Mazda 3 - confusing filter lights

Honest John Back Room » Legal matters
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Sat 6 Apr 2024 13:54
Mazda 3 - confusing filter lights - johnmazda

I was at this junction here - www.google.com/maps/@51.464492,-0.1621748,3a,75y,6...u

and was turning right. As you can see the filter lights are on green for those turning left and going straight ahead. If you are turning right do you have stop at the first stop line so basically as per normal and not go past the lights or is it ok to stop by the right turn just a little further ahead?

I assume the latter is ok, as I approached this junction quite a few cars had gone further ahead and stopped by the right hand turn bit and then when I did it, the car behind me followed suit as well. But just a little confusing as obviously there's a red light there so technically should you wait and only go when it turns completely green ??

Edited by johnmazda on 06/04/2024 at 13:58

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 6 Apr 2024 14:49
Mazda 3 - confusing filter lights - leaseman

You went through a red light, which is an offence, would be my reading.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 6 Apr 2024 16:11
Mazda 3 - confusing filter lights - johnmazda

I've gone back to the spot and watched this junction for the last 30 mins or so. I would say half the cars turning right like I was, go up to the right hand arrow further ahead and the rest are staying back. So clearly I'm not the only one confused by this.

I would have thought you could go up to it as that's what the arrow and the line is there for, surely? Otherwise why not just leave the area blank with no signs?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 6 Apr 2024 16:35
Mazda 3 - confusing filter lights - skidpan

Its clear to me you need more tuition. Best do it now before you loose your license.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 6 Apr 2024 16:53
Mazda 3 - confusing filter lights - johnmazda

Its clear to me you need more tuition. Best do it now before you loose your license.

In that case so do the 30 or so drivers I just saw do exactly the same thing as I did!

Clearly I was confused by the right hand arrow with the line above it. Usually that means you can go up to it and as I said when I was approaching these lights there were three other cars who were further ahead past the lights so naturally I thought I could do the same.

It's not like there are any cameras on this street, otherwise it would literally by flashing every few mins

Edited by johnmazda on 06/04/2024 at 16:53

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 6 Apr 2024 17:48
Mazda 3 - confusing filter lights - johnmazda

Believe me I am not happy with myself about this. I do pride myself with being a safe, decent driver and as a result I never speed always good with my observations etc. So am I annoyed that I've messed up here, even if it appears that so many other drivers were making the same mistake.

To be clear, I was not intending to jump the lights. I was approaching the lights there were four other cars all ahead at the right arrow box beyond the lights, with the main light on red and filter lights on green. It went red so I stopped well before the stop line. Then when the filter lights went green and the traffic started moving to my left I think I naturally started moving towards the right arrow box waiting to turn right. This is afterall what you can do in every other similar situation with nearside to nearside turning at lights, so I think that's the reason behind why I went.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 6 Apr 2024 17:56
Mazda 3 - confusing filter lights - Xileno

Put it down to experience - at least there doesn't appear to be a camera that zapped you. The white van is where you should have stopped - if you spin the image around.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 6 Apr 2024 18:26
Mazda 3 - confusing filter lights - johnmazda

If you look at this screenshot from that same junction on a different day (I'm assuming) - www.google.com/maps/@51.4644419,-0.1624928,3a,75y,...u

You'll see there's another van that went past the stop line and waited at the right hand turn.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 6 Apr 2024 19:07
Mazda 3 - confusing filter lights - FP

Just to be clear: if you were caught passing a stop line on a red light, it would be no good arguing that "lots of other people were doing it".

Edited by FP on 06/04/2024 at 19:08

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 6 Apr 2024 19:11
Mazda 3 - confusing filter lights - Adampr

That's a pretty stupid crossing set up. However, given that there are green lights for left and straight ahead, it is evident that the red light is for people turning right.

As this is London, a lot of people probably go down the left lane on green, then cut across the right lane to turn. I'm not suggesting you do that, but it would be typical behaviour

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 6 Apr 2024 19:28
Mazda 3 - confusing filter lights - johnmazda

Just to be clear: if you were caught passing a stop line on a red light, it would be no good arguing that "lots of other people were doing it".

I understand yes, of course. It's not a valid excuse. I was just saying that because I've never been to this junction before and whenever I've encountered a nearside to nearside crossing, you can always continue on when traffic to your left is going too. So seeing the cars in front going ahead I thought it would be fine to do this also which is what I would get to argue if caught. I'm sure the other drivers, who most likely have more experience than my year and a bit of driving, who did what I did, probably knew they should have stopped but carried on because well... London drivers. Myself on the other hand get paranoid if I go 1mph over the speed limit. You can probably tell with how I'm reacting on this thread to start with.

Edited by johnmazda on 06/04/2024 at 19:30

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 6 Apr 2024 19:58
Mazda 3 - confusing filter lights - Middleman

If you cross that stop line to turn right whilst only the ahead and left filters are illuminated you have crossed it on red. What you suggest are "stop" lines further along are simply lines to guide those turning right to pass nearside to nearside.

I have to say that it seems a very strangely designed junction and I don't actually see the point of the two filters. Since there is no "right turn" filter, the only time drivers can proceed to turn right is when the normal green light is illuminated, at the time when everybody else can cross. I can't really see the point of restricting those turning right to just a short period.

Perhaps I'm missing something.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 6 Apr 2024 20:18
Mazda 3 - confusing filter lights - johnmazda

If you cross that stop line to turn right whilst only the ahead and left filters are illuminated you have crossed it on red. What you suggest are "stop" lines further along are simply lines to guide those turning right to pass nearside to nearside.

I have to say that it seems a very strangely designed junction and I don't actually see the point of the two filters. Since there is no "right turn" filter, the only time drivers can proceed to turn right is when the normal green light is illuminated, at the time when everybody else can cross. I can't really see the point of restricting those turning right to just a short period.

Perhaps I'm missing something.

Yes that's what I noticed in my observation too, basically the main green light only turns on for about 5-7 secs which in my mind is not only pointless but potentially dangerous because you could end up being stuck in the middle of that junction by the time it turns red and cars in the other direction start moving. To make it even more bizarre, the crossing on the opposite side has the exact same set up but with no filter lights.

So I agree there's no point to the filter lights, infact they might do more harm than good.

Edited by johnmazda on 06/04/2024 at 20:25

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 10 Apr 2024 19:00
Mazda 3 - confusing filter lights - Manatee

It's a red light. Unless you are going straight on or left. No argument IMO.

But I do think the people who design these things might not understand it themselves in some cases.

Here for example they are using a filter arrow to indicate the the oncoming traffic is on red. Before this filter comes on, there's just a green light. No red. And one can of course turn right regardless of the filter, if the way is clear.

www.google.com/maps/@51.815033,-0.7904856,3a,37.5y...u

That's not a filter in my book. It's not required to give permission to turn right. I waiting was behind someone there recently who could have proceeded, and me too, but he wouldn't cross the line onto the junction until the filter came on.

Of course it could be me. It wouldn't be impossible that I need re-training.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 15 Apr 2024 17:21
Mazda 3 - confusing filter lights - focussed

When approaching and dealing with any TL's remember that a green filter arrow allows the driver to proceed, if safe, in the direction of the green arrow whatever other lights are showing.

www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/light-signals...c

"A GREEN ARROW may be provided in addition to the full green signal if movement in a certain direction is allowed before or after the full green phase. If the way is clear you may go but only in the direction shown by the arrow. You may do this whatever other lights may be showing"

The highway code is there for your guidance, so stop using the Myway code.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link