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#Post#: 113282--------------------------------------------------
Re: UK Red Light Camera – crossed stop line from right-turn lane
to go straight (straight lane green). Any chance to dis
DIR By: Southpaw82
Date: March 14, 2026, 4:50 pm
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--- Quote from: d612 link ---
>
> Them blaring their horn behind you to move does not count!
>
--- End Quote ---
Says who?
A good starting point, as far as the OP’s incident is concerned,
would be to look at what the law says.
#Post#: 113283--------------------------------------------------
Re: UK Red Light Camera – crossed stop line from right-turn lane
to go straight (straight lane green). Any chance to dis
DIR By: 666
Date: March 14, 2026, 5:03 pm
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--- Quote from: d612 link ---
>
> Well my viewpoint is that sadly you have no escape on this
one: others may differ in their comments.
>
> Red light offences are 'absolute' I think it's called such
that there is no excuse permitted.
> If say you had moved forward at an angle into the LH lane with
no intention to turn right but did so to let an ambulance/fire
engine etc through on red for them to turn right then again
sadly you would be "done" for crossing the stop line.
>
> This is why on my local dual carriageway we regularly get
police and ambulances stuck behind the two lanes of traffic
waiting at traffic lights on red and not one single person is
going to move. Only if personally directed in person by a police
officer in uniform are you allowed to cross the line at a red
indicating traffic light. Them blaring their horn behind you to
move does not count!
>
--- End Quote ---
The regulations permit a driver to proceed in the direction
indicated by the green arrow. There are - so far as I can see -
no references to or caveats or exceptions regarding "lanes", and
so the OP does not appear to have committed any offence.
I fail to see what relevance emergency vehicles have to the OP's
case.
#Post#: 113293--------------------------------------------------
Re: UK Red Light Camera – crossed stop line from right-turn lane
to go straight (straight lane green). Any chance to dis
DIR By: CharlieVictor33
Date: March 15, 2026, 3:15 am
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So were you in lane 3 but indicating left to move into lane 2 to
continue straight?
If so it may be that if lane 3 was red to turn right but lanes 1
& 2 were green for straight on that you have triggered the lane
3 camera. Does that make sense?
#Post#: 113304--------------------------------------------------
Re: UK Red Light Camera – crossed stop line from right-turn lane
to go straight (straight lane green). Any chance to dis
DIR By: NewJudge
Date: March 15, 2026, 6:56 am
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--- Quote ---
> If so, it may be that if lane 3 was red to turn right but
lanes 1 & 2 were green for straight on that you have triggered
the lane 3 camera. Does that make sense?
--- End Quote ---
That’s undoubtedly what happened. But the question is whether or
not an offence has been committed.
The passage I found last night comes from The Traffic Signs
Regulations and General Directions 2016, Schedule 14, Part 1,
Paragraph 5.
HTML https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/362/contents
It specifically refers to “filter lane” type signals. It clearly
states that a driver may proceed beyond the stop line in the
direction indicted by the arrow. This is what the OP did and I
believe no offence has been committed.
It’s convenient for the police to detect errant drivers by
monitoring the right-turn lane. But it means they may also
detect some drivers who do not turn right.
#Post#: 113306--------------------------------------------------
Re: UK Red Light Camera – crossed stop line from right-turn lane
to go straight (straight lane green). Any chance to dis
DIR By: andy_foster
Date: March 15, 2026, 7:27 am
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--- Quote from: d612 link ---
>
> Red light offences are 'absolute' I think it's called such
that there is no excuse permitted.
--- End Quote ---
Where "senior" members of the site understand that the legal
position is X, but are not absolutely certain, it can be helpful
to consider alternative opinions, and the reasoning behind them.
It can also be helpful to consider how much credence to give to
such opinions. Is it a genuinely arguable legal point, well
thought through, and supported by some kind of authority, or is
it merely a vox pop from someone whose purpose in life is to
demonstrate that the internet's democratisation of dissemination
of information has a downside? To that extent, your post is very
helpful.
