Some traffic offenses are surprising, such as being able to be fined after crossing a green light.
You don’t do anything while driving a car. The long list of gestures and maneuvers reprimanded by the Highway Code reminds us of the extent to which a motorist has duties to have the right to drive a vehicle without risking a fine. But among the many offenses punishable by law, there are some that are unknown to a large majority of drivers. So much so that once caught on patrol, despite their good faith, they cannot escape a fine.
It is sometimes seen near traffic lights and roundabouts in major cities in France. During rush hour, when vehicles find themselves bumper to bumper, there are a few subtleties to know to avoid receiving bad news in your mailbox a few days later. You have probably already arrived at a traffic light but not been able to move forward due to traffic jams. The light is red, no problem, but what do you do when it turns green if you only have a small space in front of you with the car in front of you?
It’s a calculation to make but most of the time it is not recommended to start if you end up stopping five meters later. You then risk staying stuck for several minutes and cutting off the road for vehicles arriving on your left. This only makes the situation worse and you risk more than just a few pet names from disgruntled motorists. Indeed, the Highway Code stipulates that it is prohibited to enter an intersection in which the motorist may find himself blocked and obstruct traffic.
This means that you can receive a fine after going through a green light, or entering a roundabout after having taken care to give way. These two maneuvers, which are completely legal under normal circumstances, become prohibited if the driver risks blocking the lane even more at an intersection.
And don’t think it’s rare to get caught for this reason. The development of video surveillance in large cities makes it easier for law enforcement to report this behavior. This happened to more than 2,500 motorists in 2023 in Paris alone, 2,584 precisely according to Le Parisien. They certainly did not see the fine coming, yet it was 135 euros that they had to pay (90 if they complied within 15 days).