We Finally Got Our Red Light Cameras!

[Flys-Lo]

That's really the sad part of the story.... Isn't there at least any USA made/owned systems or a locally owned American Company, that can supply & man these Red-Light cameras/systems ??, if we have to absolutely, have to use them... Can't we at least have the States, Counties & Cities purchasing an American Mfgr/Owned & Ran/Manned product, let alone being able to produce/mfgr these products competitively & for a fair price, for our own use... Buying a product/system Made In the USA, By American, for use here 1st, I think that would be a great concept, for all States, Counties & Cities to have to adher to, it could benefit the whole country, even if it costs a little more $$$$...

As we've learned throughout this whole thread - it's all about the money baby. I agree though, make em' here in the US, SELL - not rent them to the municipalities, collect the money from these law-breaking miscreants and use the money to hire HUMAN police officers to help with other crimes.

 

[fanucme]

next there will be drones flying over you on the highway , maybe even armed drones ?

 

[YY1]

Breaking news-

The city council of St. Petersburg FL just voted to remove their red light cameras!

Disenting opinion- "just don't run red lights"

Concurring opinion- "There are just too many flaws with the system"

I couldn't agree more. Sounds a lot like the discussion on this thread.

I'm liking St Pete more and more lately.

The mayor is trying to hold the multi-million dollar major league baseball team that took tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to it's 20 year commintment contract, or to buy out the remainder to get some of those millions back.

Good for him. I've always had a problem with tax dollars for INCREDIBLY profitable sports teams.

 

[sublimegtx]

Ohio judge rules towns speed cameras are a scam http://news.msn.com/us/judge-towns-speeding-cameras-are-3-card-monty-scam

 

[RedShadow30]

Yeah! Clay County finally got around to getting the first red light camera system up and running this past weekend, and I am happy. I would be thrilled if they had put cameras at the intersection of Kingsley Avenue and Blanding Blvd, but I'll take what I can get for now.

It's so nice being able to go to work in the morning, and not lose half of my green light time waiting for three or four drivers, who decided their time is so valuable that they just couldn't wait for the next green, to clear the intersection. Since the cameras have been up, drivers actually seem to remember that yellow means the same as red instead of thinking it's some acceleration light.

Sorry to all those would-be Kings of the Road, but if you want to own the road, you can pay $115 for the privilege of taking up my green light time.

Youll love it till someone rearends you, or they change the lights time like every city has so far. Univercity already has done it. Plus the supreme court rulled they are unconstitutional and you just have to challenge them. Oh and they just passed a bill to make them illegal and unless rick vetos it, its going thru.

I understand your frustration with drivers running reds, but those drivers wont be stopped by it untill cops start going after red light drivers personally. And in florida its already illegal to speed up for yellow lights, and see how much good that did.

 

[Bruzilla]

Well, week one of the red light camera experience has ended, and the number of those dreaded rear-end collisions that occurred was... zero! WTH? How could this be? Everyone knows the highest occurrence of errors occurs at the initial stage of adoption of any change, so the intersections should have been choked with crashed cars, and yet there were no accidents. Hmmm... how could that be?

I did get to see my first jagoff get his ticket this morning. We were three abreast approaching an intersection. The traffic on the road we were turning onto wasn't moving, so even though the light was green, we were stopped waiting for traffic to clear so we would have some place to go. Then the light turned yellow, and the jag in the pick-up truck next to me decided he just couldn't wait 60 seconds for the next green and just had to enter the intersection even though he had no place to go. The light turned red before he could get out of the intersection, and he was blocking all three northbound lanes and one southbound lane. But then I saw the camera flash in my rearview and was elated to know said jag was going to be writing a nice check for his lack of courtesy on the road. I hope the experience makes him rethink how he drives.

 

[YY1]

Uh, correct me if I'm wrong, but if you are in the intersection prior to the light turning red, that is not an infraction.

Of course this does suggest another technicality that the system is not prepared to deal with- the excercise of good/bad "judgment" on the part of the driver who entered the intersection knowing that he would not be able to clear it before the light changed.

- - - Updated - - -

I'm really enjoying this conversation.

If I could argue this passionately about things I didn't feel as strongly about, I'd consider a career in sales.

 

[Budnicks]

next there will be drones flying over you on the highway , maybe even armed drones ?

yep that's if Atty. Gen. Holder & the Pres. can make it happen, it will...

 

[Bruzilla]

Well, week three of the cameras being up has ended, and big surprise... no rear end crashes at any intersection. Who could have seen this coming?

