Clearing junction during red light

[Mar1cus]

Hi guys! I have a peculiar incident and hope that I can get some feedback from the community here.

 

I was traveling along Sinaran Dr towards Irrawaddy Rd earlier this week. At the junction before Irrawaddy Rd, there are two lanes heading towards that road. A straight and left turning lane, and a straight and right turning lane. I was on the straight and right turning lane with the intention to go straight.

 

In front of my vehicle was a car which did not display any signal and hence, in my own judgement, was that the driver would proceed straight. As the lights turned green, the vehicle moved forward and stopped suddenly. The van I was driving followed and stopped right behind the front vehicle, passed the stop line and within the junction. I was unable to filter out to the left lane due to heavy traffic and did not want to have a "Singapore Reckless Drivers" moment by endangering the lives of other drivers as well.

 

The driver of the front vehicle waited till the lights had changed and now, instead of the greenlight, only the right turn arrow was displayed. As my vehicle was within the junction and passed the stop line, I proceeded straight to clear the junction once the oncoming right turning traffic was clear.

 

Can anyone advise if this maneuver constitutes a traffic offence?

 

The only information I found about straight junction movement from the Statutes was:

 

Vehicle not to obstruct other vehicles at road intersection or junction

 

6. Every vehicle arriving at a controlled intersection or junction of roads which does not intend to turn right or left at the intersection or junction shall, on being released, move forward straight across such intersection or junction in such a manner as not to obstruct any other vehicle proceeding in the same direction on either side of such vehicle.

 

Any feedback is most welcomed! Thanks in advance guys!

[raul7]

yes, its dangerous and am sure its a traffic offence to proceed straight.

 

I nearly got into an accident because of this, luckily I avoided the car quickly on my turn.

 

The next time you encounter such scenario, just try keep to the left and wait for the next green light even though the car behind might be turning left. Most road users will understand that its mostly faster to clear left turn than right turn

[Mar1cus]

Hi raul7!

 

Thanks for the reply! Yes, this incident was rather peculiar as previously mentioned. My consideration for clearing the junction was that if I didn't do so, my entire vehicle would be sitting in the middle of the junction and thus, obstructing traffic from the smaller lane which, would count as a traffic offence.

 

To give another analogy, suppose one was waiting in the junction box and had the intention to turn right, the vehicle operator should wait for straight oncoming traffic to clear before proceeding with the right turn. In the event that the lights have turned red and if this was a junction without any right turning arrow, any vehicle remaining in the junction should clear the junction. That was another consideration I had when performing that maneuver.

 

Thanks for the tip! I will try to keep left next time if circumstances permit!

[smallcar]

Its dangerous to do so. Just stop and wait for green. Bcos the opp direction will have turn right arrow and you are going straight. You still be in STOMP or Singapore reckless driver as opp direction see you as beating red light and that is a 12 points offence. Dun bother about the cars behind you.

[Mar1cus]

Morning smallcar!

 

Thanks for your input. Yes, I can see why others will believe that I beat the red light.

 

I would like some inputs on what constitutes beating of red light. I do know that crossing the stop line after the red light has displayed constitutes a traffic offence. However, if I were in the junction already, when the lights turned red, what I was taught in school was to clear the junction and not obstruct traffic from the other lanes. I would suppose this is similar to any vehicles making a right turn at the junction where if the junction lights turned red, they had to clear the junction as well. Unless I'm mistaken and everyone has been committing a traffic offence by clearing the junction on red

[smallcar]

Morning smallcar!

 

Thanks for your input. Yes, I can see why others will believe that I beat the red light.

 

I would like some inputs on what constitutes beating of red light. I do know that crossing the stop line after the red light has displayed constitutes a traffic offence. However, if I were in the junction already, when the lights turned red, what I was taught in school was to clear the junction and not obstruct traffic from the other lanes. I would suppose this is similar to any vehicles making a right turn at the junction where if the junction lights turned red, they had to clear the junction as well. Unless I'm mistaken and everyone has been committing a traffic offence by clearing the junction on red

 

Wrong. U clear u take the risk to kill motorcyclist on the road. U stay put u will not risk killing others. By the book is dead facts, use your brain when you are on the road. I nearly got killed just now at UBI area where one white civic did the same thing as you mentioned. I was turning right on green arrow and he came straight after cars behind want to turn left and he is blocking the lane. Please dun risk motorcyclist life by doing this. U can get ppl killed.

[Mar1cus]

Hi smallcar,

 

Thank you for your reply. In my situation, I did check to make sure oncoming was clear i.e. no cars present in the oncoming lane before proceeding across the junction. I'm sorry for your experience and can understand where you are coming from. Was the civic behind the stop line when he performed that maneuver or was the driver already waiting in the junction passed the stop line like in my situation?

Edited August 8, 2016 by Mar1cus
Rephrased question

[smallcar]

Hi smallcar,

 

Thank you for your reply. In my situation, I did check to make sure oncoming was clear i.e. no cars present in the oncoming lane before proceeding across the junction. I'm sorry for your experience and can understand where you are coming from. Was the civic behind the stop line when he performed that maneuver or was the driver already waiting in the junction passed the stop line like in my situation?

