection you will be fine.
Don't forget they are changing the red lights to be speed camera's as well (not just when it's a red light either).
Don't stress about it unless you get a letter in the mail, they also do test shots, malfunction and all the usual jazz.
Alright, thanks guys - will sit tight and see what happens. I'm sure there will be a thread on whirlpool about it, will use some of my google credits later on.
The first photo is just the trigger shot. The second which is exactly one second apart is the decider. If you have stopped then you are all good. If you are half way through an intersection and the second photo snaps you already through the intersection you are ok.
The photo is always of the entire intersection and includes the traffic light itself for really obvious cases where people are just running a straight up red and not an amber.
Photos I've seen where people have been charged are for situations described above or more along the lines of 'ran red, cleaned up or got cleaned up by (insert pedestrian, car, truck etc).'
What do you think the lines are there for? Playing hopscotch?
I know i shouldn't feed trolls, but I would think the part where I mentioned I stopped indicated I am aware. Just never been in this situation before. Either way I will be super conscious to stop before the solid line all the time. I have better things to spend my money on than this shit.!
Thanks again everyone. How long does it typically take to arrive in the mail?
There's a definition for the line you have to cross to constitute an offence. If you cross that line you've 'ran a red light.' you don't have to have gone thru the whole intersection.
This - as far as I can remember (learning, books, test, instructors etc) going over the line constitutes running the red no matter how much you actually overstep the mark. The amount over the line isn't really arbitrary, if it was you could go out 3 car lengths into the intersection and say 'she'll be right I'm just over the line a smidge!'. I'm pretty sure those cameras are calibrated accurately and I also recall watching a show at some point where a guy got done when he was forced to ever so slightly move forward over the line and right to make way for an emergency vehicle.*
A Red Light Camera is connected to traffic lights and is activated when a vehicle crosses the white stop line. The camera is programmed to take photographs of the rear of any vehicle travelling over the stop line or entering the intersection after the lights have turned red
They review the above then apply it to below. It's possible they would see the second picture and let you off, but who are we talking about here! Touch and go I guess.
I think a public stoning is in order for your reckless and irresponsible behaviour.
I'd be surprised if you actually got a ticket for that. If you did, make up some cool excuse like the car behind you was locked up and skiding towards you, so you moved forward to avoid a collision - see, easy.
you can see where the sensors are, just look out for the cuts in the road. I don't remember where they are, is it just after the solid white line, or after the second dashed line?
They take 2 photo's to confirm if you have stopped or gone through. If you stopped then the second photo will show that and you should be fine.
Hmmm. I have been done for just going over the solid lane. I was driving home from work at like 3am and a light turned orange right at a dicey time. I knew the lights had cameras so I attempted to stop after a moments hesitation and ended up locking up the brakes and stopping just over the solid line. I got the red light offense in the mail and you could see the tyre smoke from me attempting to stop hehe. I just paid the fine.
As I said in post 3 of this thread, before the influx of retardism :
S56 TORUM Regs :
A driver approaching or at traffic lights showing a red traffic light--
(a) must stop--
(i) if there is a stop line at or near the traffic lights--as near as practicable to, but before reaching, the stop line; or
(ii) if there is a stop here on red signal sign at or near the traffic lights, but no stop line--as near as practicable to, but before reaching, the sign; or
(iii) if there is no stop line or stop here on red signal sign at or near the traffic lights--as near as practicable to, but before reaching, the nearest or only traffic lights; and
(b) must not proceed until--
(i) the traffic lights change to green or flashing yellow; or
(ii) a green or flashing yellow traffic arrow is showing, if the driver is turning in the direction indicated by the arrow.
Maximum penalty--20 penalty units.
You need to stop before the stop line. You don't need to go through the whole intersection.
A stop line is defined as :
stop line means a continuous line that--
(a) is marked across all or part of a road; and
(b) is not part of a marked foot crossing or a keep clear marking.
There's the law for you. If you went over the stop line and got snapped, you're fucked.
dont think this qld laws is it? 20 points is a fuck tonne of points to lose from going through a red light :/
haha.
they never make it easy do they.
actually, penalty units is a very good idea.
That way every time they index fines and penalties - usually ever 24 months or so, all they have to do is amended the definition of a penalty unit one Act rather than amended each and every penalty in each and every Act.
They take 2 photo's to confirm if you have stopped or gone through. If you stopped then the second photo will show that and you should be fine. That's how I think it works anyway.
That's how it works.
i'm pretty sure technically it's an accumulation system,
ie. you're allowed to accumulate 12 points before you licence is suspended
To be more technically correct, demerit points that have been on your record for 3 years are no longer counted for the purposes of determining whether your licence is suspended.
no, you have an allotted amount of points, you lose them you don't drive,
however those you lose come back to you in 3 years
You don't have any points.
Having points is bad.
You accumulate DEmerit points.
Not lose merit points.
So, on your open license you can accumulate 12 Demerit points before loosing your license or GB.
Penalty units, I was told so they can change the amount 1 penalty unit is worth without tedious amounts of re-writing legislation. (dont know how true this is, just legal mumbo jumbo)
S5) Meaning of penalty unit
(1) The value of a penalty unit is—
(a) for the State Penalties Enforcement Act 1999 or an infringement notice under that Act, other than an infringement notice for an offence against a local law—$100; or
(b) for a local law, or an infringement notice under the State Penalties Enforcement Act 1999 for an offence against a local law—the amount, not more than $100, prescribed under a regulation; or
(c) in any other case, for this or another Act—$100.
$100 per penalty unit. So for running a red light, in the most serious of ways, a judge could fine you up to $2000.
He shouldn't have entered the intersection until he knew he could cross it without blocking traffic. I hate people that do that. I never do it. However, I agree that a fine is harsh however the law is the law i guess.
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