Red light means stop

Okay this has happened twice on my way to the Shaw metro. There is a green jeep with Maryland plates (M46something 46…)that keeps running through the light at 6th and R. Tuesday, he stopped at the red light and once I passed, he went right through it. Light was still red. Dude, the red light is not like a stop sign where you go after looking both ways, it means stop and stay stopped until the light turns green.
I’ve seen this reinterpretation of the red light at R and New Jersey too. When it happened I really wanted to scream to the on coming traffic “Hit Him!” A 1970s-ish car was sitting on R waiting to cross NJ, when he just. couldn’t. wait. no. more. and crossed despite still being red.
These are not matters of running red lights because it’s too late to stop, no these are cases where the drivers stop and decide that the wait is too long and they need to go through. It also could be a problem with R Street.
So if anyone gets into a car accident with a green jeep, Maryland tags, I’ll be your witness.

4 thoughts on “Red light means stop”

  1. Imagine living at 5th and T and having to cross that area every day. I discovered early on that red lights in Shaw and LeDroit are optional. Pedestrians beware.

  2. What is the big deal? If the light IS too long, and nobody is coming (vehicle or pedestrian), then why not go through it? I drive through this city every day, usually passing through all for sections and sometimes it seems to me that the lights are very poorly timed. Why not call public works and ask/tell them that many people are going through. They will either respond with a traffic camera, adjust the signal or more likely DO NOTHING. I am not an advocate for red light running but if there is no good reason for a delay then why have it?

  3. Don’t get me started.
    No the light is not terribly long but my main concern is that most drivers seem to lack the ability to see pedestrians, like me. Heck sometimes when I have the right of way with the little white light walking guy sign, drivers don’t see me. So they sure as heck won’t see me running down the sidewalk while I try to make the light.
    Here was the scenario, I’m walking down R going west when Green Jeep Jerk blows through Rhode Island (illeagal turn) and heads south on 6th. He needed to stop at the red light at 6th & R. I was crossing at 6th and R, I had the right of way, he didn’t. But in a jeep vs pedestrian world where Jeep guy only saw an empty 6th St before him, a pesky red light and no cars coming on R, am I supposed to be all cool and believe he bothered to check the sidewalk traffic? Hell no.
    In a city where drivers seem to want to run over me, these things are a big deal.

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