 

I have no time to see all these. By the time i going right behind a lorry ( with green right turn arrow ). The ******* coming straight to me. I jam by brake and when both of us stop. His car bumper was 6 inch from my right leg. Please do not do that again. Even there is no car or motorcycle, you are beating red light by going straight. IF you are caught stationary crossing stop line, u still can explain to TP that you are caught in this situation. But if you cross the junction, no need to explain. You are endangering other road users.

[Mar1cus]

Thank you once again for your inputs in this smallcar. You have been most helpful.

 

Anyways, at the start of this post, I have submitted this incident to the Traffic Police department for their comments. Hopefully I will receive their reply in a few days and update everyone on the outcome.

[smallcar]

Hahahaha, so you are telling TP that u are crossing the junction when straight direction is RED light? Good Luck. I would seriously advise you on this judgement call, just stay put and dun give a **** on the cars behind. When a lane which have both turn right n straight, u better stop even when green turn right arrow been shown. Bcos opp direction will have cars / motorcycle turning to their right too when right arrow shown.

[Mar1cus]

Hi smallcar,

 

Like you I take the roads seriously hence I posted this question. If what I did was wrong, I am willing to face the consequence for it.

 

I understand the traffic flow in sg roads. Which is why even when the cars were honking their horns behind me (including an ambulance with it's sirens on) when the right turn arrow appeared, I didn't move off until I could see that the oncoming traffic was clear before moving off.

 

If I was still behind the stop line, of course I wouldn't have proceeded across the junction because it would constitute failure to conform to traffic signals (i.e. beating red light).

[Mar1cus]

Hi all,

 

SPF Traffic Police has replied to my query. Their reply as follows:

 

Dear Marcus,

 

 

 

Thank you for getting back to us.

 

 

 

2 Please be informed that the vehicle failing to switch on signal and causing you to stop beyond the stop line. It is an offence for both parties.

 

 

 

3 Once again, Thank you for engaging Traffic Police. Have a pleasant week ahead and Happy Nation Day to you.

 

 

There was no mention of offence for my clearing the junction on red. My offence in this according to them was that my movement was impeded by the front vehicle in front and thus had to stop beyond the stop line.

 

I have replied to them requesting for a response regarding the clearance of junction on a red light.

[smallcar]

Hi all,

 

SPF Traffic Police has replied to my query. Their reply as follows:

 

Dear Marcus,

 

 

 

Thank you for getting back to us.

 

 

 

2 Please be informed that the vehicle failing to switch on signal and causing you to stop beyond the stop line. It is an offence for both parties.

 

 

 

3 Once again, Thank you for engaging Traffic Police. Have a pleasant week ahead and Happy Nation Day to you.

 

 

There was no mention of offence for my clearing the junction on red. My offence in this according to them was that my movement was impeded by the front vehicle in front and thus had to stop beyond the stop line.

 

I have replied to them requesting for a response regarding the clearance of junction on a red light.

 

 

From my Pov

 

1) front vehicle failure of showing signal of his intention of turning right ( S$ 70.00 fine )

2) As for you failure to stop before stop line is the same as beating red light ( S$ fine / 12 points )

3) Clearing of junction on red light ( Dangerous driving / fine and 12 points )

 

If everything going to go law by law, you can kiss you licence good bye. Just my 2 cent. Drive safe. Already caught yourself in a unfavourable position by following a ******* which does not signal. Dun commit another bigger offence by dangerously clearing the junction when you are on red. And please do not insist that you have checked all traffic is clear and you are safe to cross the junction on red. Its the same example of you stealing when no one is watching. hahahahha. Take it as a lesson mate. Good that you discuss on forum when you dun seem to understand. I respect people like you.

[Mar1cus]

Hi everyone!

 

So I received the reply from SPF Traffic Police. Their reply as follows:

 

Dear Marcus,

 

 

 

My name is Efran, Head Service Quality for Traffic Police. Please allow me to clarify on the advice which was provided to you by my colleague, Sharon. Thank you for sharing with us your encounter and for your initiative in engaging Traffic Police to clarify on the matter.

 

 

 

2 As the query you have raised with regards to the offences that could be involved is of an investigative nature, while the failure to signal or to stop behind the stop line is a traffic offence per se, it may not be entirely appropriate for us at this point to advise you directly on what offences have been committed on sole basis of the information you have shared with us. However, in the interest road safety, we will like to advise that vehicles which are of the intention to turn either left/right, should always signal their intention early to warn other motorists. Motorists should at all times anticipate the actions of other motorists and react in a safe manner. Hope this clarifies further. Should you require any further assistance from Traffic Police, you can write in to [email protected] and we will do our best to assist you. Thank you.

 

 

Thank you smallcar for your advice. I will bear that in mind the next time I find myself in a similar situation.

 

Have a good day and ride safe everyone!

[smallcar]

Thank you smallcar for your advice. I will bear that in mind the next time I find myself in a similar situation.

 

Have a good day and ride safe everyone!

 

Stready. Thanks for making our roads safer.