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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Jumped a red light :(... so ashamed.

62 replies

Overtinkerbell · 29/04/2022 17:12

Been driving for 11yrs now and first time ever, I just casually went thru a red light!

There was the pedestrian crossing traffic signals and it was not a junction, only one staright road and the lights were for crossing pedestrians to press the button.
However, I was chatting to my daughter deeply and assumes it was just a zebra crossing!... I stopped my car for the mum waiting to cross the road and once she was off the zebra crossing... I crossed the lights which were red!... the car behind me honked and then I realised :(. I never saw any flashes etc but there were black cameras on top of the lights.

I feel I am such a careless driver and also anythung could have happened right?. I am just waiting for the warning letter and points on my licence etc ....

I NEED TO BE MORE PRESENT WHILE DRIVING... God sakes 😓

OP posts:

Donotgogentle · 29/04/2022 17:14

It sounds more like a brain fart situation than careless driving tbh.

I did it once nearly 30 years ago, I felt really mortified. I’ve never had any points on my licence though.

NotSorry · 29/04/2022 17:14

I see this happen a lot at pedestrian crossings - the people who pushed the button have crossed and cars go through the red light as if it's a zebra crossing - you are right though, you need to be more present

OrchardBlack · 29/04/2022 17:56

Oh OP bless you! If it makes you feel any better I'm a cop and only today I pulled over a massive Arctic lorry that went through a red right in front of me. Lit him up, pulled him over and had a respectful and educational chat, nothing more. Other officers may have ticketed him but he knee exactly what he'd done and was very remorseful, I'm sure he'll be more careful in future!
All this to say I highly highly doubt you're going to get a ticket in the post. We all have brain farts at times, have a cup of tea and forgive yourself.

00100001 · 29/04/2022 17:57

These things happen.
I've driven through a red light on a pedestrian crossing whilst driving the wrong way up a 1 way street

newbiename · 29/04/2022 17:59

I did this once. I was going straight on, the right turn filter was on green. I must have mistaken it for my signal. Felt dreadful. Fortunately it was very early , so not many cars , it's a very busy junction.

Aquamarine1029 · 29/04/2022 18:00

It was a genuine accident, you made a mistake but luckily no one was hurt. Over and done. You'll be more careful from now on, so let it go.

Kittycorn · 29/04/2022 18:00

I did this about 20 years ago. Completely missed the red light and nearly ran someone over. It was a horrible feeling that is still with me.

I also had a phase where I was visiting Nottingham and always ended up driving on the tram tracks. I still haven't worked out what mistake I kept making!

FOJN · 29/04/2022 18:18

I drove through a red light once on a roundabout, I should have stopped for traffic coming off a dual carriageway. It was late evening so it was quiet and I was very lucky nothing was coming down the slip road. I saw the light, acknowledged it was red and drove through it. I wasn't distracted, I have no explanation for my stupidity and I was quite shaken by what I had done. I'm even more vigilant now. Chalk it up to one of life's frightening lessons and be glad no one was hurt.

PrivateHall · 29/04/2022 18:23

I think you are being a bit hard on yourself. It sounds like you were looking for pedestrians so you weren't actually driving dangerously as such, its not like you were ever going to hurt anyone. I suspect it won't happen again, it would be worse if you didn't notice or didn't care. Be kind to yourself op

swapcicles · 29/04/2022 18:24

I did it the other day, don't know why, It was a zebra crossing and there was no-one anywhere near the crossing as I had a clear view of the surrounding area, saw it was red and still went through.
It was safe but not legal.
Will pay extra attention to that junction every time now!

WonderingWanda · 29/04/2022 18:25

I dont think you need to feel ashamed, yoy made a mistake. There are loads of irresponsible drivers who jump lights on purpose, they are should ashamed. We all make careless mistakes sometimes. We learn from them, you will always be more cautious at the lights now. Luckily the only consequence was getting honked this time!

Theunamedcat · 29/04/2022 18:26

My mom did this she was waiting for it to turn red so she could pull out of the junction and instead of stopping at the crossing just drove straight across never heard her swear so much in .y life calling herself all kinds of idiot fortunately no-one was hurt but it makes you think

peanutpancakess · 29/04/2022 18:26

I've done this, I did get a letter through and sent on a driver awareness course.

vegisaurus · 29/04/2022 18:32

These things happen, and it sounds like you have beaten yourself up enough about it!
Also, those black cameras you saw are just to detect waiting pedestrians (so if someone presses the button but then walks away, the green man won't come in unnecessarily). You don't need to worry about waiting for a nasty letter to arrive on your doorstep!

girlmom21 · 29/04/2022 18:43

They're not cameras on top, they're traffic monitoring sensors, don't worry.

CheeseBoard2022 · 29/04/2022 18:46

Nobody was hurt and they wouldn't of been cameras on top of the lights don't worry.

Long as you're more aware in future no harm done. Don't beat yourself up.

HarryBlackberry1 · 29/04/2022 18:48

I did this the other week. Came off a roundabout and went straight through red pedestrian crossing. There were people crossing. I honestly don't know what happened to me. I was in an unfamiliar area. I was absolutely devastated and kept imagining what could have happened if I'd hit someone. It was a momentary lapse of concentration, and thank god no one was hurt. It has made me more cautious. Lesson learned. Just see as as a lesson learned, be more vigilant and move on.

Original poster

Overtinkerbell · 29/04/2022 18:58

Thankyou kind people 😘

OP posts:

MsLumpyBottom · 29/04/2022 18:58

I did this recently. Been driving for 27 years and never jumped a red light before.

There were two sets of lights about 50 yards from each other at a junction and I went through the 1st set on amber and carried on through the 2nd set when they were red. Thankfully not a pedestrian crossing and the traffic hadn’t started moving as they’d only just gone red. Felt awful as soon a I realised what I’d done. DS (11) was shocked and said ‘mum, are you nuts, they were red’ 😳I go that way most days for the school run and had never done it before. Got too much going on at the moment with work and wasn’t thinking.

Definitely makes you aware so won’t happen again. Don’t sweat it.

Original poster

Overtinkerbell · 29/04/2022 19:00

It does seem to be a brain fart...like some of you excanged your similar experiences, I dont know how it happened as I had crossed this signal some 10,000 times before and most of the times its green as there are very less pedestrians on the road...

OP posts:

LondonQueen · 29/04/2022 19:00

I've driven through a red light more than once, thankfully never had a ticket, I also turned right at a no right turn last week. Goes to hand license in.

LondonQueen · 29/04/2022 19:02

girlmom21 · 29/04/2022 18:43

They're not cameras on top, they're traffic monitoring sensors, don't worry.

This, the ones with cameras on are usually yellow. One of my friends was caught out by this, she thought she could make an amber light and got a ticket, driver awareness course and no points.

LittleBearPad · 29/04/2022 19:02

Calm down, it’s ok and no one was hurt. Don’t do it again.

Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious · 29/04/2022 19:05

I did this the other day, in my defence it was a strange set up, my right hand lane was green so I went, and as soon as you turn into the road there's a pedestrian crossing which was red, I had no time to stop although I did also see quickly the little walk man light was red for it too. I still have no idea how I'm meant to stop there if it's red as it means I'm stuck in the middle of the road blocking traffic.

Saucery · 29/04/2022 19:08

I did this at a crossing with a school crossing patrol on it. Long straight road, absolutely all pedestrians had crossed, the patrol raised her hand in thanks as they often do and was also well clear of the crossing. But the lights were still red 🤦‍♀️ I was convinced I was going to get a letter in the post and tbh I would have deserved it.
Give yourself a break, it happens, you’ll be more careful next time.

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