almost got three points today

as the title suggests,

i was caught over taking on a set of green traffic lights. I know it was total my bad choice to do so but traffic wasn't moving due to another set of road work traffic lights about 30 metres past the set of traffic lights i had over taken on.

As i approached the road works traffic light i spot about 3 police men one of which came onto the road to wave me to the side for my illegal manoeuvre.

Just to set the scene a bit for you, its down kingston road, on a normally busy road during the week, on a saturday when everyone wants to go shopping in kingston, while there are road works. so as you can imagine alot of people, cars, bikes/scooters, cyclists.
the extra catch about these road works traffic lights are that when the light is green as many cars try to pass before it goes red, to a point where there is traffic along the single part of the road, even when is it time for the traffic on the opposite side to go. So as you can imagine the other side cannot now go because the road is blocked and becomes just silly traffic.


once i had pulled over and given over driving lience, i noticed there was another bike (cbf 600cc), and a new BMW pulled over as well. at this point i was crapping my pants thinking oh no 3 points and up goes my insurance.

once i had my lecture from the officer he then, proceeded to look at my rear tyre which was on the verge of the limit, and i had my old lience on me (which is fraud).

so i was now facing

- 3 points for over taking on traffic lights
- bad back tyre
- possible criminal record for having old lience (changed address but didnt destroy my old lience and was using it as ID)

so after about 10 minutes of being told off and me not arguing he let me on my way. this was VERY VERY lucky in my opinion.


the other motorcycke got done for jumping red light. and others where being pulled at this very busy point.


while traveling through kingston i saw about 4 legal manoeuvres including wrong way around bollards (dam scooters), dangerous U-turns, cars turning out on people including me!!

and then i get pulled for filtering through traffic lights. how many people have honestly overtaken on traffic lights when traffic is solid?

(although annoyed over being pulled over, the officer on duty was very reasonable and professional. he could have given alot of hassel with points on my lience and crimianal record, but decided to let me go with a warning. although i was aware they ran out of tickets for something which i had over heard)

i have alot of sympathy for the other bike who seemed very upset about his ticket, he wasnt arguing or saying anything he just accepted it.

[Red Herring]

Hi mate, just to put your mind at rest it's not illegal to overtake at traffic lights, unless they are a pedestrian crossing and even then it depends how and what you are passing. Did the officer tell you it was illegal or are you just assuming that because they stopped you?

[MisterTommyH]

RH, is it that you can't pass within the chevron zone? And that's only if the traffics stopped because the lights are red?

I.e. if the traffics stopped by an obstruction passed the lights, and they're on green then it's legal to pass?

Just wondering because I had that situation today, but decided not to pass because there were in the Q!

[Red Herring]

Don't pass the moving vehicle closest to the crossing, or the stationery vehicle closest to the crossing if it has stopped for the purpose of giving way to a pedestrian. If the traffic is stopped because it is in a queue of traffic then technically you can filter past (provided the light is green) but be careful a pedestrian hasn't just assumed the traffic has stopped for them.

it was a pedestrian crossing, and the light was green, and traffic was solid. i dont think i should have over taken the front car on the crossing. In and around london most bikers (including scooters) over take in a situation like this even though its wrong. I guess i was just unlucky.

but either way i wasnt going to argue with a police officer especially when he has my licence in his hand.

but yes the main reason for being pulled over was over taking at pedestrian lights.

[Geodude]

We have this mash up on our main and very busy road http://g.co/maps/tj8wp or top view http://g.co/maps/w3xua Its a ped crossing with a bus stop right after it? I have been told off for overtaking the bus while its stopped taking fares even when the opposite lane was clear. So is it a dont or a do?

[timwilky]

I know I took my test a long time ago, but I have never heard any law about not overtaking on a crossing. so what is supposed to happen when the crossing is on muli lane roads. You cannot use the outside lane because there is a slower vehicle in the inside? Sounds a bit ropey!

[Red Herring]

I could cut and paste the actual legislation on here if you want but basically it's all about the vehicle closest to the crossing (providing it's within the confines of the zig zag markings.) If the vehicle is moving then the front of your bike mustn't go past the front of them until they go onto the crossing (past the row of studs). If however they are stationery then again you mustn't pass the front of the lead vehicle provided they have stopped for the purpose of giving way to a pedestrian. This last bit is the important bit because if they are stationery because they are in a traffic jam then there is nothing to stop you passing, but just be careful when doing so, especially if it's a van or something that might restrict your or a pedestrians view.

As a biker it's worth being well read up on the rules around pedestrian crossings, and those around solid white lines, because they are the two areas where we can make progress if done correctly, or get points if we don't! It will also help in the OP's situation because most coppers are not bikers, and most (especially those not on Traffic) will also be ignorant as to the small print around such legislation. I'd like to think that if they have been specifically tasked to target such offences they might have been given a brush up, but I wouldn't count on it. On the other hand that could well be why the Op only got spoken to, rather than a ticket......


ps: there are more examples and exemptions around multi lane roads, but I'm feeling lazy and watching the BSB so you can look them up yourself! xxx

[yorkie_chris]

You don't have to have your license on you so if you've got an old one you use for ID in pub or whatever then don't admit to having it on you.