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Posted by: ebalch Jan 14 2014, 11:12 AM

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2014/council-searching-for-long-term-solution-after-robin-hood-lights-fail-for-third-time

"Thames Valley Police told NewburyToday yesterday that anyone caught travelling though a red light could still be prosecuted, even if the lights are frozen on red."

Should I turn myself in now?

Posted by: motormad Jan 14 2014, 11:39 AM

Thames Valley Police can suck a fart out my ****.

As Lee matey said, rather than directing traffic they will stay hidden and fine people. It's pathetic and pretty much common place for the Police Officers in our local area (most of whom are *****).

Legally you may not cross a red light at all no matter what the circumstances are, unless directed by an authoritative figure (EG a Police offer or a Highways womble) So they are legally allowed you prosecute you.

People are not going to sit around for 10+ minutes at faulty red lights. Otherwise the ENTIRE town would grind to a halt.

There was a story in America of some woman who was reported as missing, they found her in a remote area of Nevada sat at a faulty red light.

Posted by: On the edge Jan 14 2014, 12:25 PM

Perhaps one way we have of protesting against all the stupid rules and inept enforcers would be to have a 'drive to rule'. Pick a busy day and encourage a good number of drivers to drive strictly to the book, taking time to read all the road signs, keeping exactly to the speed limits, keeping exactly to the lane markings etc. I suspect it would bring the locality to a halt.

Posted by: Biker1 Jan 14 2014, 12:36 PM

Perhaps they should lay in wait for the innumerable cyclists that do it!
(Whoops, probaly touched a few nerves there!! )

Posted by: Blake Jan 14 2014, 12:48 PM

Nevermind drive through the dodgy lights, I think I'd be tempted to take an angle-grinder to them..

Posted by: Andy Capp Jan 14 2014, 12:59 PM

That's what I thought, rather than spout the law, get out there and be bloody police men and direct the traffic you numpties!

Posted by: motormad Jan 14 2014, 02:07 PM

HAHA
Like that ever happens in Newbury.
Every SINGLE time I go along the Robin Hood some knob jockey cuts across and nearly causes an accident.

Posted by: Exhausted Jan 14 2014, 05:20 PM

Now and again, somone gets their lane discipline wrong but not really accident material if drivers don't force their right of way.

Posted by: Strafin Jan 14 2014, 05:35 PM

I'm with Motormad on this, lane discipline in Newbury is terrible, and the reason it doesn't cause more accidents is because everyone does it, so they are never in the right place to be cut up!

Posted by: Andy Capp Jan 14 2014, 05:38 PM

We've talked about this before, a good driver will be keeping an eye out for lane hoppers. the problem is a giratory with too many options and the lanes taking you on unnatural lines. I would be surprised if the average visitor would get the giratory correct first time.

Posted by: gel Jan 14 2014, 08:22 PM

Very, very rare occurence now, as they presumably see as being below them, would rather stay in a comfortable office/vehicle!
Unlike:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ah4FSQtkog&feature=player_embedded

Posted by: motormad Jan 14 2014, 09:39 PM

You're probably one of those people with your lane hogging abilities.
I have forced people up towards vodafone because

a) they should read the VERY WELL SIGNPOSTED and VERY VISIBLE road signs which tell you what lane to be in
if they make a mistake they should not expect you to slam your brakes on, causing vehicles behind you to also brake eractically
c) it's funny.

Most of the time I'm very chilled when driving so I let a lot of stuff go, I'll generally leave 3 or 4 car lengths between myself and the vehicle in front as I'm going around just incase someone does want to jump lanes, but going from the Hungerford/Speed lane to the A34 lane at the last minute is completely unacceptable to me

Posted by: JeffG Jan 15 2014, 11:28 AM

It's hardly difficult to keep between a pair of clearly marked white lines, however they go.


Freudian typo?

Posted by: motormad Jan 15 2014, 01:43 PM

Oops.

Posted by: Exhausted Jan 15 2014, 07:33 PM

I remember you saying before, but I'm not going to go back and look for it, that you always/often come down the right hand lane of the A339 going north and then move over into the middle lane as most of the traffic is going towards Hungerford. I believe you actually said that only once were you forced to go up towards the A34.

I can't believe from the clever clogs posts that you make on here that you are a chilled out driver. You are just too good a driver to allow anybody else any slack.

Posted by: MontyPython Jan 15 2014, 08:22 PM

You presumably straddle the white line as there is no middle lane to hog!

Posted by: Exhausted Jan 15 2014, 09:51 PM

Quite right. I drive a big car and drive like I am the only person on the road. Motormad will enjoy your quip by the way. You will recognise him, chilled out and exercising his highly skilled roadcraft at all times, usually on cruise control and roaring up behind lorries in the inside lane.

Posted by: motormad Jan 15 2014, 11:33 PM

Sorry mate, at no point have I ever said that.
I have never been forced to go up the A34. I have said that I have forced others. I am not a moron and so I'm always in the correct lane , 100%.