Here's an interesting twist though. Every intersection with cameras has a large sign that says PHOTO ENFORCED with a pic of a traffic light underneath as you approach it, so you know which intersections have the cameras. The cameras themselves are hard to miss. And the topper is the cops put one of those mobile traffic warning units out and it shows in big flashing red letters INTERSECTION CAMERAS ACTIVE, WARNING PERIOD OVER, TICKETS WILL BE ISSUED.

And yet there I was going to work yesterday morning, and saw the cameras flash as some inept moron of a driver decided he/she just couldn't afford to spend 60 seconds waiting for the next green. To all you who think red light running can be corrected by better educating drivers, I say this moron is proof that concept will never work. If you can get your license and learn not to run red lights, drive past a huge sign warning that the approaching intersection has red light cameras, drive past a huge flashing light sign that warns you, and still decide to run that light, you're just too frigging stupid to learn anything. Hopefully when they have to whip out their checkbook and pay their fine, the lesson might sink in.

 

[Flys-Lo]

Florida quietly shortened yellow light standards & lengths, resulting in more red light camera tickets for you | wtsp.com

http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=316418

Still think your local government has your safety in mind?

 

[Budnicks]

Well, week three of the cameras being up has ended, and big surprise... no rear end crashes at any intersection. Who could have seen this coming?

Here's an interesting twist though. Every intersection with cameras has a large sign that says PHOTO ENFORCED with a pic of a traffic light underneath as you approach it, so you know which intersections have the cameras. The cameras themselves are hard to miss. And the topper is the cops put one of those mobile traffic warning units out and it shows in big flashing red letters INTERSECTION CAMERAS ACTIVE, WARNING PERIOD OVER, TICKETS WILL BE ISSUED.

And yet there I was going to work yesterday morning, and saw the cameras flash as some inept moron of a driver decided he/she just couldn't afford to spend 60 seconds waiting for the next green. To all you who think red light running can be corrected by better educating drivers, I say this moron is proof that concept will never work. If you can get your license and learn not to run red lights, drive past a huge sign warning that the approaching intersection has red light cameras, drive past a huge flashing light sign that warns you, and still decide to run that light, you're just too frigging stupid to learn anything. Hopefully when they have to whip out their checkbook and pay their fine, the lesson might sink in.

Unfortunately there will always be that MORON in the mix, you just can't fix stupid, even with red light cameras or big brother watching you...

 

[kb67mopar]

I have found the problem lies in that when the cameras exist whether it is safe or not people slam on the brakes the second they see yellow regardless of their position to avoid a ticket. So that means if you are that guy worried about the ticket the jack-wagon not paying attention behind you will hit you. or conversely if you don't want the jack-wagon to hit you then you maintain your speed and go thru and not know whether or not you will be penalized for it. I agree that people who piggy back at a light and keep going should be shot in the head at the scene...but I believe they are more dangerous then good.

 

[ws27]

Florida quietly shortened yellow light standards & lengths, resulting in more red light camera tickets for you | wtsp.com

http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=316418

Still think your local government has your safety in mind?

What I'd like to know is who is behind the change?

 

[Cranky]

Around here, if you end up in the middle of an intersection for whatever reason and the light changes to red while stuck there, it's still your fault and can get a ticket.

 

[Flys-Lo]

What I'd like to know is who is behind the change?

I think you're being sarcastic. But in case someone else is really wondering - the people shortening the yellow lights are the ones who directly benefit by collecting the money. If the yellow was the same duration for the last 20 years you drove that road and immediately after a camera is installed it is shortened - that's a dirty trick meant to manipulate the public and fill the coffers. It is unsafe to shorten the warning light before red and I'd also argue that it's just plain dangerous.

 

[ws27]

I think you're being sarcastic. But in case someone else is really wondering - the people shortening the yellow lights are the ones who directly benefit by collecting the money. If the yellow was the same duration for the last 20 years you drove that road and immediately after a camera is installed it is shortened - that's a dirty trick meant to manipulate the public and fill the coffers. It is unsafe to shorten the warning light before red and I'd also argue that it's just plain dangerous.

I'm not. What I mean is I'd love to see the finger pointed to the exact person who made the decision. I know is some states, it was the red light camera company because they profited. It also could be gov't officials trying to boost their "improvement" to justify their success. Who knows. I agree with you on it's dangerous. But it's more than that, the costs of improper tickets goes far beyond the actual ticket itself. Think of all the people getting tickets that shouldn't have and them getting points against their insurance or surcharges depending on your state. All because someone shortened the yellow light to help themselves.

