Red traffic light!

Transportation, Travel and Trips
21
Not on the same day but within a period of probably four months. Summer two years ago.

22
i think i was just flashed by a camera today at a junction after accidentally pulling away before the light turned green. I had been stopped at the light but the guy next to me got his green to turn right and i then assumed i could carry on straight.. stupid I know!!

anyway just wondering if anyone has any idea what the potential penalty would be?

thanks

23
I see you found the right thread, but why are you now asked a question which has already been answered in this thread? I suggest actually reading this thread before posting on it.

24
Hi

the thread is a year old and the fines and measures are varied. Just wanted to see if anyone has any up to date insight on this. Whats wrong with that??

25
Your situation is identical to the one I described in my posts - too early from the light. Therefore your fine will be the same as mine. The fact that that post is a year old changes nothing, the prices are still the same and the laws are the same.

26
ah ok, thanks i see it now

27
A friend in Zurich went through a number of red lights / speed cameras on one journey while travelling to the hospital as his son had a serious incident and was being taken seperatly by ambulance. He recieved all of the normal paperwork for prosecution but the slate was wiped when the court were informed of the situation and he was able to prove it through letters from the hospital - quite fair in my opinion.

I really can't understand why red light cameras are such an issue for people here, when you approach an amber light you should be prepared to stop but the amount of people who hit the gas and get the flash is crazy.

28
Would it have been "quite fair" if he'd caused an accident by running through red lights and speeding ?

Where would you draw the line? If he'd been pissed would it still have been ok for him to drive recklessy?

While I wouldn't object to the fact he got off with the offences, when under the influence of a horrible event like that and obviously not thinking straight the last thing you should do is get behind the wheel of a car.

29
So, did anyone ever successfully appeal a red light fine in "normal circumstances".

My wife just got a 1.5s 250chf fine. She is a careful driver and was totally surprised. On reflection she does remember a "shit do I emergency stop?" moment, but if she crossed 1.5s late, at 45kmph that would be seeing the red light 12.5m before. Which is definitely not her style.

Is it an "official blackmail" situation where your fine doubles if you dont pay immediately and lose your appeal?

Daniel

30
On what basis can you appeal? They have the photo.

You could say the equipment is faulty? I think they test it and add the cost to the fine.

Someone else driving? Possibly, if you have someone to finger.

Pay it is the best advice.

31
Good question. I guess I am asking several implicit questions.

1. Does everyone agree you cant shoot a red light by a whole 1.5s without either i) completely not seeing it ii) knowing full well you crossed on red?

2. Do they make mistakes, is it worth asking for the pictures?

3. If you do challenge and fail does it cost you more than just the time wasted?

Daniel

32
Agreed.

In general these machines are extremely accurate.

Of course - procedure costs are at your expense.

33
Straight from the horse's mouth (assuming the car was flashed in the city of Zurich): If you think that the fine is wrongful you can write the police, they'll check your case and inform you about the result. I don't know if it's possible to take a look at the photos, the police states that they'll only hand them over to a court – If this is your wish you just have to not pay for 30 days but be warned that the loser will have to bear the court costs too and this most likely will be the driver.

A possible scenario for a wrongful flash could be that a neighboring lane had red but your own was green, so I imagine. But 1.5s of inattentiveness and then some has happened before and I wouldn't contest the fine if I were in your shoes.

I've been a passenger once in a car that passed a red light after about two seconds and got flashed, the driver had a momentary inexplainable indecisiveness, braked just gently and rolled through the crossover... can you say awkward silence

34
50kph for 1.5 seconds means your missus travelled just over 20m in that time. I think excuses have just evaporated?

Not seeing it is absolutely no excuse. That's driving without due care and attention.

Seeing it and running it costs. C'est la vie

35
I don't know how much, but it will cost you more. Even if the fine stays the same they will add some fees.

The chances of a technical malfunction are very slim IMHO. I would NOT fight it unless you're absolutely sure they made a mistake, i.e. your wife knows for sure that she was in a different location at the time.

It has happened before that e.g. the police mixed up the cantons and sent the fine to the owner with the same plate number but in the wrong canton...

36
For pete's sake.. obviously not seeing it is no excuse. She isnt saying she didnt see it.

She is saying she saw it but just as it went orange at that sort of point where its a flash decision to emergency stop or carry on. And she's definitely not the sort to carry on if she could have stopped. If it said 0.1s or something then OK, probably her judgement was wrong. But burning it by 20m... we just can't reconcile.

D

37
If the machine is so accurate it does beg the question, how come it got the wrong car. There is clearly human intervention at at least one point.

Anyway, thanks to all for the input. I guess we will just pay because lifes too short and at least CH doesnt have a point system. But, perhaps I will just phone and ask how it works at least, and report back.

Daniel

38
Hi to all,

I'm new to swiss... and of corse I got some "tickets". Anyway, I got a speed ticket which I saw it, but I also got a red light ticket, which honestly I don't remember.

Anyway, I just want to ask... when do they hold your driving licence? Because they have no pointing system.

I will also have to change the licence to a swiss one, how will these fines affect this?

Regards,

Andy.

39
You basically have to be very naughty before you lose your license: drink, more than 150kmph on the motorway and 20kmph over elsewhere (maybe less in 30 zones).

Nothing to worry about from your fines re the license swap. My wife phoned up to report she was the driver of the above mentioned transgression, they told her all small fines were wiped off the system at the end of the month (once paid of course).

Daniel

40
Pay the fine and be thankful that your license was not taken away for some time. You can go to the police however I dont think you have a hope in hell of getting away with it. If the police should incur any additional time with your problem, be sure that your fine will increase.