An absolute offence is one to which there is no defence, that is
to say that once the elements of the offence have been proven,
that is the end of the matter. There are very few absolute
offences, because absolute offences preclude the otherwise
overarching defences of duress and duress of circumstances. I'm
pretty certain that strict liability offences cannot be absolute
offences, but that's getting even further off topic.
This is very different to the far more common strict liability
offences, where liability is not absolute, merely strict - that
is to say that the commission of the offence solely requires the
actus reus (the guilty action) and not the mens rea (guilty
intent). For 'proper' crimes, there needs to be an intent,
whether that is specific, or even just recklessness, depending
on the offence in question. Almost all motoring offences are
strict liability.
#Post#: 113307--------------------------------------------------
Re: UK Red Light Camera – crossed stop line from right-turn lane
to go straight (straight lane green). Any chance to dis
DIR By: andy_foster
Date: March 15, 2026, 7:33 am
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--- Quote from: NewJudge link ---
>
> It specifically refers to “filter lane” type signals. It
clearly states that a driver may proceed beyond the stop line in
the direction indicted by the arrow. This is what the OP did and
I believe no offence has been committed.
>
--- End Quote ---
Logically (dangerous word in statutory interpretation), for it
to be otherwise, the traffic lights would need to be considered
as 2 separate systems controlling separate junctions. From the
GSV link, it is clear that it is a single set of lights.
edit: For the sake of sanity, it should be noted that the right
turn arrow does not have the word "Only" painted under it, and
therefore is not mandatory
#Post#: 113329--------------------------------------------------
Re: UK Red Light Camera – crossed stop line from right-turn lane
to go straight (straight lane green). Any chance to dis
DIR By: The Slithy Tove
Date: March 15, 2026, 12:32 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: NewJudge link ---
>
>
HTML https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/362/contents
>
> It specifically refers to “filter lane” type signals. It
clearly states that a driver may proceed beyond the stop line in
the direction indicted by the arrow. This is what the OP did and
I believe no offence has been committed.
>
--- End Quote ---
That sort of "filter lane" surely would be where there is a
single set of lights where the main green light is not an arrow,
and the green right arrow is part of that set of lights to the
right of the main green? That allows you to move forward in the
filter lane on the main green and even to make the turn if it's
clear. The green right filter light then indicates you can go
(with the usual caveats) as the oncoming traffic has been
stopped by a red.
In this case there are essentially two sets of lights: one
controlling ahead and left turning traffic; the other
controlling right turning traffic. Each controls its own
lane(s). I would hesitate to try to use your logic therefore to
say there is no offence here. (Not saying I know the answer,
just that I think your argument is shaky.)
#Post#: 113330--------------------------------------------------
Re: UK Red Light Camera – crossed stop line from right-turn lane
to go straight (straight lane green). Any chance to dis
DIR By: andy_foster
Date: March 15, 2026, 12:53 pm
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Presumably, NJ is referring both to Schedule 14 Part 1 Paragraph
5 (8 ) (b), and to filter lights (arrows) rather than lights
that happen to be in separate filter lanes (which the above
makes no mention of).
HTML https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/362/schedule/14
--- Quote ---
>
> (8 ) A green signal indicates—
> (a)subject to paragraphs (b) and (c), that vehicular traffic
may proceed beyond the stop line and proceed straight on or to
the left or to the right;
> (b)where the signal is an arrow, vehicles may only proceed in
the direction indicated by the arrow;
> (c)where the signal is a pedal cycle symbol, only vehicles
which are pedal cycles [F1and electric scooters being used in a
trial] may proceed.
--- End Quote ---
For the benefit of the intellectually challenged, and for those
that like to play with their food, how many stop lines are
there? How many pairs of traffic light posts are there (ignoring
repeaters in the distance)?
#Post#: 113343--------------------------------------------------
Re: UK Red Light Camera – crossed stop line from right-turn lane
to go straight (straight lane green). Any chance to dis
DIR By: Fnz1991
Date: March 15, 2026, 10:07 pm
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One stop line
Two sets of traffic lights
One for the right and one going straight
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