A trivial question that's niggling me

[helgasdogs]

Hi there. I’m wondering, if you’re driving late at night, and stop at a set of traffic lights which are taking a very long time to turn green, and there’re absolutely no other vehicles or pedestrians around you, is it a sin to drive on through the red light?

 

[LilyM]

Hi there. I’m wondering, if you’re driving late at night, and stop at a set of traffic lights which are taking a very long time to turn green, and there’re absolutely no other vehicles or pedestrians around you, is it a sin to drive on through the red light?

Depends on how late you are to get wherever you’re going

No, seriously, the general rule is that we are to obey the laws of our country unless the law itself obliges us to sin. This is true even if not all laws are particularly sensible or convenient.

That’s my shortish answer, others may have a longer one.

 

[kleary]

Hi there. I’m wondering, if you’re driving late at night, and stop at a set of traffic lights which are taking a very long time to turn green, and there’re absolutely no other vehicles or pedestrians around you, is it a sin to drive on through the red light?

Well… as it is late at night the traffic lights do not change unless the pressure sensor underneath the asphalt is triggered by adequate weight.

And if you are driving a motorcycle, well the sensors do not detect your presence at the light so the light will not change until the sensor is triggered or you get off the bike to press the button on the street corner.

Then again the sensor could be broken.

It is a grey area to discuss, the same with going over the speed limit since many laws are not just passed for the safety of others but for the income of the city…an huge example is the Atlantic City Expressway. When it was built the speed limit was 75 MPH. Back in the '80’s it was lowered to 55 and now it is 65. The State Police will not pull over cars going less than 80 MPH going straight or less than 75 MPH and changing lanes.

Ken

 

[Lady_Cygnus]

Hi there. I’m wondering, if you’re driving late at night, and stop at a set of traffic lights which are taking a very long time to turn green, and there’re absolutely no other vehicles or pedestrians around you, is it a sin to drive on through the red light?

Well, I’ve had this happen to me before. I pulled up to a light and waited, and waited…and waited. It was 3am and I wanted to get home, but I’m pretty picky about obeying the laws. I eventually went through the light, but I’m pretty sure the sensor was broken.

There was another stoplight in that same town that only turned green once every 10 mintues or so late at ngiht - it was on a timer. I eventually learned to avoid that light and turn at the next one.

Honestly, I don’t think it is a sin if you’ve waited an appropriate amount of time for the light to turn, if the sensor is broken (or off) it’s off and you can’t wait at the light until they fix it - that would be obstructing traffic

 

[CollegeKid]

If you’ve been sitting there awhile and its obviously not going to change, just run it.

 

[CarolAnnSFO]

Here’s how to legally go through the red light, but it only works if right-turn-on-red is legal where you’re driving.

1. After stopping, make a right turn on the red light. Then, make a three-point turn on the street you’ve just turned into (first make sure no traffic is coming, of course).
2. You can now turn right at that same intersection (the light will be green, if it still hasn’t changed) – you’ll be going in your original direction, but you will have gotten through the intersection.

I wouldn’t recommend this in the middle of the day, but it’s generally no problem at 3:00 AM.

 

[Teakafrog]

Well… as it is late at night the traffic lights do not change unless the pressure sensor underneath the asphalt is triggered by adequate weight.
And if you are driving a motorcycle, well the sensors do not detect your presence at the light so the light will not change until the sensor is triggered or you get off the bike to press the button on the street corner.
Ken

I’ve had this happen more than once on my little motorcycle. If it is safe, I just go. It will NOT change just for one motorcycle. And who knows how long you’d have to sit there until a car came up behind you and triggered it?

 

[Texas_Roofer]

I do not think it is a sin because you would not be violating God’s instructions ( same for speeding). Actually I would warn you about those who claim every thing you do must be cleared by them as a sin or not. Ultimately you answer for your action not them.

 

[LeahInancsi]

At most, it would be a venial sin. Just say a prayer asking God for forgiveness. He’ll understand.

 

[JimG]

To paraphrase Jesus, red lights are made for man, not man for red lights.

 

[Bruised_Reed]

If you are on a motorcycle you may legally procede after a certain amount of time anytime of day (not sure if this is true in every state - I’ll check). I’m sure there have been drivers behind me that were upset because they thought I broke the law but they might’ve been more upset if we waited and waited and waited…

 

[Benedictus]

Well… as it is late at night the traffic lights do not change unless the pressure sensor underneath the asphalt is triggered by adequate weight.

Well, it is not exactly a pressure sensor. It’s more like a metal detector. There’s a coil of wire burried under the road. When a car drives over, the current in the wire changes. You can often tell where the coil is because there is often a rectangular cut in the pavement where they buried the coil.

 

[Loren_1of6]

You can choose to follow the letter of the law or the spirit of the law. The law was written to reduce traffic accidents. If you have ascertained that you will not cause an accident by running the light, you are following the spirit of the law.

 

[leonie]

There was once a no turn on red light that used to drive me crazy when I went to my 3am Adoration Hour. Finally, I decided to pray an Our Father and sit through the light as a mortification–penance for my many sins.

 

[SeekerJen]

Hi there. I’m wondering, if you’re driving late at night, and stop at a set of traffic lights which are taking a very long time to turn green, and there’re absolutely no other vehicles or pedestrians around you, is it a sin to drive on through the red light?

A lot of it depends on my surroundings. I spent two years as an undergrad at a Detroit university, and then another 5 years working in Detroit. Often I would end up needing to drive through rather unsavory neighborhoods late at night to get home. On those occasions, I would make a stop at the red light, but unless there was cross-traffic, it would be a cursory stop and I would then drive through. No point being a sitting duck.

 

[Victorious]

Hi there. I’m wondering, if you’re driving late at night, and stop at a set of traffic lights which are taking a very long time to turn green, and there’re absolutely no other vehicles or pedestrians around you, is it a sin to drive on through the red light?

We have a maxim in the law: The law does not require absurd results.

Of course, this principle is completely vacated when it comes to the tax code.

 

[thechrismyster]

criminal is not always sinful. sinful is not always criminal.

 

[wjp984]

while I speed and break the traffic lawa on a consisten basis, I am very hesitant to run a red light even at that hour. It is a huge ticket if caught, I think double that of speeding. Also, there are now cameras on several intersections now. Finally, the cops are still out there especially at that time to catch drunk drivers. With no one on the road they probably can spot you a mile away easily if not more and then catch up to you and give you a ticket. Just find the street that is the busy one where all the lights are green.

 

[CarolAnnSFO]

There was once a no turn on red light that used to drive me crazy when I went to my 3am Adoration Hour. Finally, I decided to pray an Our Father and sit through the light as a mortification–penance for my many sins.

If the red light only lasts for the length of an “Our Father”, then it’s not so bad.

Now, when you can get through half the Rosary before the light turns green, it may be time to find a new route.

I’m thankful that there are no traffic signals between my house and the church (it’s only six blocks away), so I don’t get hung up while on my way to my 2:00 AM adoration hour.

 

[moira]

To paraphrase Jesus, red lights are made for man, not man for red lights.

This is the best answer yet!