Red Light Cameras

[bobetlindsey]

Not to sound like a renegade, but if you live 1000 miles away, why not ignore the ticket?

Not in Florida.......Florida will suspend your driving privileges in Florida then issue an arrest warrant for not paying a parking ticket, so I can image that they will surly issue an arrest warrant for not paying a traffic ticket, along with a suspension of driving privileges....In today's world, all states are on the same page and your home state will probably suspend your driving privileges also for failure to pay in another state....

[dpayne]

the distance to stop is calculated: distance = (speed x speed)/ (30 x drag factor) : d = s^2/(30 x f)

s = 45 MPH, f= 0.528, d = 127.8 ft.

0.528 g's is the requirement for most heavy rigs, FMCSR PART 393.52

45 MPH is 66 FPS, in 4 seconds, you travel 264 ft. this is the point you must decide to stop or keep going.

you have 136.2 feet avaiolable, at 45 MPH, this is 2.06 seconds for reaction time.

total time to stop is not relevant, you will be stopping behind the stop line after the light has turned red, no viloation

[gracey46]

Believe the solution to problems with light cameras is simple. If cameras are installed for revenue or what some government agencies call safe, the law should require a countdown clocks which indicate how long before the YELLOW is activated. This would allow any size vehicle time to avoid one more local tax. The countdown clock should be the law in every state that is if the camera is not a revenue source.

[MarYJac04]

A friend and my wife and I were just talking on this issue because many times it seems the caution light is just too short for 45 mph. We would like to see a change to the system they use in Mexico where the green light flashes three times before the caution light comes on. This is by far a better system.

[trekker01]

Just last week we had a TV news item on Orlando's TV about red light runners. A few offenders had gotten a lawyer who asked the court where their camera expert was (the camera work is done by an out of state company), and all his cases were dismissed. Other folks in the traffic court that day were convicted because they didn't know that FL law requires the expert be in court, so they didn't challenge the court. A few of the ones dismissed actually involved accidents as the red light runner collided with a car that had the right of way. I would expect either some changes in the law on this, or a slow down in the expansion of the process. Of course, the contract with the out of state contractors all require them to appear in court, but since most violators don't challenge them, they seldom come.

[Cookie]

For forty years I drove semi, long haul. One time in Portland, OR I was driving very slowly, trying to find the street I needed. As I was part way into the intersection, I saw the "flash" of the red light camera. I was going so slowly that I was already in the intersection before it turned yellow, and not out by the time it turned red. I was waiting for the citation in the mail, but it never came. All I can figure is that someone in the city was smart enough to figure out what happened, and that I was not trying to "run a red light".

Another thought, coming after 3 million miles of driving something somewhat larger than my motor home. Your comment was interesting: "45 MPH speed zone, I got caught running a light, question, how much time does the yellow light stay on from start to finish, and how much time does it require to stop a 42' motor home towing a car".

If you know that you can't stop your rig in the time allowed, why are you driving that fast in those conditions. We all know that stop lights and such like are geared for cars, and we all know that our larger vehicles cannot stop in the same distance as our cars, so the question is: "Why are you driving your motor home, which you can't stop as quickly as your car, the same way you drive your car". The 45 MPH sign signifies the MAXIMUM speed that should be driven on that road, not the "required" speed for that road. Your comment and evidently driving awareness and/or attitude is one of the reasons many people feel that motor home operators should have special training and licensing. I hope that you don't drive your 40,000 pound motor home pulling a toad in adverse weather conditions the same way you drive your 3000 pound car.

I will get off my "soap box" now, but I hope that this might cause someone to think about the way they drive their larger vehicle. I know that some of the "four wheelers" may get upset at us if we don't drive as fast as they would like us to, but they would be even more upset if we and/or they were involved in an accident because of our inability to safely control or stop our motor home.

[Iceangel222]

In Washington State the yellow light is 5 sec. and you have to anticipate clearance of the ENTIRE vehicle through the intersection prior to the yellow going red. Taking the safe driver test on the internet decreased our insurance rates and learned to anticipate the change of the light to allow ample time to stop. I personally don't like red light cameras, but they are a reality unfortunately. Sorry you got caught!!!

[QuiGonJohn]

Here is the best solution for that problem http://shopping.phot...CFQlN4AodFG-ZTQ

Have you used this one? If so, what has been your experience with it? I was looking into getting such a cover, but found a wide array of products to choose from, with none standing out as the clear cut choice.

[RVerOnTheMove]

It's illegal in many States so be buyer beware is really in effect here.

[lewisedge]

In New Jersey, thousands of red-light camera tickets are being thrown out because the devices were not properly calibrated and created an impossible situation for motorists. Those cameras have often made intersections more dangerous when motorists jam on brakes unexpectedly, causing rear-end collisions. At intersections where right turns on red were permitted, motorists were being ticketed by those cameras for making legal turns. Obviously RV owners driving heavy rigs can be more vulnerable when they wisely avoid panic stops to prevent automated ticketing. In my opinion, such cameras are evil devices principally designed to earn money; not to enhance safety at intersections. Just as speed-detection cameras were outlawed on New Jersey’s interstate highways, parkways and turnpikes, I hope the state wisely outlaws those traffic light cameras as well. An automated machine is no substitute for the objective judgment of a law-enforcement officer.

[hermanmullins]

There was the gentleman that went through an intersection and the camera flashed. He knew that he had not ran the light or was speeding. So he went around the block slower and still the light flashed. So he went around again same thing. He did this 5 times and the camera flashed each time. So he went on home. 5 days later he receives a letter form his local Law Enforcement with 5 citations for not wearing his seat belt.

