Flashing Yellow Light, Police Officer and Pedestrian at a Junction
Ravi is driving a manual car at 40 km/h on a two-lane road approaching a four-way junction. The traffic lights are flashing yellow because of a power failure. A police officer is standing in the middle of the junction, facing Ravi's direction, with his right arm raised and palm facing Ravi. At the same time, a pedestrian steps onto the zebra crossing on Ravi's left, and a motorcycle behind Ravi starts to overtake on the left. Ravi wants to turn right. The road is wet and visibility is reduced by rain. He is late for an appointment and considers accelerating to clear the junction before the pedestrian crosses. He has a valid licence and the car's brakes were serviced last month.
1. What is the correct order of priority among the police officer, the flashing yellow light, the pedestrian and the overtaking motorcycle? Explain what Ravi must do.
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The police officer's directions override traffic lights, signs and markings. The flashing yellow light means proceed with caution, yield to pedestrians and cross traffic, but it does not override the officer. The pedestrian on the zebra crossing has right of way once on the crossing, so Ravi must stop and give way. The motorcycle overtaking on the left is a hazard; Ravi must not move left or accelerate. The correct order is: officer first, then the pedestrian's right of way, then the general rules. Ravi should stop before the crossing, ignore the temptation to turn right, and wait until the officer signals him to proceed and the crossing is clear.
2. What does the officer's signal mean, and how should Ravi respond?
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A police officer facing Ravi with the right arm raised and palm facing Ravi is giving a stop signal for traffic approaching from that direction. Ravi must stop before the junction and before the zebra crossing. He should not edge forward, turn right, or try to interpret the flashing yellow light as permission to continue. He should watch the officer's other signals and proceed only when the officer clearly waves him on. If the officer's signal conflicts with the light, the officer's signal governs.
3. Evaluate Ravi's thought to accelerate. What are the legal and safety consequences?
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Accelerating would be both unsafe and unlawful. It would mean failing to obey a police officer, failing to give way to a pedestrian on a crossing, and driving without due care in wet conditions. The motorcycle overtaking on the left may be in his blind spot, and accelerating could cause a collision or force the motorcycle into the pedestrian. Being late is not a legal excuse. The correct action is to stop, wait for the officer and the pedestrian, and then proceed cautiously. If an accident occurred, his speed and disregard of the signals would be strongly against him.