red light cameras

[larkie1066]

i was caught by a camera going through a red light and i am appealing against it. It was in march when there was snow on the ground and despite trying to break i slid through the lights on the snow. Has anyone eles had a similar situation and if so how did they get on ?

[RATTER15]

I think you will still be found guilty as you should have been driving in accordance with the road conditions, able to stop within the required distance, if there was a car in front of you, you could have seriously injured someone, killed a child etc.

I don't think much consideration will be given to the road conditions, it was clearly your fault!!

[scuzzball]

I can't see how you will get off with this. I would think twice before even trying that excuse - you could also be done for careless driving. If there was snow on the road you should have been driving at a speed that took that into account and gave you time to break slowly and steadily, thus avoiding a skid. It is always your responsibility to adjust your driving to the road conditions. If it had been black ice you may have been able to reasonably claim that you couldn't see it, but snow....pretty clear when thats on the road!

[scuzzball]

simultaneous post!!

[JudgeJ]

I assume you have been offered a fixed penalty for this (probably �60 and 3 points). By �appeal� I assume you are going to ask for a court hearing and either plead not guilty or plead guilty but with mitigating circumstances. I strongly advise against it for the reasons given above. You should grab the Fixed Penalty Offer with both hands, pay up and keep quiet.

As also mentioned above, you could have been charged with careless driving if there had been an accident or if there had been a police officer around to witness the incident.

A court appearance will almost certainly result in a higher fine (considerably higher if you plead not guilty) and you will also be liable to pay a contribution to the prosecution costs.

[a_magistrate]

This is mitigation rather than a defence.
You should plead guilty and accept the points and fine and tell the court of the circumstances.
If you defended it in court, costs would almost certainly be awarded against you as well as a higher fine because you have not admitted what is an absolute offence by pleading guilty at the earliest possible opportunity. (1/3 off for early guilty plea ... at the moment)

[larkie1066]

thanks to you all. Just to add i was clocked at at speed of 18 mph i do think i was driving for the road conditions it was 7.30 in the morning and i was the only road user on a 40mph speed limit road