Herman

[jc21014]

For forty years I drove semi, long haul. One time in Portland, OR I was driving very slowly, trying to find the street I needed. As I was part way into the intersection, I saw the "flash" of the red light camera. I was going so slowly that I was already in the intersection before it turned yellow, and not out by the time it turned red. I was waiting for the citation in the mail, but it never came. All I can figure is that someone in the city was smart enough to figure out what happened, and that I was not trying to "run a red light".

Another thought, coming after 3 million miles of driving something somewhat larger than my motor home. Your comment was interesting: "45 MPH speed zone, I got caught running a light, question, how much time does the yellow light stay on from start to finish, and how much time does it require to stop a 42' motor home towing a car".

If you know that you can't stop your rig in the time allowed, why are you driving that fast in those conditions. We all know that stop lights and such like are geared for cars, and we all know that our larger vehicles cannot stop in the same distance as our cars, so the question is: "Why are you driving your motor home, which you can't stop as quickly as your car, the same way you drive your car". The 45 MPH sign signifies the MAXIMUM speed that should be driven on that road, not the "required" speed for that road. Your comment and evidently driving awareness and/or attitude is one of the reasons many people feel that motor home operators should have special training and licensing. I hope that you don't drive your 40,000 pound motor home pulling a toad in adverse weather conditions the same way you drive your 3000 pound car.

I will get off my "soap box" now, but I hope that this might cause someone to think about the way they drive their larger vehicle. I know that some of the "four wheelers" may get upset at us if we don't drive as fast as they would like us to, but they would be even more upset if we and/or they were involved in an accident because of our inability to safely control or stop our motor home.

Well said Cookie. It's seems that a lot of people find it easier to complain about getting caught than being attentive to what they're driving and accepting responsibility for their actions.

[GREGORYJ]

Garmin's red light camera POI is called CYCLOPS and is available for US & Canada and is put in the POI folder of most Garmin units.

It seems to warn you of an upcoming red light camera about 800 feet before the camera location by beeping & showing a warning on the

GPS screen. It works well. On the new Garmin Dezl 760 the warning is very noticable in big red letters accross the top of the screen.

[cpenn]

My wife is the admin. asst. to the police chief in our town...The traffic cameras are just another way for the municipalities to collect revenue...Safety has nothing to do with it...The money is split between the vendor and the municipality...In the old days when revenues were down the mayor would tell the chief to start writing tickets, now they just park the vehicle with cameras where the speed limit changes and cha-ching...In one instance they wrote 336 tickets in one day on a saturday by a park where a soccer tournament was being held.

p.s. A bill was just introduced in the Ohio legislature that would make all traffic cameras illegal in the state.

[tcolburn]

Join the National Motorists Association. www.motorists.org

--Tim C.

[QuiGonJohn]

I sat at the front line waiting for a whole light cycle the other day. This intersection was one that happened to allow the traffic heading opposite to me to go first, (both straight and those making a left hand turn). I watched the Red Light Camera facing me, for that direction of traffic, flash 6 times as that traffic began to flow, with their green light!

[jrwitt]

Hope you don't get six tickets!!! lol

[QuiGonJohn]

No, it was for people heading the other way, while I was waiting at the light for it to turn green for me. My point was, that it was obviously BROKEN!

Oh, and Florida tags, so there is no plate on the front of my car for that flashing camera to have caught.

[wayne77590]

Hmm! I was taught to watch the traffic lights as you travel. If it has been green for some time it is most likly to turn yellow and red by the time you get there so be prepared. Another indicator is the crosswork pedestrian sign. If it is red, the light is most likely to change. If it is white the light is not going to change, and if it is flashing white it is about to go to red. It's just an indicator. Sometimes they go from pedestrian white to red and the light changes at the same time, but it is still an indicator.

I would personally rather run the light and get the ticket if I thought it was unsafe to stop versus jamming on the brakes, throwing everything in the coach and compartments around and having the possibility that someone is going to run into my TOAD rendering it inoperable and/or the hitch inoperable.

[DoggyDaddy]

In CA there is a 4 second rule and sign requirement of photo camera.

While out of my licensed state, a camera caught what could/could not be me and my vehicle in Tucson AZ going over the speed limit. I received a photo and a letter by regular mail saying "this is not a bill" but asking if I knew who the operator and could identify the vehicle, and was asked to call a telephone number or website. I did neither, no self incrimination here or trail back to be on purpose or accident.

[Monkeyrun]

You can purchase a GPS with the red light camera database in it, I have one. If nothing else, it gives you a heads up that there could be brakes slamming on at the next light.

[bpixley]

Here is a story from Florida about red light cameras and how they are reducing the yellow light time.

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

It reminded me of this thread started a year ago. The OP was specifically referencing Port Richey, which is one of the cities involved in red light camera money grab.

Just a reminder to driver beware in Florida. If you think you will make the yellow light, you wont.

As the camera is flashing, just smile and save (no, wait. That's Good Sam). I mean smile and wave.

[StellersJay]

The bottom line is, red light cameras are for revenue generation. Safety benefits, if any, are just a secondary benefit.

IMHO

Sam

[StellersJay]

Red light cameras are installed to generate revenue. Safety benefits, if any, are a secondary issue.

IMHO

Sam

[cavedvr]

Looks like local governments in your area have been playing with the times of the yellow light.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/05/15/the-sneaky-change-to-yellow-lights-in-florida-that-now-means-more-tickets/