Your views on redlight and speed cameras...

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Your views on redlight and speed cameras...

IMHO, the lights should be set on a delay that catches the true red light runners. I'm talking about the ones that still run the light 5 to 8 seconds after the light has turned red. Those are the people who cause the T bone accidents. To have the cameras trip when the yellow is initiated is truely a trap to make money.

Some places that I have traveled where there are lights on multiple lanes will have another sign with flashing lights about 1/8 mile prior to the light. These signs say "Prepare to stop when flashing". When the lights flash, they let you know that the light is turning red for the stop. This makes a lot of sense to me because it lets you know that the light cycle is changing. This gives the driver time to brake safely. However, there are some drivers too damn comfortable listening to their music, on the phone, reading ( but not road signs), brushing their hair, eating, and many other things that distract from the operation of the motor vehicle.

 

[Caveman Charlie]

Re: Your views on redlight and speed cameras...

I agree that drivers age getting dumbed down by the way new cars are designed. I also agree that divers education is a joke. And, the bad habits they start at that age stay with them for life. I know a man in his late 20's that learned bad driving habits when he was young. He is still getting into accidents and risking the lives of every one around him. I refuse to ride in a car with him. He's that bad of a driver.

 

[MikDee]

Re: Your views on redlight and speed cameras...

IMHO, the lights should be set on a delay that catches the true red light runners. I'm talking about the ones that still run the light 5 to 8 seconds after the light has turned red. Those are the people who cause the T bone accidents. To have the cameras trip when the yellow is initiated is truely a trap to make money.

SS, I like that train of thought for red light runners! but, in the real world I'd guess making money, using safety as a scapegoat, is the main issue.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Your views on redlight and speed cameras...

SS, I like that train of thought for red light runners! but, in the real world I'd guess making money, using safety as a scapegoat, is the main issue.

Yep, its all about the money. The town I live in, US RT30 runs through. Usually during the spring, summer, and fall the city cops set up a speed trap. It really aggrevated me this past monday that they had a trap going. I notified our new mayor that I felt this was a bad move. Some people have a hard time coming up with money for the holidays and then to take it away for fines. Yes, I know,,,,,,don't break the law and you don't have to worry about it.

I can't understand why I have put on over 250,000 miles accident/citation free while others have multiple accidents in a year. All one has to do is realize that driving is a serious job and you got to keep your mind on it. Almost like watching a 2 year old.

 

[byacey]

Re: Your views on redlight and speed cameras...

Regarding motorcycles - around here, there are many responsible riders, but there are also some absolute morons. Often in the warmer months I see some kid on a racing bike fly by weaving through dense traffic at speeds of 100MPH or more. Then, when the idiot kills himself, there is a big inquiry as to how this could possibly happen, and the parents are looking to place blame on someone else for little Johhny's death.

This crap burns me up. I don't wish anyone harm, but it's survival of the fittest. If someone is so stupid to not realise they danger they are creating to themselves and others, they probably deserve to die. One less hazard on the road. Mankind is the only animal on earth that tries to defy the natural law of survival of the fittest.

High speed chases by police are another issue around here. I say if a driver doesn't stop for the police, they are guilty of something. Let the police employ a homing missile and blow these cars right off the road. This will happen once or twice, and I suspect that will be the end to high speed chases when people learn the consequence.
I'll quietly come down off my soap-box now.

 

[Bob Fort]

Re: Your views on redlight and speed cameras...

No problem here with cameras or "speedvans." Red runners deserve the ticket, the aggravation and the fine/legal fee.

Red means stop, green means go, yellow means prepare to stop when the light turns red. If the yellow has been lit for several seconds, just come to a stop and let the guy behind you blow his horn, if need be.

There is no definition of red that reads: "It just turned red, so I can speed up and still get through OK."

 

[byacey]

Re: Your views on redlight and speed cameras...

I fully agree with you Bob, as long as the yellow light gives a driver sufficient time to acknowledge the yellow phase, and sufficient time to come to a reasonable stop. If this was the case, red light cameras wouldn't really be needed.

As for speeding, I admit that I speed on the open highway where I live. If you have ever seen the open prairie of Alberta or Saskatchewan it's plain to see this isn't a dangerous activity, within reason. When I do speed on the highway, I take the responsibilty of my safety, my passengers, AND THE OTHER DRIVERS on the road unto myself. If I feel that I present a potential danger to any of these people, I slow down. There are many people that don't speed, but they also don't take these responsibilities either, and these are the truly dangerous drivers.

 

[Weldor]

Re: Your views on redlight and speed cameras...

Red means stop, green means go, yellow means prepare to stop when the light turns red."

Heck around here I think they must be teaching the kids if the light turns yellow give he!! cause it's about to turn red. I agree with the others on the timing of the lights and get'um in sync with the cameras. A yellow light should hold in accordence to the posted speed limit 25mph= 5second light 50 mph=10second light. Well this ain't exact numbers but ya get the general idea.

 

[JRJ]

Re: Your views on redlight and speed cameras...

The photos I saw show the intersection all the time. The lights at all phases, jaywalkers, yellow light goers, and red-light runners. The cameras can work for you or against you. Sadly, we all pay for the stupidity of a few.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Your views on redlight and speed cameras...

A few months back I saw one of the speed display machines on the side of the road in front of a grade school. Every one is slowing down as they approach the machine, but there were two kids standing in front of it with a garbage can lid swinging it so the radar would pick up the lid and read out 60mph, 80 mph, etc.

It was the kind of thing I would have done as a kid.

I gave them the thumbs up as I passed.

