GarethB

I've thought abut this on and off for 48 hours now. And it still makes me angry.

Near where I live there are currently road works at a cross roads, this means only one road is on go at a time.

Yesterday I was walking towards the junction and there was a big queue of traffic.
A Smart car drove past the queue on the right, did I mention it was a long queue.

Now this may have been OK, there is a right turn 30m before the junction (with a central reservation just before the turn) and he could have been turning right. Several cars have, no real problem with that.

But no. He waited and pulled in slightly to go to the left of the central reservation, then continued the next 30m to the lights. There is also a right turn at the lights, so potentially no problem there.

But no. You could tell from the angle he was at that he planned to race the car to his left and get into the straight on lane, thus avoiding all the queue and annoying everyone in it. And several passers-by.

But no. No-one could have predicted this. As I crossed the road, through the queue of traffic which was still waiting at the red light, he shot off. Through the red.

Obviously there are no cameras on these temporary lights. But there was no way he could tell which of the other three roads was on green. Although there were no cars coming directly towards him the road is down to one lane, so it would have been on the same side as he was.

I despair, I really do.

Given how (London) drivers seem to feel about traffic lights in general, how about a campaign for cameras at every light?

Nottm_S2

you'd made the point at 'smart car'
what a tool. i wonder if you reported him if anything would happen?

a cyclist nearly ran me over going through a red near london bridge the other day, i saw him coming so it was going to hurt him more than me..

tool

Gaspode

Go hug this fellow. You will feel better

Rob88

Whilst this would have annoyed me too, I’m a big fan of the North American method of 4 ways stops.
Every time I sit at a red-light while there is no traffic on the road I lament the lack of 4 way stops over here . . even Europe has the decency to go with flashing amber on off peak times to stop delaying traffic.

I can see why people are so frustrated that they jump queues and sneak round lights.

Nick Graves

Traffic lights are often only there to placate the greenies and as such, cause nothing but frustration.

Stookystar

Where I live they've got rid of traffic lights on a couple of roundabouts as they caused horrendous tailbacks.

Now that the traffic lights are gone, there are no queues! Simples!

Nick Graves

Precisely. No wonder no-one's got any respect for them any more.

GarethB

I can understand where lights aren't necessarily needed, but these are tempory lights because a four entry junction is down to one lane in 3 of the directions.

And this guy didn't have time to get frustrated with the queue - he did the "your rules don't apply to me so f**k you all"

The arrogance was amazing.

GarethB

On a lighter note, in Islington the council are doing their bit for congestion by reducing the junction of Upper Street with Liverpool Road to one lane from two.

This means all traffic heading North will have to get to one lane in the relatively short distance between the Pentonville Road / City Road / Upper St. Junction and the Liverpool Road turning.

Absolutely ridiculous.

Nottm_S2

i think the op's point is it was busy and this guy was dangerously 'pushing in'

although in fairness if someone clouts him in a smart theres only 1 fatality