To think there is definitely an increase in people driving through red lights?!

[FrasierCranium]

This is driving me bonkers

Maybe it's just around here, I dunno, but recently I have noticed more and more that people are just frankly not stopping at red lights. I mean wtf?! When did this become ok?

Most annoying in rush hour. Causes the junctions to get all snarled up.

Gives me the rage. Has anyone else noticed this?!

[mumsnit]

I saw this the other day. Car went straight through red light not noticing police car in the next door lane. Cue blue flashing lights and an expensive start to the day for one stupid driver!

Agree it is really time to do something about driving standards which are really hitting an all time low from the many shite things I see happening on the road every day (I have a long commute to work!) Maybe it does need a government campaign (probably not with cuts!) or the AA or RAC could do more to encourage better and less selfish driving?

It seems working indicators have been removed from many cars these days and have been replaced by an expectation that other drivers have developed telepathic skills!

[Vanderwaals]

Yes. Especially the temporary traffic lights. Had a man nearly crash into my car the other day because he ran a red light it may be 11pm with hardly anyone around but I was there! And my light was green!

[sleepyhead]

Yep. There's a junction near us which has become almost impossible to turn right at as the cars going straight on ignore the amber and continue driving through until the last one or two are actually going through red.

I use other options if I'm driving, but I also regularly cross it as a pedestrian on the school run and have noticed a rise in cars turning right on red when they can't get through on amber - after the green man has come on and often when pedestrians are already crossing.

I reported it to my local councillor who has been good at raising the issue in various places, but apparently all they're willing to do is tinker with the timings. They'll consider a camera if there are accidents - risk of accident caused by persistent dangerous driving is apparently not enough .

My worry is that as the cars running the red lights are going at speed to try and beat them, any accident is likely to be serious.

[MadameDePompom]

Nah. Pedestrians get it worse than cyclists or drivers.

[RedRainRocks]

Most of the lights on my 2hour commute to work have cameras on, so I don't notice it that much but box junctions...... OMG! If half the people I encounter obeyed the rule about clear exit I reckon it would take a good half hour off my journey. That is a stationary half hour as I wait through three or four light cycles not going anywhere because the other idiots have filled the box!

[jeremyisahunt]

I live in the middle east, most people here see red lights are optional...

[JeanneDeMontbaston]

Sorry, ami, didn't mean to offend good cyclists. I know there are many. It's just the city I'm in has a high population of people who're not very aware (lots of students, lots of them from overseas).

[Seryph]

Happened to us on the school run the other day, some woman to busy talking to her kid to notice the red light and lollypop man. Thankfully he is a huge Glaswegian who shouted at her and she stopped half way across the junction. Thankfully none of the kids had started crossing by that point, otherwise her massive 4x4/Chelsea tractor (or whatever the Glasgow equivalent is) would have done some serious damage.
She just looked annoyed.

The other thing up here is not signalling at a junction
I'm nearly hit crossing side roads at least once a week to the point where I don't expect it when people going straight over do so. I assume they'll be turning because they aren't indicating!

[BackforGood]

No.
I've been driving a loooooong time.
Far less driving through red lights nowadays with all the cameras and recording equipment about.

[YouTheCat]

I was nearly knocked over crossing with the green man the other week. There is a longish delay on the lights changing from red to the green man appearing and this utter wanker just went right through the red. Just as well I was watching or I'd have been hospitalised.

They don't even need more police out and about for this issue. Just get someone going through camera footage and fine the bastards every single time. That'd stop them.

[MadisonAvenue]

Vanderwaals You've actually reminded me that a van driver did that to us at Midnight a couple of weeks ago and when we had to stop, with a line of traffic behind us, for him to squeeze through he was really abusive. He had his company name on the side of his van (a large pharmaceuticals company) so I emailed them - twice - and have had no response so have just fired off another complaint to them. I didn't get the number plate but can pinpoint the time and location.

[Sparklingbrook]

It seems to be box junctions that go unnoticed around here same as you Pipbin. I was explaining them to DS2 the other day. They are just ignored in the nearest city.

Temporary traffic lights are breeding around here too. There's always a few cars that sneak in after the lights have turned red meaning they are green the other end but cars still coming towards you.

