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My very 1st PCN arrived today     

Do you think guys I can walk free from this? please kindly help me




I would like to respectfully explain the circumstances leading to the brief moment when my vehicle came to a stop on the yellow box junction. As shown in the CCTV footage, my car was displaying an ‘L’ plate, as I am a recently qualified driver and still building confidence and experience on the road.

On the day in question, traffic ahead of me appeared to be flowing steadily, and I entered the junction in good faith, believing there was sufficient space on the far side for my vehicle to clear it without stopping. However, due to a brief and unforeseen hesitation by a vehicle in front of me, I found myself momentarily stalled within the yellow box. I immediately took action to move forward as soon as it was safe to do so.

The CCTV footage shows that my car remained within the box for only a few seconds and, crucially, did not obstruct any cross-traffic or affect the flow of vehicles through the junction. I understand the importance of the rules regarding yellow box junctions and have taken this experience as a serious learning moment.

Given the circumstances—including my new driver status, the brief duration of the stop, and the fact that no obstruction occurred—I respectfully request that you consider exercising discretion and cancel this PCN.

Thank you for your time and understanding.



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Sorry, narrativa made by chat gpt. Maybe not that accurate. Thank you for your help. Fact was I didn’t know what I was doing or what to do

Hi Melbe, thanks for the PM.

So, I agree with Incandescent's summary. Your best (only?) defence against the contravention itself is to justify that you entered the box travelling at a low enough speed that you would realistically have had a clear exit by the time you got to the other side.  But that the motorcyclist then didn't give way to you and  entered the box in front of you after you had entered it, forcing you to stop. You then stay in the box for an extended time due to stalling (but this is a bit of a red herring as once the red car moves off you are no longer in contravention and can stay in the box as long as you like!).

I've undertaken some measurements which do support this line of argument.  The box is just over 10 metres long (about 10.2 metres). The period between you entering and the red car moving off is 8 seconds. So, you could have crossed at an average speed of just under 1.3 metres per second (2.85 miles per hour, i.e. walking pace).

At the point you actually stop, you had travelled 4 metres into the box, in slightly over 3 seconds, which is consistent with this speed.

You would have had to cover the remaining 6 metres in no more than 5 seconds (1.2 metres per second), which is definitely doable and consistent with your average speed up to the point you stopped.

So, you can put together a coherent defence that by continuing across at broadly the same average speed you were travelling (until forced to stop by the motorcyclist who did not give way to you as obliged to do) you would have had a clear exit by the time you reached the other side. You can support this with accurate measurements. You may also reference your recent qualifying status which contributed to you not predicting the likely actions of the motorcyclist who would have seen you slowing down and acted on this.

However, Croydon will reject this (they want your money, and - like all councils - are staffed by people who don't understand the law and think any stop = contravention). I don't know if they are a council who reoffer the discount at this point or not.  Your choice will then either be to pay up or take it to the tribunal where you have a chance of winning (I don't know what chance).

I'm happy to draft something for you along the lines of my previous post.  Might be a few days though but won't miss the deadline.

Give way marking
7.  The requirements conveyed to vehicular traffic on roads by a road marking provided for at item 3 of the sign table in Part 6 of this Schedule [which applies to traffic in the side road] are—

(a)except as provided in paragraphs (b) to (d), that no vehicle may proceed past the transverse line which is the nearer to the major road into that road in a manner or at a time likely to endanger the driver of, or any passenger in, a vehicle on the major road or to cause the driver of such a vehicle to change its speed or course in order to avoid an accident;

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/362/schedule/9

IMO, you entered and stopped due to the presence of vehicles which were breaking the law!

Good that you mentioned this.

Either the representations need to be sent by your father (or by you but in his name with his blessing) or else by you with a separate confirmation of his approval.

Which option does he prefer?

I'm happy to draft something for you along the lines of my previous post.  Might be a few days though but won't miss the deadline.

Please help me as deadline is today

Yep I’ll definitely submit this evening, thanks mr chips