Got Caught By a Red Light Camera?

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.