 

[satman72]

This from Autoblog.com

Red light cameras don't appear to be going away, so it should come as no surprise that neither are the controversies around them. We're told again and again that they're about safety, not revenue collection, yet year after year, the studies and headlines compete to support and tear down those arguments. An investigative report by Florida's WTSP Channel 10 News gets the maelstrom whirling again, having found that various state municipalities have shorted yellow light times to below those recommended by the US Department of Transportation.

The retiming of yellow lights was precipitated by a change the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) made to its guidelines for yellow-light durations. Until 2011, the regulations "mandated yellow light calculations factor in either the posted speed limit or 85th percentile of drivers' actual speed – whichever was greater." That year, though, the phrase "whichever was greater" was cut, and certain cities began resetting the yellow lights to illuminate for the shorter interval – either trying to ensure more safety or more revenue. The FDOT says the new language was only meant to establish a minimum time for yellow lights, not to dictate their exact duration.

Various US government studies and reports recommend not using a road's speed limit when determining the length of the yellow light because it increases violations and crashes, but instead using the traffic's 85th percentile speed or the speed limit plus ten miles per hour.

More than one study has found that people want red light cameras, studies have also shown that while major accidents have been reduced at intersections with cameras, smaller fender-bender accidents have increased, and that's not an isolated finding. And with so much money in play – the Channel 10 news report says Florida collect about $100 million in red light camera fines last year and could get to $130 million this year – it's no wonder cities shorten yellow light times below the minimum guidelines, manipulate accident data, robo-sign tickets with the names of dead police officers, and redesign their license plates to make them easier for the cameras to read.

Check out the news segment in the video below and head over to the WTSP site for all of the numbers and specifics, and if you're in Florida, you'll need to pay even more attention to the lights in front and the traffic behind.


News Source: WTSP Channel 10 News


Here's the link; http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/...ellow-light-standards-municipaliti/#continued

 

[scotts74birds]

If we want to do this in the interest of safety, and not revenue, then use a proper length "yellow", followed by a 2 second "all-red" delay to allow for the dick-heads, or the "slide-throughs" from bad weather. Simple. It should be about safety, not revenue.
If you want to make the roads safer, then everyone should be armed with suction-cup dart-guns with little flags on the darts that say ASSHOLE. Then, when a cop see's a guy with 4 of them on his car, he can pull him over and give him a ticket for being an asshole!

 

[YY1]

Isn't that Carlin?...or Stephen Wright?


...down here SIDEWALKS sure would improve road safety!

Storm drians come in a very close second.

 

[Flys-Lo]

Red light cameras don't appear to be going away...

They are in Ohio - "Ohio Senate adopts ban on speed cameras and red light cameras."
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/14/1484.asp

- - - Updated - - -

Well, week three of the cameras being up has ended, and big surprise... no rear end crashes at any intersection. Who could have seen this coming?

Unfortunately the studies show quite a different story.

You're in South Florida right?

A University of South Florida report found:
"Comprehensive studies conclude cameras actually increase crashes and injuries, providing a safety argument not to install them.... public policy should avoid conflicts of interest that enhance revenues for government and private interests at the risk of public safety."
http://www.thenewspaper.com/rlc/docs/2008/fl-orban.pdf

A Virginia Department of Transportation study found:
"The cameras were associated with an increase in total crashes... The results suggested that this increase was 29%... The cameras were associated with an increase in the frequency of injury crashes... The results were substantially higher (59%, 79%, or 89% increases)
http://www.thenewspaper.com/rlc/docs/2007/07-vdot2.pdf

The Washington Post found:
"The analysis shows that the number of crashes at locations with cameras more than doubled, from 365 collisions to 755 last year. Injury and fatal crashes climbed 81 percent, from 144 such wrecks to 262. Broadside crashes, also known as right-angle or T-bone collisions, rose 30 percent, from 81 to 106 during that time frame."
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/06/687.asp



And to reiterate my points from previous posts, your local government is reducing the yellow light time in order to nab more motorists, effectively putting your life and property in danger. Here are studies proving that:

A Texas Transportation Institute study found:
"An increase in yellow duration of 1.0 seconds is associated with a [crash frequency] of about 0.6, which corresponds to a 40 percent reduction in crashes."
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/02/243.asp

A report by the Majority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives found:
"The changes in the yellow signal timing regulations have resulted in the inadequate yellow times. And these inadequate yellow times are the likely cause of almost 80 percent of red light entries."
http://www.thenewspaper.com/rlc/reports/rlcreport.asp

80 percent! 80 percent increase in running red lights by simply reducing the yellow warning time. That's a dirty trick that at best costs you hundreds of dollars and at worst puts your precious Mopar and your more precious family at great risk on the road.