Red Light Cameras

[iminlakerland]

Yes, you can. But the red light cameras are intended for those who are going straight through the intersection after the light has turned red or turning left when there's a left turn signal.

Actually many of the red light cameras now have the technology to catch those drivers who are making right hand turns on a red without coming to a complete stop. There are many of these cameras in the San fernando valley now. Careful while driving out there, i know people who have been hit with these tickets.

[Reilly]

$400

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

karmas a , huh?

[Steve Irwin]

karmas a , huh?

suck a

[phxspurfan]

I think these started in Phoenix, where I'm living right now. There was a big CNN.com article about them awhile back that stated the city of Scottsdale, AZ was making a killing off of them and so everyone started to install the cameras. They're attached to posts every square mile here, and they monitor speed as well as red light runners.

The cameras here are set to flash you if you do mroe than 11 mph over the posted speed (so people stay under 55 on the streets here). The intersections have a red stripe painted in parallel with the crosswalk about midway through the intersection. This way, if the camera snaps one of you blazing through, if your car is before the red line, that is grounds for a ticket to be made for you.

Issues with this:

1. In order for the ticket to be valid, a cop must issue the ticket in person to you. People get them in the mail, but really the law states that to get you to pay, the city has to send somebody to knock on your door and physically issue the citation. this, of course, has led to people not answering their doors on purpose. I've heard stories of cops threatening they have a warrant jus tto walk in and hand the person the ticket...

2. In order for the ticket to match to you, and thus be legal, the camera has to snap a picture of you driving the car and the license plate. Some people have done crazy things like flip the visor down so their face is shielded from the cameras as they drive past them, and spray coating on their plates to make them opaque enough to reflect the flash off the cameras and be too blurry to read. Also, there was a TV program (like pimp my ride or soemthing) where the guys designed a rotating license plate to swap when you roll by the cameras, so they take a pic of the wrong plate, or a message like 'haha suckers.'

I think people have made it too complicated. I mean, I used to like the aspect of the 'chase,' or strategic compe ion it used to take for cops to get you -- now it's automated. However, the cameras have made people slow their rolls on average, so I guess it saves lives and that's pretty cool. I just learned to ignore my radar detector when I roll by one of these cameras with always-on radar and drive no mroe than 7 over the posted limit.

[phxspurfan]

^^ I also have a coworker who swaps cars with his wife so he can just say he the pic isnt of him, the registered owner. He won't have to pay the ticket.

[Fabbs]

Also, there was a TV program (like pimp my ride or soemthing) where the guys designed a rotating license plate to swap when you roll by the cameras, so they take a pic of the wrong plate, or a message like 'haha suckers.'

I would pay to have this done. Make sure your VIN number in the corner of your windshield is covered, I've heard of them being able to zoom in and expand. Also the little year sticker on your plate, that has numbers that can i.d. your car. Make sure its out of site too if doing the Pimp My Ride or spray thing.

However, the cameras have made people slow their rolls on average, so I guess it saves lives and that's pretty cool.

As long as the orange light is set for as long as is proper, that being at least one second of orange for each 10 miles per hour. Example in a 35 MPH zone, the amber light should be at least 3.5 seconds. Between this greedy company and the greedy cities that use them, I've seen as short as .7 second in a 40MPH zone.
Just so they could up their profits. That is bull. It's also caused rear end accidents by people jamming on the breaks to avoid the $400 ring up.

If used properly and where it does reduce accidents, great.

[phxspurfan]

As long as the orange light is set for as long as is proper, that being at least one second of orange for each 10 miles per hour. Example in a 35 MPH zone, the amber light should be at least 3.5 seconds. Between this greedy company and the greedy cities that use them, I've seen as short as .7 second in a 40MPH zone.

You know, I thought of this one too during an interview when the guy asked me to describe how to make a traffic light state machine (logic). I think you're absolutely right, and the urban planning committees in each city should take responsibility for red light timing. If done correctly and appropriately for the time of day (traffic), correcting the light timings can save people time, prevent accidents, traffic...