Red Light Cameras

[daveshoe]

We are seeing more and more reports of these things being installed. My question is, what happens when oncoming traffic is so heavy that you enter the intersection ,wait your turn before turning left, and cannot clear the intersection before the light changes? Do you get a ticket? Do they place these cameras only at intersections where there are extra left turn only lanes and turn arrows built into the light? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[CJ8Rockcrawler]

There are several parameters that have to be met to trigger the camera. Weight sensors in the roadway at the crosswalks and timing of the lights. If I remember correctly, it is something like crossing the crosswalk in a vehicle half a second after the light changes red will trigger the cameras. If you're already in the intersection nothing will be triggered as you're usually past the crosswalk already.

 

[TowPro]

Unless your in Phila. they got this thing "don't block the box" where if you can't turn because someone is in front of you, you have to wait.



If the light turns and your stuck out in the intersection you can get ticketed. Its fun to watch from my office window. The cops line up several officers around the corner and just wait for people to do it. Every time the light changes they nail at least one.

 

[daveshoe]

Tow Pro, I'm not talking about someone in front of me. what i'm talking about is oncoming traffic. What I do is just enter the intersection just enough to be in,but still give room to let an on coming car turn left as well. When the light turns yellow,the on coming traffic usually stops,giving you time to clear the iontersection before the light changes. Even if the light changes,you can clear the intersection before the cross traffic signal turns green.

I have seen intersections without left turn only signals so busy that you could wait all day trying to make a left turn if you don't employ this tactic. I quess what i'm trying to say is that if that an intersection has a red light camera, it also needs a left turn only lane with it's own signal.

 

[Texas Diesel]

Austin recently removed all the red light cameras (or so I read) because they caused so many rear end collisions, and the City was going broke by being sued. (And you didnt think Lawyers didnt do any good)

 

[Dieselnut59]

There are a couple red light cameras in my area, but not in the areas where I usually "run" a light. There are three lights on the main 4-lane road that, regardless of traffic flow on the main road, will sometimes "poof" suddenly to red when one vehicle approaches on the intersecting road. If I were to slam on brakes to stop for the light, I would be arse-ended. Seen it happen too many times. If they were to put up a camera at any of these intersections, I would just deface my tag enough it would not be legible to the camera or get some of that spray I have seen advertised that makes it illegible to the camera, but is undetectable when looked at.

Instead of wasting money on the camera systems, they ought to hire an engineer that can set up a red-light intersection more efficiently or build more bridge/overpass or yield/merge systems.

 

[Texas Diesel]

What spray?

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

They've got these cameras all over the Phoenix/Mesa area. They're used at all types of intersections, turn lanes or not. I lived in Mesa a few years ago and got one of these tickets. When I went thru the intersection there were flashing lights everywhere. I didn't know what was going on so I leaned towards the windshield to get a better look. Two months later I got a ticket in the mail for $180 with about 4 pics of my face attached. Here in California a guy on my crew at work just got one for $400.

 

[Dieselnut59]

What spray?

Not sure, but I read about it in one of the "Hot rod" type (gasser) magazines while I was waiting on a food order at a resturant. It was expensive, but WAY less than a ticket!

 

[CSnyder]

What's a stop light? Or a crosswalk? I never heard of such things here. The only thing we worry about on the roads here in Iowa are critters!