Got Caught By a Red Light Camera?

You are obviously not familiar vith do not enter an intersection if u can not clear it but like to block the road so others can't get tru.
Frank.

It's sounding more an more like I'll have to spend the rest of my live within 100 miles of my home.

Between the police and the bears you all have me afraid to leave the house.

(I'm only partially kidding on this)

DC has fallen in love with all kinds of cameras. They red light cameras weren't generating enough revenue for them, so out came the speed cameras. Now they even have blocking the intersection cameras. If you are stopped in the intersection because the traffic ahead is not moving, and the light changes from green to red, click. Thank you much.

Donnoh wrote:
Here in Tennessee, the state legislature recently passed a law where failure to completely stop for right turns on red could only be issued by a police officer that witnessed the offense. It had come to light that approximately 80% of all the red light camera revenue was for right turns and people were getting really angry over it.

Of course the local police screamed that accidents would sky rocket and this would endanger the public. After several months, guess what, no increase in accidents.

The only downside to this new law was a huge hit to revenue that the red light camera companies suffered. So much so they sued the state... ... and lost.

I'm sure they'll be suing NJ next, as Gov. Christie just ended their Red Light Cam program, they asked municipalities to submit their accident figures & reports, however there are Engineers that already state they can prove accident reduction figures are fictitious. The article states however that Speed Cameras have been given the green light.

valhalla360 wrote:
The problem you have is some people accelerate and some slow down and that is a recipie (sic) for a crash.

I guess there is a perceived downside to everything, but judging by the skid marks at those high-speed intersection, I can't see that as being very safe either.

A traffic survey of actual green-light chargers and accidents would be in order.

2oldman wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:
95% of advance signal ahead flashers are a waste of money and more importantly, they undermine thier value in the 5% of locations where they are of benefit.

I really appreciate them and pay attention when they tell me I'm not going to make the green. A car would have to accelerate at a blinding rate to make the green when the flashing starts. It's those stupid always-flashing ones that I think are worthless. All they do is tell you there's a signal ahead. Whoop de doo.

Thank you for responding.

First I was refering to the typical signs that simply flash 100% of the time. Only really useful where the signal is not visible.

For the signs that are tied to the signal timing...Unfortuantely, people do floor it to make the light and if you are right at the sign when it comes on, you do not have to accelerate at a blinding rate. The problem you have is some people accelerate and some slow down and that is a recipie for a crash.

Dtank wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

scootsk wrote:
I realize this thread is about red light cameras but it seems to have taken another direction. On Long Island, Nassau County implemented a school spped zone camera program. When it was introduced the politicians taunted it as a way to close a 30 million dollar budget gap. After a few complained that they shouldn't put cameras in school zones as "money makers". The powers then changed their tune and said the camera were for safety. Lol. Fast forward five months, surrounded by way too much controversy, the program was ended. But here are some raw facts: the cameras were set to issue a ticket to those that exceeded the posted school speed limit by 9 mph. So math say you get a ticket when traveling 29 in a 20 mph zone, sounds reasonable. The program issued over 400,000 tickets from September to late November to the tune of $31 million. I don't know but those numbers do indicate a tremendous problem with speeders in school zones, imo.

The numbers DO NOT indicate a problem with speeders.

The numbers indicate an incorrectly set speed limit. It may suprise you but traffic engineers have found that drivers are actually very good at determining the safe speed for a roadway. School speed limits are notoriously bad at getting it right. I've yet to see a speed limit under 25mph that is appropriate. The problem is someone gets up and says "what about the safety of the kids" and then logic goes out the window. Some of the issue is legislative in nature, some locals have mandatory speeds and in others the school is allowed to demand a paticular speed. Of course no one wants to be the one who said to heck with the kids safety because that one time you do, thats when a fast car wil hit a kid (even though it is not a systematic issue)

"The numbers indicate an incorrectly set speed limit".

The towing (anything) speed limit in California is 55mph.

Truckers routinely travel at speeds ranging from 55 to 65+.
(Illegally)

Tow your trailer, boat, toad, etc. at 55mph - and you *will* have semis up your a**, and flying by.

They probably are great at determining the safe speed where they can get away with it.
Some ordinary folks risk it also.

Bottom line - when a Chippy isn't too busy, or there is a "heavy enforcement" area - they can write all the cites they want.

Been that way "forever" (including the 55mph).
So much for the traffic engineers..:W

.

55mph truck/rv speed limits are not set by traffic engineers. They are pushed by "do gooders" thru legislation. Many states have actually come to thier senses and relaxed the truck speed limits on freeways.

Traffic engineers know that the safest speed is to go with traffic. The old saying "speed kills" should actually be "differential speed kills" but that doesn't roll off the toung so nicely.

Enforcement is another issue and difficult to control. Enforcement is a useful tool to improve safety but only if applied appropriately.

Unfortuanately none of this discussion will get you out of the ticket.

Here in Tennessee, the state legislature recently passed a law where failure to completely stop for right turns on red could only be issued by a police officer that witnessed the offense. It had come to light that approximately 80% of all the red light camera revenue was for right turns and people were getting really angry over it.

Of course the local police screamed that accidents would sky rocket and this would endanger the public. After several months, guess what, no increase in accidents.

The only downside to this new law was a huge hit to revenue that the red light camera companies suffered. So much so they sued the state... and lost.

Anyone ever get a ticket on the highway in Maryland? My son, who is a very safe driver, visited a friend down south. A few weeks after he returned home, we got a speeding ticket for the car he drove, from Maryland. My son was shocked (so were Mom and Dad). The ticket was for 68mph. Son said he had the cruise control set to just over 65mph, as that was what the traffic was doing at the time - I don't think he's ever traveled over 70mph. A ticket for 3mph over the limit?? What???

Turns out - he had traveled through a "construction zone" and the speed limit had dropped to 55mph. He doesn't remember ANY construction signs, traffic cones, let alone any work trucks. After some asking around, turns out Maryland regularly declares a section of highway a "construction zone" and lowers the speed limit. It's for safety. The actual construction in that area may or may not eventually be done, but for safety's sake they lower the speed limit prior to any construction starting - months prior usually. It's for the children, you know. And if the construction project gets canceled? Oh well, they just move the speed camera construction zone to another possible "construction zone". Read articles on the "construction zones" in Maryland -- interesting reading!

We just paid the $40 ticket. In today's world, with everything tracked on computers, I could just see traveling through Maryland in the future and getting into some sort of issue with an unpaid speeding fine from years before.

So, I am not a fan of unmanned "speed cameras".

Wow, I guess for all the insults lobbed at California, we do something right. I don't know of any city that has established red light cameras as an "income maker". I don't know anyone who has gotten a ticket who was NOT running a red light. No extra short amber lights, etc.