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[w3526602]

Hi,

I leave this to Wittsend's discretion.

See ... https://www.aol.co.uk/living/2019/10/23/traffic-lights-could-change-around-the-world-thanks-to-one-perso/?ncid=webmail

Many yonks ago, Barbara jumped a red traffic light. My opinion is that she was justified. Why? Because the signals were to control traffic through some road works, and the signals were on the OTHER side of a cross-road junction. If she had stopped, she would have been parked in the middle of the cross roads. But in her opinion (and mine), she would have had difficulty stopping within the duration of the amber. A motorcycle followed us through, and the Panda car followed the bike.

We later learned that the Panda had been parked in a car dealers forecourt. In his evidence, he said he has seen us approach at about 45mph, and slow down when we saw him. Actually, we were the last car in a procession of cars travelliing at 20 to 25 mph.

Road works traffic signals require approval of the Dept of Transport (or, memory suggests, the Welsh Office if in Wales) We duly received the requested documents ... which did not include the map, though the Prosection had a copy.

We made a fight of it. The trial lasted an hour, and was then adjurned for a month. On resumption, it lasted anther three quarters of an hour, before Their Worships called a halt, and went off to consider their verdict.

While the "Beaks" were enjoying their tea and biscuits, we chatted with the Proscecuting Inspector (I'd commented on his GSM ribbon). He said that "the magistrates loved us" and "They'd never met anybody like us" Praise indeed! 

I suspect that these traffic lights had produced a large number of "Perps".

Whatever, Justice must be seen to be done ... fined £15 and licence endorsed. I wanted to continue the fight, but Barbara had had enough, due to the hours spent in an unheated waiting room. This was January and February.

602,

PS.This was the cross-roads in the middle of Clydach in the Swansea Valley (I think the A4065?)

PSS. During my search for justice, I learned that traffic signs must face the line of traffic ... with a little bit of tolerance (Sorry I can't remember what that tolerance is) These particular traffic lights were set at 45 degrees, so that one signal controlled two approach roads.