Red light camera trivia

[FG50T]

Hi guys and girls, had some my picture taken today ()

I was stopped at a red light light with a red light camera. Single lane going straight and one lane turning left. I was sitting in the straight lane and I thought that I'd like to turn left. The left arrow went green looked around, not a single car on the road behind me. Put my indicator on and hooked my wheel fully to the left and rolled on left! Bang! Flash! I'm curious as it was only one and I've seen a lot of people drive through red light cameras and they flash twice. Did it realise I didn't go through the intersection but triggered the sensor?

Now before all the road going do-gooders jump on my back for breaking the law and changing lanes in an intersection. I didn't think I had? I could see the line in front of my bonnet when I began to turn so I'm hoping someone can share some knowledge for me. I'm not worried about the points. I've lost 3 in my life and that was in 2007, it's just the dollars.

[new2ford]

You should have reversed and then changed to the left lane a little way back to ensure that when you approached the stop line you were fully in the left lane.

When you crossed the stop line both your wheels were not in the left lane.

[GO FURTHER]

If what you describe is what happened, then I think it is highly unlikely you will get a fine.
If I understand correctly from your description of events, that the lane going straight ahead (which you were initially in) was a red light, but the left arrow was green, then what you have done is crossed the white line of the intersection and triggered the first in-road sensor which could either be in-road piezo/inductive loop, optical fibre/inductive loop or an inductive loop combination. That fires the first camera flash you saw, and a photo was taken of your car. If you had continued going straight through the intersection (with the light red), then your car would hit the second in-road sensor a little further down buried in the intersection, and trigger the second flash and photo.

This would be to prove that you actually went through a red light.
But since you turned left, no second sensor was triggered and no second photo was taken... So you should be safe.

[FG50T]

Originally Posted by BAXRSIX

If what you describe is what happened, then I think it is highly unlikely you will get a fine.
If I understand correctly from your description of events, that the lane going straight ahead (which you were initially in) was a red light, but the left arrow was green, then what you have done is crossed the white line of the intersection and triggered the first in-road sensor which could either be in-road piezo/inductive loop, optical fibre/inductive loop or an inductive loop combination. That fires the first camera flash you saw, and a photo was taken of your car. If you had continued going straight through the intersection (with the light red), then your car would hit the second in-road sensor a little further down buried in the intersection, and trigger the second flash and photo.

This would be to prove that you actually went through a red light.
But since you turned left, no second sensor was triggered and no second photo was taken... So you should be safe.

The exact events happened as I described which is why I have some hope. I didn't run a red light, I turned at a green arrow just wider than normal. Any truck would have to do the same at this instersection and find themselves in the same problem.

[maat1985]

Originally Posted by BAXRSIX

If what you describe is what happened, then I think it is highly unlikely you will get a fine.
If I understand correctly from your description of events, that the lane going straight ahead (which you were initially in) was a red light, but the left arrow was green, then what you have done is crossed the white line of the intersection and triggered the first in-road sensor which could either be in-road piezo/inductive loop, optical fibre/inductive loop or an inductive loop combination. That fires the first camera flash you saw, and a photo was taken of your car. If you had continued going straight through the intersection (with the light red), then your car would hit the second in-road sensor a little further down buried in the intersection, and trigger the second flash and photo.

This would be to prove that you actually went through a red light.
But since you turned left, no second sensor was triggered and no second photo was taken... So you should be safe.

spot on.. this is exactly how it works.... the way the system is designed this way is so that if you are stopping but come to a halt a little too late you dont get booked....

[SYZ]

Originally Posted by BAXRSIX

[...] But since you turned left, no second sensor was triggered and no second photo was taken... So you should be safe.

Yep... no second flash = no ticket.

[RANGEREST]

Get the wallet /credit card ready

[jaydee]

You turned left from the incorrect lane, so I'd say you will probably get one or the other if it picked up your rear plate.

[Ben73]

I have seen cameras flash so many times in these situations. Usually someone stops in the right turning lane, but are too late to set off the arrow. So when the straight light goes green they think "**** it Im going straight now to save some time" and bam red light camera picks them up.

[LTDHO]

You ran a red and turned from the wrong lane. So that's at lease two fines you should get.

Time will tell what, if anything, you get fined for.

[Squalo]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

You ran a red and turned from the wrong lane. So that's at lease two fines you should get.

Time will tell what, if anything, you get fined for.

I'm interested to know where you get the 'ran a red' from, seeing as the OP stated that the light was green?

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by Squalo

I'm interested to know where you get the 'ran a red' from, seeing as the OP stated that the light was green?

It all depends if you drive over the second inductance loop in the road. There is one camera in Alexandria nsw where if you are front in the line on euston rd (I think) and people turning right off botany rd cut the corner the camera flashes for the first car in line on euston (?) Rd. Had it happen countless times and never a fine. Its probably a tool they use to check if you're about to be rear ended, as the second photo will catch a car behind fouling your number plate, or that's what I have heard

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

You ran a red and turned from the wrong lane. So that's at lease two fines you should get.

Time will tell what, if anything, you get fined for.

Not sure about that. If the arrow was green and straight red he either ran a red, or turned from the wrong lane, can't technically do both at the same time

[LTDHO]

Originally Posted by Squalo

I'm interested to know where you get the 'ran a red' from, seeing as the OP stated that the light was green?

Here you go, the first line "I was stopped at a red light light with a red light camera"

Originally Posted by Ben73

Not sure about that. If the arrow was green and straight red he either ran a red, or turned from the wrong lane, can't technically do both at the same time

Technically you can and he did.

[EBSXR6]

Last night was sitting in a restaurant in Canterbury Road Vermont Victoria, newly installed as in that day Cameras at the intersection with Mitcham-Boronia Rd were flashing like crazy, I assume as no signs have been erected they must be going through a testing phase.
Towards the end of the meal a van arrives with flashing lights blocks a lane goes to one of the camera poles removes a cover plate and does some adjustment a lot less flashes.

[The Yeti]

Originally Posted by FG50T

Hi guys and girls, had some my picture taken today ()

I was stopped at a red light light with a red light camera. Single lane going straight and one lane turning left. I was sitting in the straight lane and I thought that I'd like to turn left. The left arrow went green looked around, not a single car on the road behind me. Put my indicator on and hooked my wheel fully to the left and rolled on left! Bang! Flash! I'm curious as it was only one and I've seen a lot of people drive through red light cameras and they flash twice. Did it realise I didn't go through the intersection but triggered the sensor?

Now before all the road going do-gooders jump on my back for breaking the law and changing lanes in an intersection. I didn't think I had? I could see the line in front of my bonnet when I began to turn so I'm hoping someone can share some knowledge for me. I'm not worried about the points. I've lost 3 in my life and that was in 2007, it's just the dollars.

Id love to know how you finish up

We have one near us on a left lane must turn left, what happens is people want to turn right at the intersection but with traffic coming the other way traffic builds up, people were then cutting round to the left and shooting straight through. When the camera was first introduced it didn't monitor this simply red-light infringements but now it gets you for going straight though

(Theres quite a few locals VERY unhappy about it)