 

[Pascal]

Re: Your views on redlight and speed cameras...

we have a 2 lane highway thru our town that has a playground zone just after you enter town from the east. The popcorn cops set up one of those speed display units on the west bound lane at the begining of the PG zone and everyone slowed down. As I went thru, I glanced to the left across the road and there in the weeds was a "spotter" who radioed ahead to the west end of the PG zone as they picked out the cars with seat belt infractions.

 

[krisnowicki]

Re: Your views on redlight and speed cameras...

the laws view on speeding and light violations is held as a strict liabilty. So they are going to a ticket to any one who breaks these laws and there is no defense to this at all... It requires no mes rea requirement meaning ... if you purposely, knowingly, recklessly, negligently, or with any other mind set commit this" crime" you have to pay a fine.
However, you can find defense to this if it was not you driving the car. So when I got on went to court and appealed it ... it did not have picture of me just the car. and as I lend my car out a lot it may not have been me driving. They try to save money by not having police officers give out tickets ... and there for lose the ability in some cases to prove who was driving the car. So if you get one of these fight it with the defense that you were not driving the car. End of story if they cannot place you there ( which it is there burden to do) then you are in fact not guily of the crime.

As far as public policy you should know these are huge revenue sources for the cities and not so much to deter speed violations. If it was true tickets were a deterrent to speeders then the speeding problem would have diminshed or ceased to exist 30 years ago....

 

[oops!]

Re: Your views on redlight and speed cameras...

in british columbia canada. the photo radar, is no longer!
the politicans made it an election platform to ger rid of it. they got elected and its gone.
one other reason to get rid of it... was it was usless as a deterrent! if you get caught speeding by a cop you are held responcible for your actions right there and then. you chance your attitude right there and then.
when you get a picture in the mail you just swear and go about your merry little way!
not only that on major highways around here, under normal driving conditions, you have to be 5-10 mph abpve the limit just to be in the flow of traffic! if you arent speeding your a hazzard as people are dodging you and riding youe a@#! so they got rid of it...gone

we still have red light cameras but they are only used for proof in an accident situation.
and it has been prooven in court thet several key intersections of the united states and canada are in fact entrapment zones. (refering to yellow light timing) but untill it goes to the superme court they will stay as moneymakers for the state.

 

[oops!]

Re: Your views on redlight and speed cameras...

oh BTW, a radio station did a spoof song about photo radar.

sung to the tune of radar love by goldenerring.
cant remember the exact lyrics, but it was about a guy that got a speeding ticket sent to his home in the mail. a picture of him and his girl in the car all cudddly, kissing an smiling!

the lyrics went somthing like "that girl beside me was not my wife"
the song was called photo radar sucks

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: Your views on redlight and speed cameras...

About a week ago, a guy here didn't approve of the cameras and took one out with a deer rifle from down the street. Nearby cops caught him. They showed the camera on TV and he actually grouped his shots pretty close - all in a 6-inch circle.

 

[MikDee]

Re: Your views on redlight and speed cameras...

About a week ago, a guy here didn't approve of the cameras and took one out with a deer rifle from down the street. Nearby cops caught him. They showed the camera on TV and he actually grouped his shots pretty close - all in a 6-inch circle.

Hooray for him! a marksman too, I've had those thought's myself on occasion.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Your views on redlight and speed cameras...

While I am totally for shooting them down (who isn't, huh?) I think a more reasonable thing to do is simply put a black trash bag over the camera. That way nothing gets damaged and the camera can be reused, once the trash bag is removed.

A guy I work with got popped going through a green light the other morning. He called and found out that they haven't told the public yet, but the red light cameras double as speed cameras as well!

As my dad says, "Son, getcha gun."

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Your views on redlight and speed cameras...

The roadside trailers that display your speed in this area does not take photos. (at least yet) I do know that they make my radar detector go buggy from about half mile away. I haven't been in any towns where the cameras have been used at. So I don't know if the detector works for them as well. Does anyone know?

 

[Tater Head]

Re: Your views on red light and speed cameras...

Re: Your views on red light and speed cameras...

The best thing sense sliced bread. Those of you that are crying must be running the red lights. Glad they caught you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Your views on redlight and speed cameras...

No, actually I've never had a ticket for running a red light. The only ticket I've ever had was "not yielding to a traffic device" meaning I wasn't all the way through when it turned red. It was 11 30 at night and I was returning a rented Super Nintendo game (tell you how long ago that was).

Tater my point is this. You can't break the law to enforce it. You can't just say "well you must be guilty if you are complaining" when constitutional violations are occurring left and right in order for these tickets to be mailed out. It's called due process, innocent until proven guilty, etc etc. That cannot be violated. What about 6th amendment rights to confront one's accuser? How can someone legally cross examine a camera on a pole? Are you saying its ok if someone loses constitutional rights in these types of violations? Is that what you mean?

A private company cannot issue a citation for a traffic violation. If they could, then I could start my own company and begin doing the same thing. All these citations are are like bills from a private company. They never go on your record, your insurance company never finds out about them, and if you refuse to pay they go into collections. Real tickets don't go into collections!!!

What laws are they violating, you ask? Well, how about this Louisiana law:

Statute RS 32:365

?365. Television

B. Law enforcement officers of the state or any political subdivision thereof shall be authorized to operate video recording equipment and monitors in their law enforcement vehicles while in the performance of their duties.

"However, this provision shall not be construed to allow law enforcement officers to record vehicles in violation of traffic safety laws with citations for such violations to be mailed to the alleged violator at a later date."

Obviously that begs the question, if a law enforcement officer can't even do it, how can it be ok for a private company?

So, what you are saying Tater, is that you don't care that the constitution is being violated and that laws are being broken to catch other lawbreakers, as long as the red light runners are caught, that's all that matters? If so, then this argument is hopeless.