An unfortunate attempt to make me look bad..

Posted by: Strafin Jan 16 2014, 07:18 AM

I think you have said in the past that you come down the hill from Sainsburys and change lanes somewhere nearer the roundabout. I do the same, it is people who insist on queuing for no reason that cause that tailbacks. Lanes are there to move the traffic flow along and should be maximised where possible, and within reason.

Posted by: JeffG Jan 16 2014, 09:35 AM

Unless you can't get in. Then it's embarrassing. I think I've said before that since most of the traffic in the left lane at that point is for A4 West or town centre, the lanes should be marked differently so it's the right lane that expands into two, not the left one.

PS. I hadn't noticed that it's downhill from Sainsbury's to the Robin Hood

Posted by: Biker1 Jan 16 2014, 10:12 AM

I just go straight to the front!!

Posted by: JeffG Jan 16 2014, 10:16 AM

I have notice that bikers tend to travel in the lane marked with white paint across its entire width.

Posted by: Exhausted Jan 16 2014, 09:21 PM

Sorry, my apology it was Strafin that made the comment
The lane layout should be changed back to how it once was, I always stay in the right lane and pull across because there is very rarely anyone in the middle lane; and queuing to turn left for half an hour seems ridiculous if you don't actually want to turn left. I have once had to actually go up the ramp because there was too much traffic and I felt I had taken the risk knowing that might happen so accepted it rather than cutting anybody up.
Where I got confused was your reply
I done that once to a Ford Mondeo. Shouldn't try to be a ***t then should they.
Probably wouldn't do it again though.
And my reply was
That sounds typical of your driving skills. Aggressive, always in the right and sod anybody else.
So, there it is. Please accept my apologies but I believe Strafin had the right solution and was clear that he didn't cut anybody up.

Posted by: desres123 Jan 16 2014, 09:33 PM

they wouldnt be allowed to do that due to health and safety and wouldnt be surprised if asked they would not know what to do

Posted by: Andy Capp Jan 16 2014, 09:43 PM

I know what you mean, but my main point was the comment was totally unhelpful.

Posted by: motormad Jan 16 2014, 10:43 PM

OH yes, I do that. Because exactly as you say, people queue up in the left hand lane to take the first exist at the "first part" of the roundabout down the road towards the Traveledge and the Town Centre. My view of that part is, by the time you clear the first initial set of traffic lights you should be in the right lane..

However this is different to a last minute veering maneuver that Exhaustable is trying to insinuate I've done!

Posted by: Strafin Jan 17 2014, 10:37 AM

Blimey, glad that's cleared up but it must have taken a while to find that!

Posted by: motormad Jan 17 2014, 11:14 AM

Some people have plenty of time on their hands, haha,
All good with me. Strafin in that case going up was simply doing what anyone who was in the wrong lane should do, accept the 2 minute delay on their journey and carry on without causing an accident

Posted by: JeffG Jan 17 2014, 11:23 AM

Huh? I'm assuming the Health and Safety comment was tongue in cheek. Directing traffic is one of the things the police are trained to do. Bog standard point duty.

Most roundabouts would work by themselves if the lights failed, but that wouldn't happen on the Robin Hood because of its design. There is nothing coming from its right to stop the southbound traffic from the A339. so no other junction would get a look-in at busy periods.

Posted by: Strafin Jan 17 2014, 11:33 AM

Sure there is! All the traffic coming around from under the bridge, is that where you mean?

Posted by: JeffG Jan 17 2014, 11:38 AM

No. I am talking about the Robin Hood itself. There is nothing to stop the joint traffic coming from the junction you are talking about once it reaches the Robin Hood. Traffic from Shaw and Thatcham A4 would never get out under normal roundabout rules without control.

Posted by: dannyboy Jan 17 2014, 11:48 AM

you'd need to know the full context in which it was made.

I have a feeling the NWN have been a little economic in their reporting. You know, never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

btw - I'm not a police officer.

Posted by: Andy Capp Jan 17 2014, 01:09 PM

We know!

I realise what you are saying is the case, but the comment is still unhelpful, whether it is poor editing by the journalist or was a complete short statement made by the TVP

Posted by: dannyboy Jan 17 2014, 01:29 PM

My guess is that it was the only 'interesting' part of a statement made by TVP & being a good journalist the reporter used it knowing that it wouold be the bit that would generate the most comment.

If the law states that a red light cannot be passed, then TVP would have to state that anyone crossing a red light would be committing an offence if asked.

Posted by: Andy Capp Jan 17 2014, 02:03 PM

I don't see that as being a 'good journalist'. I see it as a being a lazy one. If I was a journalist, I would have asked: What would your advice be if people approached a similar event in the future?


How I see it, obstruction of the highway is also an offence.

I believe that prosecuting these offences are discretionary. Whether it is a journalistic faux pas, or a clumsy statement by the police spokesman, it would be useful if we could glean something useful out of all this.