[Andro]

There's certainly been an increase in aggressive, dangerous driving. Don't get me started on indicators...when exactly did their use become optional? Then add the aggressive and dangerous driving to the lack of indicator use and I'm surprised there hasn't been more accidents than there has!

[Sparklingbrook]

There's a stretch of road locally with two lanes up to some traffic lights. Straight on can use both lanes, but once over the lights the right hand lane is told to merge into the left one as it goes back to single lane.

But oh no. The drivers in the left lane won't let anyone in. It's supposed to be like a zip. There are frequent posts on the local FB Spotted page explaining it.

[BigGreenOlives]

Anyone who has a license from a Commonwealth or EU country can drive in the UK without an additional test. There are obviously very different traffic and compliance levels across this range of countries. I recently spoke to a driving instructor who said that she had taught a pupil who had been given a full Egyptian driving license despite never having sat behind the wheel to make up for the inconvenience of the driving test centre being short of admin staff to issue learners' licenses.

[babybat]

I think it's partly due to police cuts - the police just don't have enough staff to enforce the law anymore, so unless there's a serious crash, they don't tend to do anything. Also huge numbers of distracted drivers who are too busy looking at their phones to pay attention to the road. Pretty scary when you're huge and pg and slow crossing the road, must be even worse for older people.

[Pipbin]

I think some of it might be down to the quality of instructors too.
I love up a hill and in our town it is just about the only hill (the joys of East Anglia). Every bugger seems to practice hill starts on it. The problem is that there is a bend further up the hill. Lots of instructors seem to get the learner to stop too close to the bend meaning that you have no chance of going past them as you can't see the on coming traffic.

Also, the only time people seem to use indicators they seem to think it gives them the god given right to do what ever they want.
For example I was in a two lane one way system. Long, but moving, line of traffic on the right lane, fairly empty on the left lane. I saw a car from further behind on the left lane pull out into the empty lane, drive up the empty lane until he got to me and then stuck his indicator on. He was very pissed off that I wouldn't let him in.

[LightDrizzle]

YANBU if you live in Hull. I swear it has got much worse in the last 6 months. One junction and one traffic light controlled roundabout near me in particular are horrendous.

Your thread has prompted me to email our local police and local councillor like a mad woman.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

Yanbu.

I've seen this alot of late.

scares the shit out of me. Dd will be off to secondary school in less than 2 years and will have to use the pedestrian crossings where I've seen it happen. round here.

[AveEldon]

It's fairly normal here
Unsurprising given how many cars are uninsured but on the road

[SirChenjin]

Definitely. I've been driving for 26 years (holy fuck, how did that happen??) and there are far more drivers going through red lights than ever before. My theory is because the roads are getting busier and busier, so after sitting in a queue of traffic watching 4 or 5 light rotations before your 'turn' makes people think sod it, and just go for it.

[miserablesod]

Theres two many bad drivers in general. Just today i was driving to work and a woman coming towards me started veering over to my side, i moved right into the kerb but she nearly hit me head on! She swerved back over to her side and carried on driving!

Then on the way home i was on a big roundabout with lights. When the lights changed a bloke veered from his far left lane, right through the middle two lanes so he could get in the inside lane to turn right! Everyone had to slam on their brakes and i'm sure a few "wankers!" Were shouted.

[reallysayingsomething]

I have noticed it as well. I am surprised there are not MORE accidents. Personally, I feel we have to address private car use (and yes hypocrite that I am, I do drive). Roads are becoming unbearable in the south. Parking is a nightmare and far more selfish, thoughtless leave the car anywhere type. We need a massive culture shift.

[99percentchocolate]

Definitely noticing more red light runs. I was beeped by a Royal Mail van on Monday morning for not going through a red light. It was heavy traffic and red on my approach! Very busy junction and I am heavily pregnant - not a chance I was risking my baby and my lives running red so that he could make his rounds.
Also, what is with cars turning right from a minor road on to a busy road and just pulling into the left lane? I've seen so many cars parked across a busy lane waiting to turn right and causing a huge traffic jam on the left hand lane recently.
And yy to parking too. This stupid law about parking on public highways is ridiculous. I struggle to get off my drive every day because somebody parks a massive 4x4 on the road opposite. When you eventually get off my road, there is usually a car parked opposite the junction.