“Your convoy still has to stop at red lights.”
Presumed Arizona resident and Redditor /u/Haggie uploaded TeslaCam footage from Scottsdale to the /r/IdiotsInCars subreddit showing the harebrained decision by a pair of semi-truck drivers to blow through a red light as they headed to the Loop 101 on-ramp.
Check out his footage below.
The brief but frustrating incident happened at the intersection of N Scottsdale Rd and the Westbound 101 Loop on-ramp (Pima Freeway) (Exact location on Google Maps linked here.)
As OP’s footage shows, he’s stopped at the intersection with a motorcyclist and driver in a Toyota Camry in front of him.
A good three seconds after their light turns green, a semi-truck driver with trailer, who probably saw their light turn from green to yellow (prepare to stop), barrels through.
It’s common sense that semi-trucks take a long time to stop so, as a third party, I’d give them the benefit of the doubt and chalk that boneheaded maneuver to just a bad decision.
But then we see another semi-truck with trailer follow, running through what’s a red light that’s turned red several seconds ago.
We see the motorcyclist throw up his hands in confusion and just ride around the semi-truck.
“Second truck was probably too close to the first truck to see the light at all and was just hoping it was still green…. Unfortunately for them the first truck was already running the tail end of a yellow or start of the red. This is why you don’t enter the intersection if you can’t see the light, folks,” /u/StressOverStrain astutely pointed out.
“Were they wrong? Yep. Am I going to argue with them with a crotch rocket and a Corolla? (Toyota Camry) Nope.,” /y/fkwyman added.
“I was worried about the motorcyclist — if another car had been behind the truck, also forcing his way through the red light, that motorcyclist could well have been hit. I get his impatience with the trucks going through the red light, but when he acts on his impatience in that manner, he puts himself at risk,” /u/BogBabe replied.
Running a red light in Arizona is subject to a $250 fine plus up to two points on your insurance.
I’m sure neither driver intended to blow through a red light that day.
Hey, mistakes happen.
That’s why it’s a good idea to drive defensively and keep your head on a swivel.
Pro tip: 2 trucks does not a convoy make. Duh.