Please stop running red lights! (Fairfax: to live in, law, dangerous)

[tsuric]

Today was the third time I've seen someone run a red light at this intersection. (West ox road & Fair lakes Pkwy)

Oh when I mean run red light, I mean somebody crosses the line even two or more seconds after it changes to red. If by accident you cross the line a fraction of a second after it changes to red with intention of beating the yellow, fine. There is usually like a two or three second time period from the moment the light changes to red to the moment the next in line gets the green light.

W Ox Rd & Fair Lakes Pkwy, Sully, Fairfax, Virginia 22033 - Google Maps

The first time, I was turning left from fair lakes into west ox and I had the green arrow. I would have been hit had I not hesitated wondering why the explorer to my left suddenly stopped turning. I was in front of the line for turning left. There was someone speeding in my direction!

The second time, I was on foot and I saw someone run that red light again after the red light was up for like 2 seconds.

The third time, same situation as the first except I was not first in line but still had the green arrow when she ran through the red.

In all three situations, the driver ran the red light going straight.

Please, take a breath, RELAX, or someone is going to get hurt!!!! Or at least keep your eyes pointed forward. (not sure which one it is....)

[Bigfoot424]

The irony is something on here sometimes. There's a thread above this one asking if anyone ever gets warnings from the police. Of course they do but people are already ranting about revenue generation" on there. Some just don't see it as a safety issue. Take law enforcement away for 30 days and people running red lights and speeding at will becomes the norm.

[lqda4]

Until law enforcement actually enforces traffic law across the board, people have good reason to believe it's a revenue scam.

I am tired of the way a majority of people drive and behave here. It won't change unless LE does something about it.

(I have had my driver license for over 20 years with ZERO speeding ticket or traffic infraction)

[CapsChick]

I used to live in spitting distance of that intersection. No shortage of accidents there.

[CAVA1990]

Another bad habit people around here have is not stopping at every intersection when traffic lights are out. There seems to be some misperception that if you're on the main road (like route 1) you can just go through without stopping. This becomes evident after major storms when the power goes out.

[scottfs]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Another bad habit people around here have is not stopping at every intersection when traffic lights are out. There seems to be some misperception that if you're on the main road (like route 1) you can just go through without stopping. This becomes evident after major storms when the power goes out.

That's true, and in fact I've nearly been rear-ended many times attempting to follow the rules, in exactly this situation. Plenty of times I've had to get back on the gas and cautiously continue, because the person behind me was tailgaiting me with no intention of stopping.

[roninsedge]

This may have been one of the reasons that when traffic lights are out on Rte 1 in FFX they block off the turn lanes and you can only turn right off of Rte 1.

[Jayess1]

I've driven thru that intersection at least 1,000 times w/no problems. That being said, it's a fairly wide intersection, and could benefit from longer yellows & overlapping reds. Nah, that won't raise any $$$. Put a camera in & shorten the yellow = PROFIT!!

[brooklynborndad]

I justed note this the other day, several drivers running a red.

I think we need better education and enforcement.

Im sure some people might say that until drivers can learn to obey the law, cars do not belong on our roads. I find that POV extreme. The majority of drivers should not be penalized for the infractions of a few - and while its possible there are some kinds of infractions (like driving a couple of MPH over the speed limit) that most drivers engage in, we should sensibly distinguish between those and genuinely dangerous infractions.