I have been running a lot of redlights lately

[DataDan]

I always stop and check if it is safe to run it (I treat them like stopsigns) and I never do it in heavy traffic. Mostly just on side streets where no one is around. Late at night or early AM. I get some funny looks from drivers when I do it.

I just feel so sheepish waiting at a light where no one else is in sight. Like if the light censor sees a car and trips the light, but the guy just turns right on red anyway and your stuck waiting with no one there? why bother, just go.

I was originally from a hardcore conservative area where cops partoled relentlessly and you could not get away with this. Now I live in a liberal area and I never see people getting pulled over for basic traffic violations (they are too busy with accidents and real crime here i guess)

Anyone else do this, or am I just nuts?

[matamagato]

Originally Posted by DataDan

I always stop and check if it is safe to run it (I treat them like stopsigns) and I never do it in heavy traffic. Mostly just on side streets where no one is around. Late at night or early AM. I get some funny looks from drivers when I do it.

I just feel so sheepish waiting at a light where no one else is in sight. Like if the light censor sees a car and trips the light, but the guy just turns right on red anyway and your stuck waiting with no one there? why bother, just go.

I was originally from a hardcore conservative area where cops partoled relentlessly and you could not get away with this. Now I live in a liberal area and I never see people getting pulled over for basic traffic violations (they are too busy with accidents and real crime here i guess)

Anyone else do this, or am I just nuts?

late at night is OK, i wouldnt try it during day time

[Colonel Smoothie]

Why are you in such a hurry? Just recite some annuity formulas in your head so that you don't waste time while waiting.

[Anthemyst]

I'm never in a hurry at times when it would be safe to run a red light, so what's the point? Getting home thirty seconds earlier isn't worth anything.

[vividox]

While I agree with your assessment that slow times of the day (night) result in ridiculously inefficient stop lights, I feel like making a habit out of running red lights (or treating them as stop signs) isn't a great reaction.

[tometom]

I've always thought about it, but never could get up the nerve to do it. With my luck the one time I decide to do it, the cop is sitting there watching and I've got myself a ticket.

Personally, it makes sense to me for a red light to just be the same as a stop sign. They should change the laws to reflect this.

[IMP]

we have cameras all over the place around here. you'd get busted every time.

[OddSox]

Originally Posted by Anthemyst

I'm never in a hurry at times when it would be safe to run a red light, so what's the point? Getting home thirty seconds earlier isn't worth anything.

Originally Posted by vividox

While I agree with your assessment that slow times of the day (night) result in ridiculously inefficient stop lights, I feel like making a habit out of running red lights (or treating them as stop signs) isn't a great reaction.

Originally Posted by tometom

With my luck the one time I decide to do it, the cop is sitting there watching and I've got myself a ticket.

agree with all quotes above, so downside > upside imo

[ADoubleDot]

i've done this several times. only at night and only when i am confident that NO ONE is watching me. your comment about funny looks from other drivers seems problamatic to me. if there are people around, its probably not safe to go. this situation is extremely rare though.

i was really hoping for a thread where you had just lost the will to live, or took up a career as a getaway driver for a heist company.

[vividox]

Originally Posted by tometom

I've always thought about it, but never could get up the nerve to do it. With my luck the one time I decide to do it, the cop is sitting there watching and I've got myself a ticket.

Personally, it makes sense to me for a red light to just be the same as a stop sign. They should change the laws to reflect this.

No need to change the laws, just need to change the lights. I've lived in many a places where the lights will change to blinking red (exactly the same as a stop sign) during certain times of the day.