Driving in France, red light flashing

[Mark_G]

I have just returned from France and I am not sure if I made a mistake or not, your advice would be appreciated.

In town, on a long sweeping S bend is a set of traffic lights, before the bend starts there is a single flashing amber light ( at each end of the S) the traffic lights are right in the middle of the S. Whenever I have driven on this road the single amber has flashed, I approach with caution and always found the traffic lights green. The last time I travelled on the road the flashing light was red at the start of the S, I slowed and the French car behind sounded their horn, so I went through, to find the traffic lights on green as usual. The French car followed me through. Now a single amber flashing light is used on bends, to warn of the bend and to take care, ( proceed with caution) a flashing red is used at railway crossings to tell you to stop.

Did I get intimidated by a French driver into jumping a light. If so why did he follow me through? Can anyone explain why the amber flashing light was on this one occasion red?

 

[Yerman]

Ils sont fous les Francais

 

[USER1999]

I thought most rules in France were optional, a bit like Italy.

 

[Yerman]

I think they have the same rule as everywhere else....Don't get caught.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Thought a flashing red was a give way ?

Or might be like Cyprus where it's not compulsory to stop at red lights

 

[Mark_G]

So far I have been told I could have been speeding, which I wasn't! There may have been a fire station or railway crossing, which there wasn't! I have even contacted french people and they don't know lol. So what hope do you have.

 

[SocketRocket]

Was this in the daytime or evening? I know that many EU countries late at night flash amber lights at junctions to main roads to say 'Give way' and the main road stays green. Not sure what a flashing red is for.