Jumping a Traffic Light !!

Hi harshuch,

What you heard is correct. Jumping a red light is a serious offence indeed. Thats why when the light changes to amber you are advised to slow down and not speed up. If caught by any of the cops in uniform or without you could well get hauled in to cool your heels for a couple of days. Plus, there is the hefty fine, but they do not confiscate your licence, unless you make it a habit of jumping the red light whenever an opportunity presents itself !

Yes, many drivers (both locals, as well as expatriates) are very impatient and would honk, flash their headlights and sometimes even gesture with their hands demonstrating their displeasure if you stop on seeing the traffic lights turn amber. My advice is just ignore these idiots. By waiting at the signal for a minute or two is not really going to make any difference whatsoever. But jumping might result in very serious repercussions.

Also, always make it a point to signal to the vehicle behind you that you are planning to stop at the signal by switching on your hazard lights, so the vehicle behind you is aware of your intention to stop at the signal. I always do it and believe me you would be wiser and safer for doing it.

Take care and drive safe.

Thanks Sumitran,

That's I guess is a very important piece of information to know about.

I have seen people jumping the signal near Qurum city centre multiple times now. The camera would flash and take a picture and there is no ROP official on the scene. How would that work in terms of fine. Do these people get to sit behind bars when they go for re-registration of their vehicle ?

Regards,
Harshit

Hi Harshit,

Only if there is an official witness at the scene of the incident would the said penalty be imposed. But you must also be aware that besides patrolling police vehicles, the roads of Oman are also monitored extensively by unmarked and un-uniformed cops. They could be taxis, or even regular sedans driven by Omanis and they could be undercover cops who can stop you in case you are seen to be violating any of the road rules.

It is better to drive safe than be sorry afterwards. Defensive driving is every drivers duty and responsibility. In a country like Oman, driving safe is of paramount importance given the rash driving that largely takes place perhaps because the roads are so good and the temptation to over speed is hard to resist more so, if you are behind the wheels of one of those powerful beasts !

Sumitran,

I understand the importance of driving carefully on the road to make life safer for me as well as others out there. I feel much more safe on these roads as compared to some other countries.

By the way of this discussion I am just trying to see how the system works as I cannot get this information on the web. So best is to get info from collective knowledge of many people.

What I don't understand now is what is the use of the cameras on the signals as somebody who jumps a signal will not be going to face the penalty immediately and the person may or may not get the punishment depending on the availability of the cops at the signal.

I remember of memory that one guy who misinterpreted the "straight" green light and turned left, (left was "red"), came so close to hitting the car coming from other side. Don't know how the system works there.


Regards,
Harshit

Hi Harshit,

The reason the cameras are placed at almost every single signal of importance, as well as all along the highway, expressway, and all important roads in Muscat is to catch the offenders red-handed.

I will tell you how it works. When someone is caught over speeding, or jumping the signal, the camera gets activated and the image is captured. If you log on to the ROP website and provide details of your vehicle, you can see the violations committed against your vehicle.

When you take your vehicle for renewal of registration, you will be given a list of fines to be paid for all the violations accumulated against your vehicle. If you choose to contest any of these fines, then you will provided with the evidence of the pictures taken by these cameras. The charge for producing documentary evidence used to be R.O. 20 per picture. I do not know what the fee is now. The picture will show your vehicle, the registration number and the date and time the image was taken. So theres no getting away. I am told many times, violators dispute their fines especially when the amount is high, in a dim-witted bid to evade paying it. So the camera is there for providing the clinching documentary evidence.

Unfortunately, if there is a patrol vehicle or plainclothes policemen in the vicinity that notices you committing the misdemeanour then there is no need for any documentary evidence. The word of the cop (overt and covert) is considered as final, unless of course you want to take the matter to the court in which case it is time consuming, laborious and almost always futile. More so, if the offender is a non-Arabic speaking expatriate.

While on the subject, I must also tell you that if at all, god forbid, you are involved in any sort of road accident with the other vehicle driver being an Arabic speaker, then the odds are already stacked up against you. Be aware that most cops do not speak English (even if they can understand a bit, they cannot respond to you in English) and they would simply go with what the Arabic speaker says even though he might be the one to have done the mistake. Sadly thats how the system works.

The moral of the story is, take upon yourself the onus of driving safe and defensive while on the roads in the Sultanate.

Thanks for the comprehensive details of the process Sumitaran !!

Hi,

I was driving near Ruwi and just crossed the Zebra line and stopped. I was in a speed of 10 km and I was very slow and didn't notice the signal. Since I was very slow I just stopped the vehicle and reversed back to the correct stopping position. Then soon after the red light changed to green  I moved forward. There was no camera flash from the camera and I didn't drive away in the red signal. In this situation any penalty can be imposed.

Regards
RK

Hi,

during june 25th 2017 , before the eid holiday started i was in and around november 18th street searching for a location , it was often a busy day and people were rushing , it happend i was so confused and crossed where no vehicle were moving , and there was a flash , then i realised i crossed signal and immediate some vehicles followed my vehicle in another 1 minutes... immediately i informed my boss who is omani to check on this as i was driving company vehicle . he said if its true then we will be informed . After that he had gone for some work on car related , he got details on speed on other vehicles and not on mine , he said it might have not happened . after i have checked for 2 to 3 times they said no updates i kept quite. today my boss is calling me and saying i have a fine ,which i agreed to pay but the other person who is going to pay my fine is telling that chances of jail. i am worried as i cannot ask him clearly as he does not understand english, i have no offences on traffic even the speed till now except this . so what may be the consiquences . as i have read for first timesrs ladies there might be excuse ,please advise at the earliest.

Hi deemonisha,

Please do not copy, paste your same post across different topics, please.

I have just replied to your same post elsewhere.

Hi,

I jumped the signal for as I was making an about turn and din not realize the second signal was not on.
As this is my second offence Please inform the penalty and quantum of fine.

Thanks,

Az

Hi. What happened to your case...

Nothing so far . No fine registered pray I don’t get the fine.

Did you check ROP seeb?

No why Rop seeb

Maybe its registered and not being shown on website

What happen to your case?

Did you jump?

Is there a person who can help incase you had this violation?

24 hours inside with 50 RO fine

Where to go for inquiry?

At the time of car renewal they will tell you. If its first time theyvmayblet you go or your vehicle will be there for two weeks.
You can go and check ROP seeb directly.

fine still not appearing on the website.hoping it does not show.As in the past too one fine never showed.

It happen last night to me at qurom.. what would i do?

Wait for it to show on your license and then visit ROP

Oh? Is it okay if i will inform theme about my violation tomorrow?

Normally it takes a week or more to update in their system so even if you go to them n it is not recorded or updated they will ask you to wait until it appears. You know there is a fine of OMR 50.000 for jumping red light n 2 days in jail so don’t hurry for your term.

Any update?