Got a Ticket- Amber Light Fail to Stop

**djltoronto** · 10-09-2008, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by Geeser

A bit off topic, but could someone explain why we have some flashing pedestrian signals that then go white instead of turning the traffic signal to amber? There's one on Dundas east of Islington, and I've seen them elsewhere. Keep thinking I should brake for the intersection, then the traffic signal stays green.

Cause they are inteligent... and detected that there are no cars trying to go perpendicular to the traffic flow that has the green light.

There would be no point stopping traffic on a main street, so a side stret could get a green light, when there are no cars on the side street!

The situation you are describing, if I understand you correctly, happens when a car makes a right at a red. It trips the sensor so that walk hand turns to don't walk, but before the traffic light turns yellow, another check is done at the sensor to see that car is no longer present, and the walk sign switches back to "walk".

This of course FAILS when the sensors are not picking up a motorcycle, or the car stops too far back and avoids the sensor.

**Golluk** · 10-09-2008, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by rizvi

This problem could easily be solved by installing red light counters on all lights.
There was a post of how there are red light cameras on street that have a speed limit of 80km/hr without a red light counter. Someone is bound to cross the intersection towards the end of the yellow or right on the red.

Actually, having worked in a traffic engineering department for a while, those counters are meant for pedestrians. The were trying to figure out how best to hide the count from the cars. Why you ask? We all know how awsome drivers are, and do you really want them fixating on that timer going down, them pushing more on the gas to make it, and paying no attention to the rest of the intersection?

In short, the counters tended to increase the number of red light runners.

**El Zilcho** · 10-09-2008, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by Golluk

Actually, having worked in a traffic engineering department for a while, those counters are meant for pedestrians. The were trying to figure out how best to hide the count from the cars. Why you ask? We all know how awsome drivers are, and do you really want them fixating on that timer going down, them pushing more on the gas to make it, and paying no attention to the rest of the intersection?

In short, the counters tended to increase the number of red light runners.

Was there some research done on that? I actually noticed that I tend not to accelerate to make it on yellow if I see the counter. I know ahead of time if I can safely make it or not. If I don't see it, then there is that "grey zone" where I'm still not quite committed to crossing the intersection, but I'm getting there. If the light turns yellow at that time, the instinctive response can be to accelerate.

**djb_yan** · 10-09-2008, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by bigfoot

Here I am driving at posted speed and light turns amber as I enter the intersection , I make it through before it turns red. Cop pulls me over and gives me a ticket which says Amber Light Fail to Stop, I asked the cop but I didnt cross a red light, The cop says tell the court. What am I supposed to do with this ? Next I know I get a ticket for not stopping at a green light

go ahead n fight it...
i got this exact ticket back in january...just got it dropped in august...this ticket is so subjective...
what happened with me is that both the cop and i had the exact same stories - except a discrepancy between the distance of where i was when the light had turned amber...the judge favored me because he had no reason not to believe me...doesn't hurt to fight!

**ridingisfun** · 10-09-2008, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by bigfoot

Here I am driving at posted speed and light turns amber as I enter the intersection , I make it through before it turns red. Cop pulls me over and gives me a ticket which says Amber Light Fail to Stop, I asked the cop but I didnt cross a red light, The cop says tell the court. What am I supposed to do with this ? Next I know I get a ticket for not stopping at a green light

Buddy.. I think he had if for you.. Could honestly say you weren't doing anything that would bring you attention.

But when you have a bull eye on your back you can't do anything about it... I had something similiar.. My situation was that I was in a car followed by a cruiser and just knew he was going to give me a ticket.. Lite a cigarette and kept driving, yellow comes on and I jam on my brakes 50km is pretty easy to stop but he was very close to me and had alittle challenge stopping. (If I was riding I would have went through- give me a running amber ticket, better than being flat on my face) Started going and a few seconds later he pulls me over. Tell me he couldn't see my plate( cover I had since I owned it) and telling me my exhaust was too loud. (as he said it was soo loud he couldn't hear his stereo- ya right - didn't go past 2.5k RPM).. Served me right being bored and wanted an ice cap at lake and les..LOL.. Ohh well go to court and get off.

**Smokeandapancake** · 10-12-2008, 04:15 AM

Amber lights are usually around the 4 second mark.

Do some math and figure out distances, speed, time, etc.

In most cases the defendent usually convicts themselves on these types of charges.

**Platinum Cycle** · 10-12-2008, 01:59 PM

Amber means stop, unless it's not safe to do so.

generally people think amber means punch and try and make it through before it goes red.

This is one of the cases I support the police as this kind of activity is a safety related issue, as opposed to speeding which is a tax grab.

**kiwi** · 11-28-2008, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by Platinum Cycle

This is one of the cases I support the police as this kind of activity is a safety related issue, as opposed to speeding which is a tax grab.

a tax grab??

wtf?

havin_fun · 12-01-2008, 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by Golluk

Actually, having worked in a traffic engineering department for a while, those counters are meant for pedestrians. The were trying to figure out how best to hide the count from the cars. Why you ask? We all know how awsome drivers are, and do you really want them fixating on that timer going down, them pushing more on the gas to make it, and paying no attention to the rest of the intersection?

In short, the counters tended to increase the number of red light runners.

I'm sure the cops and traffic engineers said the same thing when the flashing red hand was introduced. The only objective way to demonstrate this thesis is to install red-light cameras at a representative sample of counter equipped lights.

I also use the counters to gauge whether I can make it through without hitting a yellow, let alone a red. Not worth risking a ticket or worse.

Could it be that the cops just targeted counter-equipped intersections and "happened" to find more red-runners? Naw, say it ain't so...