I ran a red light today

Don B said:

I ran a red light today... On purpose

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Who hasn't done that. It happens to me once in a while. As long as I stop in the right part of the lane the iffy signals trigger as they should. Most of the loop sensors can be adjusted for sensitivity but it's tough to get a hold of someone to get that done especially if it's CalTrans and not the city. I can't recall a signal where I couldn't trigger it if I was lined up right.

Don B said:

BTW, the traffic lights also had traffic cameras.

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The cameras around here would show some video just before the light change to catch people running the light. But I don't think it runs for the duration of the red light. It would be triggers when entering the intersection on the red. But is there a combo of video and time stamping that would show you waited through at least one cycle? Without that you would be as they say... At the mercy of the court. Or screwed depending on who you talk to.

Update to my original post:
I went to the same place today for lunch with some riding friends, and as I approached the notorious intersection I happened to remember the last time, and since traffic was very light and no vehicles were in the left turn lane I migrated over to the far right lane, preparing to turn right and ride the short distance to the first U-turn opportunity. Just as I was about to stop for the red light, the green lights came on - ALL of them! Even though no vehicles were in the left turn lane. I can only assume there may have been enough complaints about the intersection that the County or TXDOT or whoever is responsible for that intersection took action and fixed the problem.

Don B said:

Update to my original post:
I went to the same place today for lunch with some riding friends, and as I approached the notorious intersection I happened to remember the last time, and since traffic was very light and no vehicles were in the left turn lane I migrated over to the far right lane, preparing to turn right and ride the short distance to the first U-turn opportunity. Just as I was about to stop for the red light, the green lights came on - ALL of them! Even though no vehicles were in the left turn lane. I can only assume there may have been enough complaints about the intersection that the County or TXDOT or whoever is responsible for that intersection took action and fixed the problem.

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So you then made an illegal left hand turn from the far right lane?

CO Statute:

Statute 42-4-612. When signals are inoperative or malfunctioning.
(1) Whenever a driver approaches an intersection and faces a traffic control signal which is inoperative or which remains on steady red or steady yellow during several time cycles, the rules controlling entrance to a through street or highway from a stop street or highway, as provided under section 42-4-703, shall apply until a police officer assumes control of traffic or until normal operation is resumed. In the event that any traffic control signal at a place other than an intersection should cease to operate or should malfunction as set forth in this section, drivers may proceed through the inoperative or malfunctioning signal only with caution, as if the signal were one of flashing yellow.

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There's judgement in 'inoperative' and 'several time cycles'. There are some light time cycles here I've timed which are 2 minutes 45 seconds long, so several cycles means waiting up to 8 minutes 15 seconds to know if it is inoperative...who's really going to do that?? The CO statute further says 'at a place other than an intersection' proceed 'as if the signal were one of flashing yellow' (flashing yellow isn't 'stop and wait', but is 'proceed with caution' and that seems to be in conflict with wait 'several time cycles'). Where is there traffic lights 'other than an intersection'??

I carry a printout of the above statute (and referenced statute 42-4-703) with my registration/papers in case the need arises. But it likely still comes down to the LEO's disposition.

I know someone who waited, then proceeded thru a red light (an LEO sitting hidden nearby), was pulled over and still was ticketed (even after providing explanation that the light was inoperative)--I don't know if the person fought it in court or if a Judge would have enforced the infraction, but the LEO believed the light was not inoperative.

I don't know about that intersection in particular, but around here those things that look like cameras mounted up near the traffic lights are not "red light cameras", but are actually the trip detectors for the computer that cycles the traffic lights. For whatever reason(s), they rarely do in-pavement trip detector loops around here anymore. Any intersection that's had new traffic lights installed in recent years has gotten the detectors that look like cameras instead of ground loops. This link talks about them -

http://www.modot.org/stlouis/links/signalcameras.htm

You could steal a trick that the bicyclists use: just tip your bike over so there is more metal near the sensor.

MinnFallST said:

You could steal a trick that the bicyclists use: just tip your bike over so there is more metal near the sensor.

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Yeah, and some of that added metal would be from keys in my pocket and my belt buckle.

Michigan isn't on the list of states with the "dead red" law, yet(!?). I have a light nearby that doesn't pick me up, ever. So I know with that one I'll sit there for several moments to see IF it will detect me ( just to be sure) while I observe the traffic, then proceed as if it were a stop sign.

Peace and All Good

In Virginia we have the 2 minute rule as well. . .2 minutes or 2 light cycles, whichever is shortest. . .it was passed 2 or 3 years ago.